Manulife Selects Ten Winners for Longevity Challenge
The initiative supports ventures aimed at improving health and financial security for Canadians.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Wellness
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Manulife and UpLink have announced the 10 winners of the Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage Challenge. These ventures will gain access to a global innovation ecosystem to scale solutions for health, financial resilience, and social connectedness.
Why it matters
The program addresses the evolving needs of an aging population, as 43 per cent of older Canadians currently face a high risk of social isolation. It seeks to ensure that citizens can thrive throughout longer, multi-stage lives.
The challenge selected 10 winners from across Canada to scale their longevity-focused operations. These organizations are addressing a demographic shift where 40 per cent of the Canadian population is now over the age of 50.
The players
Manulife
Manulife is a leading international financial services group that provides financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions.
UpLink
UpLink is an open innovation platform developed by the World Economic Forum to crowd-source solutions for the world's most pressing challenges.
The details
Winning companies including Amical, Childfree Trust, Clay Financial, Cosm Medical, Idem, LINK Plans, MIMOSA Diagnostics, and Myant Health will work within the UpLink ecosystem. The initiative aligns with Manulife's broader $350 million commitment to its Longevity Institute to support the financial and social well-being of Canadians.
Timeline
October 21, 2026: Winners of the Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage Challenge were announced.
2025: Manulife served a total of 37 million customers.
2024: Manulife and UpLink established their multi-year partnership.
The Big Picture
This program functions as the practical arm of the Manulife Longevity Institute, which represents a $350 million commitment to address the challenges of an aging population. It follows a pattern of corporate investment into social-tech ecosystems to mitigate risks associated with demographic shifts.
The selected ventures aim to provide new tools for older Canadians to manage their health and social needs. These services may eventually offer residents improved access to diagnostic health tools and financial planning resources for retirement.
The takeaway
Innovation challenges are increasingly used by corporations to foster solutions for complex demographic problems like social isolation and financial insecurity. Canadians can monitor these ventures to see how new technologies might soon support their own long-term health and retirement planning.
Further reading
For more information on programs supporting healthy living, visit Canada Wellness.
More information
Review the full Manulife longevity institute information for further program details.
Live Poll
Do you trust that new longevity technologies will effectively help you maintain independence as you age?
