Manulife and WEF launch Canadian longevity innovation challenge

TORONTO, April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife, in partnership with UpLink, the World Economic Forum's early-stage innovation initiative, and the Forum's Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems today announced the launch of a new innovation challenge, 'Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage,' focused on enabling lifelong health, wealth and purpose across multistage lives.

Canadians are living longer, more complex lives, often balancing their own health and financial needs while supporting ageing parents or caregiving for others. Insights from the National Institute on Ageing's Ageing in Canada Survey, conducted by the NIA with support from Manulife, highlight the urgency of this challenge: 43 per cent of older Canadians are at high risk of social isolation, while only 29 per cent feel they can afford to retire. These realities underscore the need for practical, near-term solutions that help people live not just longer, but better, supported by stronger financial resilience, meaningful connections, and confidence across life stages. The 'Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage' challenge invites innovators to deliver integrated solutions that create measurable improvements in critical areas impacting longevity in Canada.

The challenge will focus on innovations across three opportunity areas:

• Financial resilience across life stages, including budgeting and saving tools designed for longer lifespans, AI-enabled financial planning solutions, modern retirement and care planning platforms, and financing solutions that support caregivers balancing work, family and care responsibilities.
• Healthy aging for all, including digitally enabled health navigation solutions, preventative health and wellness innovations that help delay or manage chronic illness, and tools and platforms that directly support caregivers in coordinating care and maintaining their own wellbeing.
• Purpose and connection, including digital, physical and nature-based spaces that foster social engagement, AI-supported platforms that reduce isolation, and intergenerational initiatives that strengthen community ties, belonging and shared purpose.

Through this Canada-focused challenge, Manulife, UpLink and the Forum's Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems aim to surface and support solutions that respond to the realities of longer lives, helping individuals build resilience, stay connected, and maintain a sense of purpose at every stage.

This initiative is aligned to the Manulife Longevity Institute, a recently launched global research, thought leadership, innovation, advocacy, and community investment platform that will help people thrive at every age.

A call to strengthen Canada's approach to longevity

"Living longer should also mean living healthier—and Canadians need the right support to make that possible. As lifespans increase, people need help navigating care, preventing illness, and managing chronic conditions. Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage reflects our commitment to giving Canadians the tools and confidence they need to live healthier lives at every stage." - Naveed Irshad, President and CEO, Manulife Canada

"As Canadians live longer, financial planning is no longer about a single life stage, but a multi-decade journey with growing complexity. Financial resilience is becoming central to healthy longevity. Investing in innovators developing AI-enabled modern savings and planning tools, and caregiver support reinforces our commitment to offering advisors and plan sponsors the resources they need to help individuals secure their financial futures and live longer lives with confidence." - Paul Lorentz, President and CEO, Manulife Wealth & Asset Management

"The longevity economy is emerging as a defining force shaping future growth and resilience. With Canada officially becoming a 'super-aged' country in 2026, the time to turn challenges into opportunities is now. Through our partnership with Manulife and the Forum's Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems, the Global Longevity Innovation Initiative strengthens the conditions needed to scale early-stage innovation and drive real-world impact that promotes healthy ageing, purpose, and financial resilience across generations." - John Dutton, Head of UpLink, World Economic Forum

Challenge details

Full details and entry information can be found here.

The challenge is part of Manulife's broader, multiyear partnership with the World Economic Forum's UpLink initiative, reflecting a shared commitment to accelerating innovation in the longevity economy and supporting solutions that improve quality of life as people live longer. It also supports the World Economic Forum's broader efforts to address the demographic and financial realities of global ageing.

Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage marks the third challenge in this partnership, building on successful challenges previously delivered in the United States and Asia. Together, the Manulife-powered UpLink challenges support a global ecosystem of innovators accelerating solutions across health, financial resilience and well-being, reflecting the company's commitment to driving global change through locally relevant, place-based solutions.

For more information on the Manulife Longevity Institute, visit Manulife.com/Longevity.