Pitch Competition Finalists Vie for $10,000 Prizes and Mentorships at 21 st Annual What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit

LAFAYETTE, CA, JUNE 7, 2024 – Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA), producer of the longest

running conference on the longevity economy, today announced the finalists for two

competitions taking place at the 21 st annual What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit: the

$10,000 Business Plan Competition and the AgeTech After Dark Pitch Challenge. These

competitions fuel the growth of agetech startups and promote innovative solutions to the

many challenges in the aging space. The conference will be held at the Fairmont San Francisco

June 11-12.

“I continue to be surprised by the quality of submissions we have received,” said Mary Furlong,

founder and president of MFA. “This year we are seeing a new level of innovation and a sharper

focus on the changing aging landscape. Issues such as aging in place, improving mobility and

housing for the ‘forgotten middle’ are looked at in novel ways by these entrepreneurs. These

are the innovations that will shape the $9.5 trillion longevity market in the future.”

Finalists in the $10,000 Business Plan competition include: Ryan Reid, founder and CEO of

Brean, a wellness and creativity platform to improve health outcomes and reduce social

isolation; Neil K. Shah, CEO of CareYaya, focused on enhancing care delivery for older adults;

Jimmy Zollo, cofounder and CEO of Joe & Bella, an adaptive clothing brand to make dressing

easier; Dhaval Patal, founder and CEO of Lotus, a wearable ring to control objects at home by

pointing; Shannon Bean, business advisor of Parrots, developers of the AI-driven platform Polly

for the management of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tracey McGillvray, co-founder and

CEO of Raymex, a portable, personal lift. The winner of the competition will receive $10,000.

The competition will be moderated by Mel Barsky, Director Business Development, Center for

Aging + Brain Health Innovation and judged by: Christine Brocato, Vice President of Strategic

Innovation, CommonSpirit Health; Chris Furmanski, Managing Director, Pacific Health Ventures;

Robert Garber, Partner, 7wire Ventures; Amelia Hay, VP, Startup Programming and

Investments, AgeTech Collaborative from AARP; Dan Hermann, President & CEO, Head of

Investment Banking, Ziegler; John Reinhart, Entrepreneur in Residence, National Institute on

Aging; and Allison Sekuler, President & Chief Scientist, Centre for Aging + Brain Health

Innovation.

The finalists in the AgeTech Collaborative’s After Dark Pitch Challenge are: Dana Le, Founder &

CEO, Wander Health, a global network of English-speaking concierge doctors; Bronwyn Bridges,

CEO and co-founder, PragmaClin, a digital assessment tool for neurological conditions; Mia

Kanzawa, co-founder and chief product officer, Train100, a personalized exercise program; John

Ralston, CEO and co-founder, Neursantys, bioelectric treatments for neurophysiological

conditions; Stas Samarin, SVP of product and strategy, VoiceLove, a voice messaging app to

support connection; and Jessica Walker, CEO and founder, Care Sherpa, a tech enabled system

for healthcare providers for personalized patient support. The winning company will receive

$10,000 and consideration for entry into the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP’s 8-week

accelerator program.

The pitch challenge will be moderated by Danielle Duplin, Strategic Advisor, AgeTech

Collaborative from AARP, with judges including: Sarita Mohanty, President & CEO, The SCAN

Foundation; Ted Fischer, Co-founder & CEO, Ageless Innovation; and Katie Schmitz, Chief

Administrative Officer, Ziegler Link-Age Funds.

In addition to the pitch challenges, the John Hopper Impact Award will be presented to an

exceptional entrepreneur or first-time fund manager. The award honors the late John Hopper, a

true innovator, founding member and chief investment officer of the Ziegler Link-age Funds.

The conference is supported by title sponsor, AgeTech Collaborative from AARP; platinum

sponsor, Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation; gold sponsors: GetSetUp, Ageless

Innovation, HumanGood, TCARE, The SCAN Foundation, Phoenix Hipwear, Claris Healthcare,

Brya, Amba Health, The Perfect Companion, CareYaya and others.

Learn more and register for the What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit. Learn more about

Mary Furlong & Associates at maryfurlong.com.