AARP just awarded $10K to a thermal sensor startup

AARP has been making moves to support startups in recent years, including opening an incubator called The Hatchery inside its Chinatown headquarters.

For the organization that lobbies on behalf of seniors, it’s a visual representation of a goal to embrace innovation. Of course, leaders also want it to be a gathering point for startups.

On Wednesday, the AARP announced the honorees of its Innovation Champion Awards, which is designed to put the focus on companies. The focus was on startups empowering people to “choose how they live as they age,” said Anne Marie Kilgallon, AARP’s Vice President of Enterprise Strategy and Innovation, in a statement.

A $10,000 prize went to HomeEXCEPT. The company from Nova Scotia, Canada, makes a system that uses thermal sensors to allow family members to monitor loved ones in a home. It’s designed to provide the security without a camera. With the win, the company gets to send two reps to D.C. to visit the incubator.

Other finalists, who get a consultation with AARP’s innovation specialists, include:

• SilverRide A San Francisco-based ridesharing service specifically for the aging and disabled population.
• Neofect South Korea-based makers of a smart glove that uses sensors to help people regain mobility in their hand while recovering from neurological and musculoskeletal injuries.
• CareXc A platform for caregivers to help find resources and develop plans. The company is based in Los Altos, Calif.
• Intuition Robotics An “aging companion” that uses social media and video chats to keep older adults active. The company is based in Israel.
• Caresponsive A New York-based company developing a call service using voice and AI that follows up with patients after discharged from a hospital.