What's Next Longevity Innovation Summit - December 15-17

The What's Next Longevity Innovation Summit will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC December 15-17. The conference will take an in-depth look at the regulatory, investment and government sectors involved in the longevity economy. Topics include the impact of tariffs, interest rates and the economy, AI and tech-enabled care, workforce trends, and navigating the regulatory environment. Boot Camps on December 15 will focus on AI and driving sales, go-to-market strategies, media trends, partnerships and more. Featured presenters include Nancy LeaMond, AARP; Todd Haim, National Institute on Aging; Lance Robertson, Guidehouse; Dan Hermann, Ziegler; Edward Brzytwa, Consumer Technology Association; Gavin Bade, The Wall Street Journal; Mike Roizen, Cleveland Clinic; Stephen Konya, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Michelle Branham, Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Ken Honeycutt, Samsung Health, Greg Olsen, New York State Office for the Aging; Carmel Roques, Maryland Department of Aging; Jim Santiago, AgeSpan; and more.



Learn more and register!

What's Next Longevity Deal Talk

Episode 38 - Despite challenges, it has been an active summer for entrepreneurs and companies in the longevity space. On this episode, sponsored by Amba, an all-star lineup discusses the deals and what investors are looking for. Ziegler CEO and Investment Banking head Dan Hermann joins Mary and Fred, along with the head of the New York State Office for the Aging, Greg Olsen. And hear from dynamic CEO Dhaval Patel, who has been working with tech start-up Lotus to improve lives with a ring that can turn lights on or off.



See the full list of What's Next Longevity Deal Talk episodes.

Episode 91: An AI assistant named Helen is helping older adults navigate the difficulties of finding aging services in an era of budget cuts. GetSetUp.com co-founder Neil Dsouza joins Mary and Fred to explain. Plus, hear from Virginia Buckles, captain of the Senior Games first-place over-70 women’s volleyball team. And then, author and creator of Grandparent Merit Badges Dave Grunenwald shares about his second life after a career in law and real estate.



See the full list of What's Next Living Longer Better Smarter episodes.

Funding News

• Cascala Health, a post-acute and value-based payment platform, raised $8.6 million in Seed funding from Flare Capital Partners, Eniac Ventures, Ziegler Link-age Fund, Omega Healthcare Investors, and Digital Health Venture Partners. 
• Immortal Dragons, a purpose-driven longevity fund that has already invested in over 15 startups, has launched its $40 million longevity fund dedicated to investing in radical life extension technologies.
• August Health, a senior living technology platform, secured $29 million in a Series B funding round led by Base10 Partners. 
• Flax Health, an AI-powered platform for skilled nursing facilities, raised $3.5 million in Pre-Seed funding led by Sorenson Capital. 
• Joint Ai, an AI-powered triage platform designed to help automate the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for patients suffering from arthritis, received a $315,000 investment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
• SetPoint Medical, a medtech company, raised $140 million in financing co-led by Elevage Medical Technologies and Ally Bridge Group to support its neuromodulation implant for rheumatoid arthritis.
• Isaac Health, a virtual and in-home memory clinic, secured $10.5 million in a series A funding round led by Flare Capital Partners.

AARP

“Simply put, sidelining workers is a loss we cannot afford,” Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer, said in testimony before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Age discrimination is a major problem, with roughly two-thirds of workers 50+ having seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. Learn more about AARP’s efforts to address this problem at AARP.org.

Closing Gaps in Medicare Confidence with Helen AI and Peer Learning

In preparation for the 2025 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, GetSetUp found only 29.7% of its survey respondents felt very confident in understanding their benefits, while nearly 70% reported confusion around costs, coverage, and plan tools. Helen, GetSetUp’s AI assistant, meets this need by simplifying complex plan information and guiding members to applicable peer-led classes. Early results in partnership with the New York State Office for the Aging show more than half of surveyed learners would take a GetSetUp class to learn how to use their plan’s website or app.

Able Care Closes Deals Due to Success at Longevity Venture Summit

Able Care has had exciting traction coming out of the Longevity Venture Summit. After a successful Pitch for Distribution, Able Care closed multiple deals with attendees from the conference, including Eskaton Senior Living and Caring Hands Care Givers home care. Able Care is excited for these partnerships and the opportunity to evidence how Able Assess can improve falls screenings and help seniors to stay independent and on their feet longer. 

USAging Partners with BetterAge

USAging has announced a partnership with BetterAge to use its AI-supported platform to improve the Aging Network. This partnership will allow AAAs to better track data, identify trends and insights, and improve programming.

Audien Launches Atom X

Audien Hearing has officially launched the Atom X - the world’s first hearing aids with touchscreen controls built right into the case. Learn more!

Additionally, Audien hearing aids can now be found in CVS and Walgreens, dramatically expanding consumer access. And read a recent NY Post article about the importance of hearing care that features Audien and its Head of Audiology Dr. Trinker.

Good Boost Completes Seed Round

Good Boost completed a seed round of $1.2m from a consortium including the UK Sport Tech Fund, Accelerate Ventures, and Belgium Healthy Ageing Tech fund, Birdhouse Ventures. Additionally, a research study evaluated Good Boost’s impact on health & wellbeing, demonstrating that its digitally delivered programs are as effective as face-to-face therapy.

Books, News, Reports, and Events

• Read the newly-released The SuperAging Workbook, which provides easy prompts to inform your approach to healthy aging. 
• High school student Tejasvi Manoj was selected as TIME’s “Kid of the Year” for building Shield Seniors, a tool using AI to help fight online scams (and listen to episode 86 of What’s Next Living Longer Better Smarter to learn more about her work).
• The Alzheimer’s Association's POINTER Study found that lifestyle changes like exercise and diet can reduce the risk of dementia. 
• A new bill, the Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025, would pause Medicare home health cuts for the next two years. 
• McKinsey Health Institute identified the return on investment for eighteen healthy aging interventions. 
• Listen to the Hartford Foundation's podcast on the GUIDE model, a Medicare initiative providing holistic dementia care.
• A new study breaks down the actual cost of aging in place and how, in several states, it’s actually cheaper to choose assisted living rather than remain at home. 
• A new book, Would You Rather: The Entrepreneur's Conundrum, walks entrepreneurs through the challenging decisions involved in building and growing a business.