Dear friends and colleagues,
On behalf of the organizing committee it is my sincere pleasure to invite you to attend the International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation.
ICAIR is a one-of-a-kind event that drives cross-collaboration across multiple disciplines thanks to the input and participation of world-leading scientific, health-care, academic, engineering, technology and entrepreneurial experts like those in attendance.
Advances in aging and rehabilitation technologies have the potential to significantly improve the lives of those in our communities who are living with disease, disability, injury and the impacts of aging.
We look forward to welcoming you to the historic Carlu in Toronto at ICAIR 2025. Your attendance will help all of us accelerate the development of new products, services, treatments and solutions designed to help those who are most in need now and for years to come.
Dr. Milos R. Popovic
Chair, ICAIR organizing committee
The International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation drives discovery, collaboration and invention in the healthcare, rehabilitation and age-tech sectors.
ICAIR is a unique conference destination designed to help researchers, academics, clinicians, students, entrepreneurs, startup companies, investors and other innovators share research and academic success stories, build and foster relationships across disciplines, and encourage cross-pollination of communication, research and ideas.
The annual conference is hosted by the KITE Research Institute at the University Health Network (UHN) with significant input and participation from clinical, research and academic partners from around the world.
Here's what to expect when you submit a poster for consideration:
Authors of the top 14 posters will be invited to participate in the 3 Minute Talk (3MT) stage competition. Finalists will be notified, and are expected to prepare a one-slide presentation to accompany their talk. (An additional slide for authors and affiliations will be allowed)
Start your registration and submission process here!
Avis Favaro is an acclaimed medical journalist with decades of experience uncovering and reporting health stories that matter to Canadians.
Favaro was Canada’s longest-serving television Medical Correspondent, with CTV News. She is currently a host of The CHIP -a podcast by the Canadian Institute for Health Information and is also a senior advisor with Santis Health. Favaro has been recognized with a multitude of awards, along with an honorary PhD from McMaster University.
She is also among the large cohort of aging Canadians, and so this conference is - in her words - "a perfect fit!"
Wearable technologies are transforming healthcare, rehabilitation, and aging, pushing past traditional boundaries to unlock new dimensions of human potential. Drawing from the groundbreaking insights in Dr. Helen Papagiannis’s best-selling book “Augmented Human,” this keynote will delve into how AI and AR-powered innovations are breaking barriers to accessibility and reimagining the human experience, offering an inspiring vision for living and thriving at every stage of life.
Dr. Helen Papagiannis is a globally recognized thought leader in immersive technologies, specializing in AI and spatial computing and their transformative impact on industries. She is a bestselling author of Augmented Human: How Technology is Shaping the New Reality; the founder of XR GOES POP, a consulting firm focused on experiential retail, luxury lifestyle, and popular culture; and she has spoken at such leading conferences as TEDx, SXSW, and AWE. Her TEDx talk is celebrated as one of the top 10 talks on augmented reality and gamified life.
Neuroprosthetic devices have tremendous potential to improve quality of life after spinal cord injury. A promising method for restoring movement and enhancing rehabilitation is transcutaneous stimulation of the spinal cord. Transcutaneous stimulation can activate neural circuits distal to an injury, leading to both enhanced rehabilitation, and facilitating long-term neuroplasticity and recovery that restores volitional control of movement for months after the stimulation is discontinued. This technology is recently FDA approved for improving hand strength and sensation after spinal cord injury, with many other indications currently under study in our laboratory.
Dr. Chet Moritz is the Hwang Endowed Professor in the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, with joint appointments in Rehabilitation Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics. He was named an Allen Distinguished Investigator and appointed to the Christopher & Dana Reeve International Consortium on Spinal Cord Repair.
Dr. Moritz serves as the Co-Director for the Center for Neurotechnology, a former NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC). He directs the Restorative Technologies Laboratory (RTL) which focuses on developing technologies to treat paralysis due to spinal cord injury. He recently co-led a multi-site clinical trial of spinal stimulation to restore hand function for people with spinal cord injury leading to FDA approval. He and his team are currently studying spinal stimulation to improve walking after spinal cord injury and for children with cerebral palsy, as well as optogenetic stimulation to guide neuroplasticity and recovery in the injured spinal cord of animals.
This presentation will review the state of inequities in Canada’s health care system and broader notions of health, examine structural discrimination as a key driver of health disparities, and discuss interventions and strategies to improve health equity and health system resilience.
Dr. Andrew Boozary is a primary care physician, policy practitioner, researcher, and founding executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine at the University Health Network. He completed his medical training at the University of Toronto and health policy training at Princeton University and Harvard University. His work at the intersection of health policy, social justice and equitable health care delivery aims to improve health outcomes for marginalized populations.
During the pandemic, Dr. Boozary served as co-lead of the Ontario Health Toronto Region COVID-19 Homelessness Response and holds the Dalla Lana Professorship in Policy Innovation at the University of Toronto. He is also the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Public Health Review and served in senior advisory roles for policymakers at various levels of government both nationally and abroad on public policy issues ranging from primary care reform to the implementation of pharmacare.
Dr. Boozary has published in high-impact academic journals, and his writing and analysis appear in print and broadcast media. He has been the recipient of a number of national and international awards, and is the youngest physician recipient of the Louise Lemieux-Charles Health System Leadership Award and the youngest Convocation speaker for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine.
If you have an innovative concept or business in the healthcare space, the Power Play Pitch Competition is your gateway to recognition and support.
We are looking for energetic, innovative and passionate healthcare innovators who can address an unmet need in the healthcare industry, through preventative healthcare solutions, treatment and management of disabling injuries and illnesses, restorative assistive devices to help restore function, diagnostic tools, digital health, and others.
We welcome innovators involved in all stages of product and technology development, from concepts and prototypes to finished products and services and start-up companies, and who need capital to help bring their innovations to the next stage.
All finalists receive a dedicated space in ICAIR’s Innovative Startup Exhibitor Zone, and additional exhibitor space in this area will be distributed to applicants of the Innovative Startup contest on a first-come, first-serve basis.
With $50,000 available in total prizes, the stakes are higher than ever. Don't miss your chance to build the future of healthcare!
1st Place Prize | $25,000
2nd Place Prize | $10,000
3rd Place Prize | $10,000
1st Place Prize | $2,500
2nd Place Prize | $1,500
3rd Place Prize | $1,000
Andrew is a highly accomplished leader in the fields of business development and operations, with a proven track record in the investment industry and higher education sector. He is deeply passionate about cultivating and growing high-value, mutually beneficial partnerships, enabling the development and commercialization of disruptive products and services, and fostering the development of talent.
Andrew worked 8 years at life science venture capital funds in Europe and across Canada, partnering with entrepreneurs to help them to develop and commercialize innovative medical technologies and drug products. Also, Andrew has worked for over 12 years as a leader in college and university research commercialization to grow partnerships, projects, and funding.
For over 20 years, Andrew has advised pharmaceutical, biologics, medical device, natural health product, cosmetic and other life sciences companies, as well as teaching hospitals, research institutions, and research networks, on a broad range of matters including collaborations, licensing, manufacture, clinical trials, marketing, importation, warehousing, distribution, sale, acquisitions and related intellectual property and regulatory matters. Prior to the practice of law, Andrew worked in software development and microbiology.
Andrew is the Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship at Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, where he runs the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology program. Since joining York in 2014 he has introduced the ingredients of successful technology entrepreneurship to more than 1000 students, who have started more than 30 companies.
He holds a PhD in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Waterloo, where he taught for six years, helping students develop more than 40 funded ventures. He has judged numerous early-stage technology venture competitions, dating back to 2001, at the University of Toronto, where he launched the Innovation Challenge and the Exceler@tor incubator programs.
His award-winning research focuses on the early stage of technology ventures – helping motivated individuals form teams that can turn promising technology into practical solutions that address real-world problems. His current focus is on the development of AI tools to enhance the entrepreneurial learning journey.
Christopher is a healthcare technology thought leader, strategist, and Managing Partner of IOTECH Consulting, LLC. He also serves as CTO of Ask Me Your MD. As an advisor to business, clinical, and technology leaders, he invests in and supports emerging healthcare technology companies focused on closing the health equity gap.
Kunney has held leadership roles at Divurgent, June Health, Coker Group, AT&T, Health Innovations, and Piedmont Healthcare. He was also an Entrepreneur in Residence at The Combine and an Executive Fellow at the American College of Health Data Management.
He was named a 2024 HIMSS Change Maker and nominated for the 2024 Georgia Titan 100 Leader Award. A 2023 American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink Ambassador, he advocates for breast cancer awareness. He serves on several boards, including YMCA of Metro Atlanta and Morehouse School of Medicine’s Industry Advisory Board.
A graduate of Fort Valley State University and Georgia Tech, Kunney holds multiple healthcare technology leadership certifications. He hosts the Straight Outta Health IT podcast and has been featured in major industry publications. Recognized by LinkedIn as a “Top IT Strategy Voice,” he frequently speaks on healthcare technology, leadership, and health equity.
Professor Santerre has published >220 peer reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on >70 patents in the area of medical polymers. He is co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto (a student focused entrepreneur training co-curricular program that has trained > 750 client health science companies which have generated > $500M Cdn).
He is also the current chair of the Health Entrepreneuship Pillar for the African Higher Education Health Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation. He is a co-founder of Interface Biologics, along with having spun-out five other start-up companies from his lab, and has won multiple national awards for his achievements in enabling entrepreneurship, included Canada's Governor General award for Innovation, and the Professional Engineers of Ontario Entrepreneurship Award in 2017.
He has received multiple awards for his community activity including the 2016 Community award from the Canadian Biomaterials, the 2018 President's Impact Award from the University of Toronto.
Jennifer is an associate in Osler’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group. Her practice focuses on advising a wide range of clients on matters including mergers and acquisitions, continuous disclosure, equity and debt financings, as well as general corporate and securities related matters.
Prior to joining Osler, Jennifer worked as a corporate securities associate at a leading regional Bay Street firm.
Lyne Landry is a co-founder and managing partner at AgeTech Capital, a firm dedicated to accelerating growth in AI-driven health tech and AgeTech startups. She has extensive expertise in venture capital, impact investing, and private equity, with a career spanning roles across North America, Africa, and Europe.
Varun Chandak is the Founder and President of Access to Success, a Toronto-based not-for-profit whose mission is to Enable Everyone. Driven by his own lived experiences with disabilities and hopes of better assistive tech, he established ATS Labs, Canada's leading accelerator for accessibility startups.
Startups that Varun has supported have gone on to benefit well over 640,000 people with disabilities. A sought-after speaker on accessibility innovation and inclusive design, Varun has been recognized as a Top 50 Changemaker in Canada and received the inaugural Tom Wilson Leadership in Disability Award.
Vera is the Founder and Principal of B-Spot Consulting Inc., based in Toronto, Canada. She has over twenty years of experience as a financial analyst, researcher, and business development and operations at life science companies. Her roles have included product in-licensing and out-licensing, valuation, KOL engagement, and clinical trial operations.
Vera’s unique expertise lies in combining these skillsets to creatively develop a strategic and dynamic financial model for entrepreneurs to use for scenario analysis: pinpointing development challenges, validating commercial opportunities and de-risking a company’s capital market journey. Her client base is entrepreneurs from pre-seed to Series A, and encompasses medical devices, therapeutics, materials science and healthcare IT, and she works with companies in Canada and globally.
Day 1 |
---|
Registration and Networking
7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. |
Trainee Breakfast (Separate registration required)
8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. |
Opening Remarks:
9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. |
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Helen Papagiannis, Globally recognized expert on immersive technologies and spatial computing - Augmented Human 9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. |
Panel Discussion: Transforming Lives Through Startup Tech
10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition:
Journal presentation competition, where leading rehabilitation scientists will present their published research, for a chance to earn the title of "ICAIR Paper of the Year". 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Networking Lunch & Poster Viewing Session (Exhibition zone open)
12:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. 12:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. |
Power Play Innovative Concept Competition:
Up-and-coming entrepreneurs present their exciting, creative and innovative early stage change-making ideas in a Dragon's Den-style competition. 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition (continued)
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Conference Reception (Exhibition zone open)
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Day 2 |
---|
Registration and Networking
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. |
Opening Remarks
8:50 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. |
Power Play Start-up Competition:
Start-up companies looking to fill a gap in the healthcare industry present their concepts, prototypes, and healthcare innovations in a Dragon's Den-style competition. 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |
Nutrition Break (Exhibition zone open)
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
Panel Discussion: Breaking Barriers: Stories of Resilience and Impact in Accessibility Advocacy
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
3-Minute Talks:
The next generation of aging and rehabilitation leaders present their findings and ideas in a three-minute Ted Talk style competition. 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
Networking Lunch & Poster Viewing Session (Exhibition zone open)
12:20 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. |
Power Play Start-up Competition (continued)
2:05 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. |
3-Minute Talks (continued)
3:05 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. |
How Creative Technology is Shaping the Future of Healthcare
3:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks
4:00 p.m. |
Accommodations |
---|
A discounted nightly rate at Chelsea Hotel is available for all ICAIR attendees. Please use this booking link to take advantage of this special offer! |
Travel |
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Air |
International - Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
|
International Travelers
|
Domestic - Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (services select locations in North America)
|
Ground |
Toronto Public Transit
|
GO Transit
|
Via Rail
|
Accessibility Information |
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The Carlu (The Carlu Yonge Street entrance is not wheelchair accessible. Please use the College Street entrance for an accessible entrance.) |
Chelsea Hotel |
The International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) is an important cross-disciplinary event that brings together the leading researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs currently working to improve the lives of people around the world who live with the impacts of illness, disability and aging.
For those who are interested, please contact kite.partnerships@uhn.ca.
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Clinical Research Coordinator at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Assistant Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, Associate Director at Acquired Brain Injury Research Lab at the University of Toronto.
Scientific Associate II at the KITE Research Institute.
Affiliate Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto.
Research Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Senior Research Fellow at the Rehabilitation, Ageing and Independent Living (RAIL) Research Centre at Monash University.
Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health with cross-appointment at the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto.
Affiliate Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto.
Scientist Associate at the Clinical Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory at University Health Network.
Ph.D. canadidate in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh.
Research Associate at the KITE Research Institute.
Associate Professor in Criminology and Justice at Faculty of Social Science and Humanities at Ontario Tech University.
Advisory Group Member with The Engagement of People with Lived Experience of Dementia.
Research and Innovation Manager at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.
Ph.D. candidate in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto.
The International Conference on Aging, Innovation & Rehabilitation drives discovery, collaboration and invention in the healthcare, rehabilitation and age-tech sectors.
ICAIR is a unique conference destination designed to help researchers, academics, clinicians, students, entrepreneurs, startup companies, investors and other innovators share research and academic success stories, build and foster relationships across disciplines, and encourage cross-pollination of communication, research and ideas.
The annual conference is hosted by the KITE Research Institute at the University Health Network (UHN) with significant input and participation from clinical, research and academic partners from around the world.
Avis Favaro is an acclaimed medical journalist with decades of experience uncovering and reporting health stories that matter to Canadians.
Favaro was Canada’s longest-serving television Medical Correspondent, with CTV News. She is currently a host of The CHIP -a podcast by the Canadian Institute for Health Information and is also a senior advisor with Santis Health. Favaro has been recognized with a multitude of awards, along with an honorary PhD from McMaster University.
She is also among the large cohort of aging Canadians, and so this conference is - in her words - "a perfect fit!"
Wearable technologies are transforming healthcare, rehabilitation, and aging, pushing past traditional boundaries to unlock new dimensions of human potential. Drawing from the groundbreaking insights in Dr. Helen Papagiannis’s best-selling book “Augmented Human,” this keynote will delve into how AI and AR-powered innovations are breaking barriers to accessibility and reimagining the human experience, offering an inspiring vision for living and thriving at every stage of life.Dr. Helen Papagiannis is a globally recognized thought leader in immersive technologies, specializing in AI and spatial computing and their transformative impact on industries. She is a bestselling author of Augmented Human: How Technology is Shaping the New Reality; the founder of XR GOES POP, a consulting firm focused on experiential retail, luxury lifestyle, and popular culture; and she has spoken at such leading conferences as TEDx, SXSW, and AWE. Her TEDx talk is celebrated as one of the top 10 talks on augmented reality and gamified life.
Dr. Helen Papagiannis is a globally recognized thought leader in immersive technologies, specializing in AI and spatial computing and their transformative impact on industries. She is a bestselling author of Augmented Human: How Technology is Shaping the New Reality; the founder of XR GOES POP, a consulting firm focused on experiential retail, luxury lifestyle, and popular culture; and she has spoken at such leading conferences as TEDx, SXSW, and AWE. Her TEDx talk is celebrated as one of the top 10 talks on augmented reality and gamified life.
Neuroprosthetic devices have tremendous potential to improve quality of life after spinal cord injury. A promising method for restoring movement and enhancing rehabilitation is transcutaneous stimulation of the spinal cord. Transcutaneous stimulation can activate neural circuits distal to an injury, leading to both enhanced rehabilitation, and facilitating long-term neuroplasticity and recovery that restores volitional control of movement for months after the stimulation is discontinued. This technology is recently FDA approved for improving hand strength and sensation after spinal cord injury, with many other indications currently under study in our laboratory.
Dr. Chet Moritz is the Hwang Endowed Professor in the department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, with joint appointments in Rehabilitation Medicine and Physiology & Biophysics. He was named an Allen Distinguished Investigator and appointed to the Christopher & Dana Reeve International Consortium on Spinal Cord Repair.
Dr. Moritz serves as the Co-Director for the Center for Neurotechnology, a former NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC). He directs the Restorative Technologies Laboratory (RTL) which focuses on developing technologies to treat paralysis due to spinal cord injury. He recently co-led a multi-site clinical trial of spinal stimulation to restore hand function for people with spinal cord injury leading to FDA approval. He and his team are currently studying spinal stimulation to improve walking after spinal cord injury and for children with cerebral palsy, as well as optogenetic stimulation to guide neuroplasticity and recovery in the injured spinal cord of animals.
This presentation will review the state of inequities in Canada’s health care system and broader notions of health, examine structural discrimination as a key driver of health disparities, and discuss interventions and strategies to improve health equity and health system resilience.
Dr. Andrew Boozary is a primary care physician, policy practitioner, researcher, and founding executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine at the University Health Network. He completed his medical training at the University of Toronto and health policy training at Princeton University and Harvard University. His work at the intersection of health policy, social justice and equitable health care delivery aims to improve health outcomes for marginalized populations.
During the pandemic, Dr. Boozary served as co-lead of the Ontario Health Toronto Region COVID-19 Homelessness Response and holds the Dalla Lana Professorship in Policy Innovation at the University of Toronto. He is also the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Public Health Review and served in senior advisory roles for policymakers at various levels of government both nationally and abroad on public policy issues ranging from primary care reform to the implementation of pharmacare.
Dr. Boozary has published in high-impact academic journals, and his writing and analysis appear in print and broadcast media. He has been the recipient of a number of national and international awards, and is the youngest physician recipient of the Louise Lemieux-Charles Health System Leadership Award and the youngest Convocation speaker for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine.
Here's what to expect when you submit a poster for consideration:
Authors of the top 14 posters will be invited to participate in the 3 Minute Talk (3MT) stage competition. Finalists will be notified, and are expected to prepare a one-slide presentation to accompany their talk. (An additional slide for authors and affiliations will be allowed)
Start your registration and submission process here!
If you have an innovative concept or business in the healthcare space, the Power Play Pitch Competition is your gateway to recognition and support.
We are looking for energetic, innovative and passionate healthcare innovators who can address an unmet need in the healthcare industry, through preventative healthcare solutions, treatment and management of disabling injuries and illnesses, restorative assistive devices to help restore function, diagnostic tools, digital health, and others.
We welcome innovators involved in all stages of product and technology development, from concepts and prototypes to finished products and services and start-up companies, and who need capital to help bring their innovations to the next stage.
All finalists receive a dedicated space in ICAIR’s Innovative Startup Exhibitor Zone, and additional exhibitor space in this area will be distributed to applicants of the Innovative Startup contest on a first-come, first-serve basis.
With $50,000 available in total prizes, the stakes are higher than ever. Don't miss your chance to build the future of healthcare!
2025 Power Play Judges:
Andrew is a highly accomplished leader in the fields of business development and operations, with a proven track record in the investment industry and higher education sector. He is deeply passionate about cultivating and growing high-value, mutually beneficial partnerships, enabling the development and commercialization of disruptive products and services, and fostering the development of talent.
Andrew worked 8 years at life science venture capital funds in Europe and across Canada, partnering with entrepreneurs to help them to develop and commercialize innovative medical technologies and drug products. Also, Andrew has worked for over 12 years as a leader in college and university research commercialization to grow partnerships, projects, and funding.
For over 20 years, Andrew has advised pharmaceutical, biologics, medical device, natural health product, cosmetic and other life sciences companies, as well as teaching hospitals, research institutions, and research networks, on a broad range of matters including collaborations, licensing, manufacture, clinical trials, marketing, importation, warehousing, distribution, sale, acquisitions and related intellectual property and regulatory matters. Prior to the practice of law, Andrew worked in software development and microbiology.
Andrew is the Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship at Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, where he runs the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology program. Since joining York in 2014 he has introduced the ingredients of successful technology entrepreneurship to more than 1000 students, who have started more than 30 companies.
He holds a PhD in Technology Entrepreneurship from the University of Waterloo, where he taught for six years, helping students develop more than 40 funded ventures. He has judged numerous early-stage technology venture competitions, dating back to 2001, at the University of Toronto, where he launched the Innovation Challenge and the Exceler@tor incubator programs.
His award-winning research focuses on the early stage of technology ventures – helping motivated individuals form teams that can turn promising technology into practical solutions that address real-world problems. His current focus is on the development of AI tools to enhance the entrepreneurial learning journey.
Christopher is a healthcare technology thought leader, strategist, and Managing Partner of IOTECH Consulting, LLC. He also serves as CTO of Ask Me Your MD. As an advisor to business, clinical, and technology leaders, he invests in and supports emerging healthcare technology companies focused on closing the health equity gap.
Kunney has held leadership roles at Divurgent, June Health, Coker Group, AT&T, Health Innovations, and Piedmont Healthcare. He was also an Entrepreneur in Residence at The Combine and an Executive Fellow at the American College of Health Data Management.
He was named a 2024 HIMSS Change Maker and nominated for the 2024 Georgia Titan 100 Leader Award. A 2023 American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink Ambassador, he advocates for breast cancer awareness. He serves on several boards, including YMCA of Metro Atlanta and Morehouse School of Medicine’s Industry Advisory Board.
A graduate of Fort Valley State University and Georgia Tech, Kunney holds multiple healthcare technology leadership certifications. He hosts the Straight Outta Health IT podcast and has been featured in major industry publications. Recognized by LinkedIn as a “Top IT Strategy Voice,” he frequently speaks on healthcare technology, leadership, and health equity.
Professor Santerre has published >220 peer reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on >70 patents in the area of medical polymers. He is co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto (a student focused entrepreneur training co-curricular program that has trained > 750 client health science companies which have generated > $500M Cdn).
He is also the current chair of the Health Entrepreneuship Pillar for the African Higher Education Health Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation. He is a co-founder of Interface Biologics, along with having spun-out five other start-up companies from his lab, and has won multiple national awards for his achievements in enabling entrepreneurship, included Canada's Governor General award for Innovation, and the Professional Engineers of Ontario
He has received multiple awards for his community activity including the 2016 Community award from the Canadian Biomaterials, the 2018 President's Impact Award from the University of Toronto.
Jennifer is an associate in Osler’s Emerging and High Growth Companies Group. Her practice focuses on advising a wide range of clients on matters including mergers and acquisitions, continuous disclosure, equity and debt financings, as well as general corporate and securities related matters.
Prior to joining Osler, Jennifer worked as a corporate securities associate at a leading regional Bay Street firm.
Lyne Landry is a co-founder and managing partner at AgeTech Capital, a firm dedicated to accelerating growth in AI-driven health tech and AgeTech startups. She has extensive expertise in venture capital, impact investing, and private equity, with a career spanning roles across North America, Africa, and Europe.
Varun Chandak is the Founder and President of Access to Success, a Toronto-based not-for-profit whose mission is to Enable Everyone. Driven by his own lived experiences with disabilities and hopes of better assistive tech, he established ATS Labs, Canada's leading accelerator for accessibility startups. Startups that Varun has supported have gone on to benefit well over 640,000 people with disabilities. A sought-after speaker on accessibility innovation and inclusive design, Varun has been recognized as a Top 50 Changemaker in Canada and received the inaugural Tom Wilson Leadership in Disability Award.
Vera is the Founder and Principal of B-Spot Consulting Inc., based in Toronto, Canada. She has over twenty years of experience as a financial analyst, researcher, and business development and operations at life science companies. Her roles have included product in-licensing and out-licensing, valuation, KOL engagement, and clinical trial operations.
Vera’s unique expertise lies in combining these skillsets to creatively develop a strategic and dynamic financial model for entrepreneurs to use for scenario analysis: pinpointing development challenges, validating commercial opportunities and de-risking a company’s capital market journey. Her client base is entrepreneurs from pre-seed to Series A, and encompasses medical devices, therapeutics, materials science and healthcare IT, and she works with companies in Canada and globally.
1st Place Prize | $25,000
2nd Place Prize | $10,000
3rd Place Prize | $10,000
1st Place Prize | $2,500
2nd Place Prize | $1,500
3rd Place Prize | $1,000
(Day 1) |
---|
Registration and Networking 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. |
Trainee Breakfast (Separate registration required) 8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. |
Opening Remarks:
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. |
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Helen Papagiannis, Globally recognized expert on immersive technologies and spatial computing - Augmented Human 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. |
Panel Discussion: Transforming Lives Through Startup Tech 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Networking Lunch & Poster Viewing Session (Exhibition zone open) 11:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. 11:00 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. |
Power Play Innovative Concept Competition: 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
ICAIR Scientific Spotlight Series Competition (continued) 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Conference Reception (Exhibition zone open) 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
(Day 2) |
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Registration and Networking 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. |
Opening Remarks:
8:50 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. |
Power Play Start-up Competition: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. |
Nutrition Break (Exhibition zone open) 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
Panel Discussion: Breaking Barriers: Stories of Resilience and Impact in Accessibility Advocacy 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
3-Minute Talks: 11:45 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. |
Networking Lunch & Poster Viewing Session (Exhibition zone open) 12:20 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. |
Power Play Start-up Competition (continued) 2:05 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. |
3-Minute Talks (continued) 3:05 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. |
How Creative Technology is Shaping the Future of Healthcare 3:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks 4:00 PM |
The International Conference on Aging, Innovation and Rehabilitation (ICAIR) is an important cross-disciplinary event that brings together the leading researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs currently working to improve the lives of people around the world who live with the impacts of illness, disability and aging.
For those who are interested, please contact kite.partnerships@uhn.ca.
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