When Asbury Methodist Village and the AgeTech Collaborative™ (ATC) launched the Asbury Smart Living Showcase in 2024, the goal was — on one hand — straightforward: outfit one of Asbury’s living units with the latest AgeTech solutions and allow residents to get hands-on experience with the technology.
On the other hand, the Showcase was quietly ambitious. For startups, the opportunity to engage directly with older adults and senior living operators generates feedback that simply can’t be replicated in a lab or a focus group. For operators like Asbury — which works with the AgeTech Collaborative through its subsidiary ThriveWell Tech — it provides a front-row seat to emerging technologies with the potential to improve resident experience, operational efficiency and care delivery. And, most importantly, older adults themselves become active participants in shaping the future of the products designed for them.
More than a year later, the Showcase and its vision continue to take shape and gain momentum. What began with an inaugural cohort of eight startups has evolved into an expanding initiative, with new participants joining the Showcase and early collaborations beginning to deliver measurable outcomes. More than a demonstration space, the Showcase has become a proving ground — one where ideas are refined in real conditions, relationships deepen over time, and technologies move closer to meaningful implementation.
Building Momentum Across New Cohorts
New waves of startups rotating into the Showcase are keeping up the momentum at Asbury. Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, the AgeTech Collaborative worked closely with Asbury to identify additional startups from the ATC portfolio for the second and third cohorts — each selected to bring new capabilities, perspectives and solutions into the living lab environment. These newer Showcase participants span a broad range of AgeTech focus areas, from cognitive wellness and health monitoring to communication tools, memory preservation, sleep optimization and resident safety. Together, the expanding cohorts reflect both the breadth of innovation emerging across the AgeTech space and the increasing importance of real-world validation environments.
Startups in the second cohort include:
-
Lotus offers a wearable ring that — when paired with a simple-to-install magnetic switch cover — controls objects at home simply by pointing, without the need for rewiring, apps or even Wi-Fi.
-
To help people age in place and stay independent as long as possible, Zemplee uses AI-powered passive sensing technology that uses movement and behavior tracking to monitor older adults for health, well-being and safety, all without cameras or wearables.
-
Thinkie has developed a non-invasive, infrared wearable sensor that provides real-time neurofeedback of the brain’s activity. When paired with the Thinkie app that features neuroscientist-designed games, the system assesses brain age, measures the mental intensity of a gaming session and provides insights that help users improve their cognitive health.
-
Digital storytelling platform Remento uses automated interviewing and speech-to-story technology to turn users’ recorded responses to prompts into lovely keepsake books, complete with QR codes to the original recordings so families can preserve a loved one’s memories and their actual voice for generations.
-
Tembo Health is a telemedicine company that partners with senior communities to provide their patients with medical services to manage chronic conditions, extend life expectancy and avoid unnecessary emergency room visits.
-
Digital health company Omcare empowers healthcare organizations to extend care into the home through a secure telehealth infrastructure and integration with its patented medication dispensing technology, which helps older adults maintain well-being by staying on track with their prescriptions.
The third cohort includes:
-
Health Bank One puts patients in control of their medical records and digital identity easily and securely, while giving providers instant access to patient-consented medical intelligence in a single, consolidated medical record.
-
Mirai Speaker’s patented soundbar enhances television audio, helping people with hearing impairment hear dialogue from their favorite shows more clearly with less background noise and without having to increase TV volume.
-
Cadense blends robotics, biomechanics and thoughtful design into adaptive footwear that glides and grips with each step, helping people with walking difficulties move confidently, maintain independence and enjoy improved quality of life.
-
Elemind offers a wearable neurotechnology device that uses EEG technology to read and respond to a user’s individual brainwaves, using precisely timed acoustic pulses to guide their brains naturally out of wakeful patterns and into deeper sleep, on-demand.
-
FibriCheck offers a solution that detects and monitors cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, with just a smartphone, along with a proprietary app, a clinically validated AI-powered algorithm and a portal for healthcare providers, making it a seamless and scalable solution for remote cardiac monitoring.
When Collaboration Turns Into Partnership
One of the most exciting results of the Showcase may be what happens after the initial pilot period ends.
A recent example comes from ONSCREEN, a member of the Showcase’s inaugural startup cohort, whose relationship with Asbury continued well beyond its initial Showcase participation. That ongoing collaboration recently led to the deployment of JoyLiving by ONSCREEN (JoyLiving), an AI voice-enabled resident hotline, at Asbury Methodist Village.
With JoyLiving’s conversational AI receptionist — whose name, of course, is Joy — residents can simply pick up the phone and call in to get the latest information about meals, activities, events and other community news — all without having to navigate digital platforms. The system also delivers Asbury’s Weekly News Digest on demand, streamlining what had previously been a manual recording process and making important updates easier for residents to access whenever they need them.
Both the Showcase and the partnership with ONSCREEN are a result of Asbury’s longstanding commitment to exploring the latest technology that can simplify and improve the lives of its residents.
“At Asbury Methodist Village, we’re always exploring meaningful ways to make information more accessible and improve the resident experience,” says Michelle Curnow, Vice President of Sales and Brand at Asbury Communities. “This collaboration brought together operational expertise, technology innovation and a shared focus on resident-centered service. The result is a communication tool that helps simplify everyday interactions for residents while supporting our teams in delivering responsive, person-centered experiences.”
JoyLiving has had an immediate and measurable impact at Asbury. In just one month, Joy handled more than 700 resident inquiries about a range of issues, including questions about daily menu options, community events and activities, and maintenance requests. JoyLiving resolved an impressive 70% of these queries without having to involve Asbury staff, freeing them up to focus on their core responsibilities.
“At Asbury Methodist Village, we’re seeing how conversational AI can make everyday communication easier and more accessible for residents while helping staff respond more efficiently,” says Costin Tuculescu, CEO and Co-founder of JoyLiving by ONSCREEN. “Working closely with Asbury Communities and ThriveWell Tech allowed us to tailor the implementation around the needs of both residents and staff while integrating with the systems the community already uses every day.”
In the case of ONSCREEN, what started as a time-bound spot in the Asbury Smart Living Showcase turned into a long-term, live deployment — precisely the kind of outcome the Showcase was designed to nurture. “We’re excited to partner with forward-thinking organizations that are exploring new ways to support residents, empower staff, and strengthen communication across their communities,” says Tuculescu.
Looking Ahead
As the Asbury Smart Living Showcase continues to grow, its value is becoming increasingly clear: innovation moves faster — and more meaningfully — when startups, enterprises and older adults come together to collaborate in the real world. The expanding cohorts and emerging success stories suggest the Showcase is doing more than testing new technologies. It’s helping build the relationships and feedback loops necessary to bring stronger AgeTech solutions to market.
And if the ONSCREEN story is any indication, some of the most impactful outcomes may be the ones that continue unfolding long after the pilot officially ends.
#CollaborativeEngagement