Arthritis Ideator Awards Application Process

Who Can Apply?   

Arthritis Society Canada invites ideators, entrepreneurs and start-ups across Canada to submit their innovative ideas to the Arthritis Ideator Awards^TM. Applicants must be Canadian and the original creator/inventor and owner of the intellectual property that is being submitted. Eligibility will be determined by our panel of experts and although it is an open application process, success in the competition will be determined by how well each submission meets the selection criteria.  

Selection Criteria 

The following criteria will be utilized to select the finalists and winning applicants:  

1. Founder(s) credibility (background, experience of founders)  

2. Uniqueness (originality of innovation)  

3. Desirability (is this an innovation that individuals with arthritis need)  

4. Evidence based (research, science and/or market validation of innovation)  

5. Financial viability (ability to raise funds and market/sell innovation)  

6. Readiness for market (how ready the innovation is for market)  

7. Impact (potential for significant and lasting outcomes for people with arthritis)  

8. Scalability (how well the innovation can be scaled)  

Application Format and Process  

Applications will be accepted in the form of a pitch deck emailed to innovation@arthritis.ca by midnight ET on December 21, 2023.  

There is no prescribed format or length required for the pitch deck, but we encourage applications to consider creativity, clarity and the selection criteria when formulating their decks. Pitch decks should not exceed 10MB in size. If they are larger than 10MB, we ask that you utilize a secure file sharing program with a direct link to your pitch deck.  

Selection Panel  

Applications for Arthritis Ideator Awards^TM will be reviewed by expert panels that include clinicians, researchers, consumers, and technology experts. The panels will then select finalists based on potential impact, financial viability, and market/research validation.   

The finalists will then be invited to present their innovative ideas to a panel of judges, comprised of an Arthritis Society Canada representative and VIP representatives, at the Arthritis Ideator Awards^TM on April 18, 2024, just days before World Creativity and Innovation Day.   

Arthritis Ideator Awards 

In total, $200,000 of awards will be presented. The first-place innovator will receive $100,000 and the runner up will receive $50,000, as selected by our VIP judging panel. A People’s Choice Award of $50,000 will also be selected by popular vote of Canadians across the country.    

Key Dates  

September 21, 2023 – Submissions open 
December 21, 2023 – Submissions close (midnight ET)
February 28, 2024 – Finalists announced  
April 8, 2024 – People’s Choice Award voting begins 
April 18, 2024 – Arthritis Ideator Awards^TM

Previous Arthritis Ideator Awards^TM

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