• Caribou – a platform that elevates the home care experience for agencies, professional caregivers, and families by creating a more responsive connection between those who need care and those who provide it.
• Swan Cytologics –the SWANglide ultrasound-enhanced needle biopsy improves patient outcomes and reduces healthcare costs by solving the problems of needle biopsy inadequacy and inefficiency, making it essential for oncology care and precision medicine.
• Phyxable – an end-to-end virtual physical therapy platform that empowers people in pain to quickly diagnose, self-care, and prevent their injuries from coming back without stepping outside of their home.
• Hyivy Health – a pelvic rehabilitation device with trackable data for women who have pelvic cancers and diseases to help alleviate pelvic health symptoms after a devastating diagnosis, treatment or surgery.
• Steadiwear – a compact and battery-free stabilizing glove that is designed to intelligently reduce hand tremors that may result from Essential Tremor or Parkinson’s Disease.
• Rekammend – an innovative Augmentative and Alternative Communication software for individuals who face challenges communicating using verbal speech.
• Fero International Inc. – pressurized mobile medical units creating additional capacity for ICUs, operating rooms, long-term care, triage centres and other care needs.
• Verto – a Digital Twin Platform enabling care team to co-ordinate and collaborate to improve patient outcomes by streamlining patient data-sharing throughout care journeys and across care organizations.

• Challenge #1 – The Immersed Patient Experience: Phyxable
• Challenge #2 – Breaking Down Communication Barriers: Rekammend
• Challenge #3 – Toward Smarter Scheduling: Caribou
• Challenge #4 – Innovative Medical Devices: Swan Cytologics

The winner of the Sterling Industries Award was Swan Cytologics, which will receive an additional $5,000 grant. The winners of the Jonah Group prizes were Phyxable, which will receive two weeks of services, and Fero International Inc., which will receive a $5,000 credit to be applied to consulting services. 

• This is the second of five challenges in the Activate!Vaughan program that will take place by the end of 2022.
• Through the challenge, local startups received mentorship from experts at the partnering organizations to help them develop and refine their solutions.
• The continued support of innovation programs likeActivate!Vaughan, which connects entrepreneurs to market-driven entrepreneurship opportunities and mentorship from industry leaders, aligns with the City’s Economic and Cultural Development department’s Business Resilience Plan.
• Programs like Activate!Vaughan catalyze Vaughan’s economic prosperity, showcase its entrepreneurial spirit and promote innovation – all priorities outlined in the Council-approved 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.
• In the spring of 2021, the City will host a Demo Day where a final $10,000 grant will be awarded to one of the winning ventures.
• To stay up to date on the latest updates as they happen, residents are encouraged to sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.
• Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health at 1-877-464-9675 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on COVID-19, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19. 

• Activate!Vaughan webpage
• City of Vaughan’s COVID-19 webpage
• vaughanbusiness.ca