I Interviewed 6 Entrepreneurs & Their Mentors About How We Innovate For Aging

Here Are 8 Insights From Our Conversations

As the population gets older, there is a need for new companies, platforms and services to help older adults get the most out of life and live more joyfully. In July and August I had the exciting opportunity to dive into the topic of innovation for aging in partnership with Alive Ventures, a venture studio that launches and funds new companies that enrich the lives of adults 65 and older. We produced ‘Alive Live Clubhouse Edition’, a 6 part conversation series between entrepreneurs and their mentors across different generations where we discussed how they would think about creating businesses and ideas that offer solutions to support older adults.

The series took place in the Love Extremists Club over 6 consecutive weeks and our conversations wove across emotional, spiritual and intellectual topics and explored sectors ranging from education, and skill sharing to community engagement, sustainability and artistic empowerment.

After engaging with 12 brilliant people, all with their unique perspectives and insights on innovation and aging, it’s challenging to summarize what was discussed in one simple, elegant takeaway. With that in mind, I’ll frame my learnings through five focus areas; community cultivation, well-being, sustainability, future of work and technological innovation. In each focus area I’ll share some of the key lessons that came through our conversations and summarize the 8 major learnings that may inform your next project or venture.

Community Cultivation

1. Karla Ballard shared her belief that ‘there are no more throw away people’. We all have a role to play in supporting one another at different life stages and each one of us has deep value in community and society that goes far beyond our careers and our paychecks.

Alyssa Ghilardi knows a lot about community cultivation as an active leader in the co-creative, multi-generational event series GLBL VLLG and the former head of operations for Ying…