Global Agetech Innovations Laboratory

Amy Chidester 
Fourder of the Global Agetech Innovations Laboratory, Austin TX

Amy, you run GAIL, the Global Agetech Innovations Laboratory. What is it all about?

Yes, the GAIL, which stands for the Global Agetech Innovations Laboratory is a network of professionals that all surround the field of gerontology with innovation to better the lives of seniors globally. As I was starting my consulting practice I found that all of the Agetech companies had the same struggles. I have always been a big believer in collaboration and partnerships, so I developed the GAIL in order to build collaborations and matchmake entities that wanted to work together to solve these similar issues. It is more of a concept network than a physical location or platform. The membership is currently free to join and will be expanding more this year. We have grown to over 60 members in over 6 different countries and we still add a few members a week on average. I collect a profile upon membership that allows me to get to know the entity, the contacts and what they are looking for in a collaboration.

However, the most important gap that the GAIL fills is to make it clear to all potential members that the space is for those wanting to receive but also give. For example, I may have a start up that has tons of data collected from a product for all sorts of things but they may only use one piece of it. If another company is needing that database, or the expertise to gather that type of data, they could be a good match. Another example is I had a start up that was small and lacked expertise in subject matter or in processes needed to be a valuable product or service to the industry of serving seniors. The GAIL was initially fueled by the Aging 2.0 network opening up doors to discussions about the concept, helping others and providing a space for all to feel welcome and free to say, I need help.

Agetech is often described as a fluffy subject. What is your definition of agetech?

I think of Agetech as the intersection between technology and products or services that serve people who are experiencing the perils of aging. Being a Gerontologist, there are many things that happen as we age that is not a normal part of aging, but is associated with older individuals due to complications and comorbidities. However, young or old, individuals can experience these complications at any age. It also is more of a larger ecosystem than just medtech or fintech in my opinion. Just as the perils of aging are complex, so is the ecosystem that surrounds them and that filters into the quality of life they may or may not have. So, the agetech ecosystem in the US does mirror some other cultures, including, but not limited to: governing bodies such as government agencies, insurance companies and/or payors for services, caregivers, children, education, social connection, accessibilty, protection, assistance, support, transportation, legal entities, associations, universities, researchers, students, staffing agencies, vendors of all sorts as well as utilities and housing markets.

GAIL and you are based in Austin, Texas. Why is Austin the right place for agetech?

Austin is an amazing place for Agetech due to the nature of what Austin is becoming naturally. Austin is centrally located in the US making travel convenient to most places, an international airport, a big city vibe and a small town feel. In recent years the technology boom has hit Austin with so many headquarters in the industry relocating here. This could be attributed to the city’s proactive work to offer attractive incentives,the technological talent is abundant, the hospitality of people is widespread allowing for easy networking and connections, and/or the creative fuel for innovators to use to spark these amazing unicorns and operations that are doing some real good in the world today. In addition, it is the home of a major, highly accredited university, UT, vocational colleges, private schools, sports teams, celebrities, health systems, and brands. ty.

How has agetech worked at SXSW over the years?

In the past, Agetech wasn’t recognized at all during SXSW. Aging 2.0 sparked the movement a couple years back while hosting Karen Etkin, the Gerontechtologist from Israel, to speak to a crowd during the popular event, but yet, it still took until this past year to really shed light on what was called the health and medtech track. I would absolutely love to see still more diversifiation into an actual Agetech track next year, but I am glad to see how it is recognizing the importance of technology in the health and wellness field. A lot of these companies don’t even realize that they are a part of the Agetech ecosystem and it would be nice to focus on the phenomenon of aging that is happening to every single human on the planet. We all have that very thing in common.

5. What do you see as the "megatrends" in agetech for the near future?

Of course the first one that comes to mind is AI. It is making headlines and waves in agetech like never before. Everyone is talking AI, however, it is interesting when you ask for deeper details on what the AI is doing, it becomes mysterious and not a lot of professionals can really explain nor do they understand it entirely. A lot of times when I speak about Agetech or AI, caregivers and seniors often think telehealth or VR. These terms are not widely known among the population in which they serve, which is a large challenge with addressing the perils of aging. Meanwhile AI is just the ability to query large datasets and utilize it to help reduce the burden of administrative work, menial tasks and repetative tasks. A lot of aging services is about identifying areas of risk, mitigating that risk and promoting a healthier lifestyle for quality of life. The entire concept and the duties that factor into that are systematic, making it a prime, wide-open space for AI to make an entrance. AI can be applied to so many different operations, it makes the competition with such slim and allows for the space to collaborate and partner. I can’t wait to see what AI will do for the industry in the near future.

Another trend to watch is providing more care at higher levels inside people’s homes, no matter where they call home. De-institutionalizing and supporting seniors with person centered care where they are instead of cohorting into communitites and groups that can be cared for in systematic, generalized ways. Our world has evolved so much, that the way we age will be evolving as well. It isn’t even a choice. Some of these emerging are hospital at home care, caregiving pals, remote access through the internet, more robust home health, electronic monitoring, communication devices, and telehealth.