Description

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Jeff Gray, founder and CEO of AgeTech Connect. They discuss Gray's personal journey into the AgeTech space, innovative technologies that are making a difference, the challenges of funding startups in this sector, and the importance of addressing ageism in entrepreneurship. They also highlight the upcoming AgeTech Connect Summit and the resources available for those interested in AgeTech.

About Jeff

Jeffrey Gray is the Founder & CEO of AgeTech Connect, the fastest-growing ecosystem of AgeTech innovators worldwide. By convening startups, investors, healthcare leaders, and caregivers, Jeff is positioning Atlanta as the global center for excellence and innovation in AgeTech, while also making it best place for older adults and their loved onesto call home. Originally founded as AgeTech Atlanta the organization has grown to include innovation hubs in twelve cities throughout the US and Canada. 

A serial entrepreneur, Jeff moved to Atlanta after selling his first tech venture to RealEstate.com and has since advised and mentored numerous startups in healthcare and technology. He has also held key leadership roles with nonprofit organizations such as City of Refuge, Points of Light, and Open Hand Atlanta—bridging technology, community health, and life sciences to create meaningful impact.

Key Takeaways

• AgeTech is any technology or tech-enabled service that improves the experience of aging. The AgeTech ecosystem encompasses a wide range of technologies beyond healthcare and home care, including travel and tourism, transportation, housing, retail, media and fintech.
• AgeTech Connect has volunteer-led virtual communities in 12 US cities throughout the US and Canada: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Toronto, Nashville, and Atlanta, hosting 45 - 50 in-person networking events a year.
• The largest segment of AgeTech is caregiving solutions. In the United States, more employees are balancing responsibilities for elder care than for childcare—and this challenge affects people at much younger ages than many realize.
• A story-led motivation based on personal experiences can be an inspiration for developing an AgeTech product, but must include a thoughtful go-to-market strategy. AgeTech founders need to understand the problem they are solving.