September 13, 2016 | Startup Canada
Canada’s Innovation Minister announces Andrea Palmer, CEO of Awake Labs, will represent Canada at global startup experience
National competition celebrates inclusiveness in innovation & growing technology ties between Israel & Canada
OTTAWA, September 14, 2016 – The Honourable Navdeep Bains joined Canada’s Ambassador to Israel, His Excellency Rafael Barak, and Brenda Halloran, Chair of Startup Canada today to announce Andrea Palmer, CEO of Awake Labs, will represent Canada at Start Tel Aviv, a global startup experience.
Awake labs is the makers of Reveal, a wearable device that predicts and prevents meltdowns suffered by people with autism, provides better insights into care, and provides feedback directly to the wearer to help with self-regulation. Ms. Palmer, who is based in Vancouver, was among 60 women entrepreneurs from across Canada who applied for the opportunity to join winners from 30 other countries in the world’s leading Startup Nation, Israel, for an intense 5-day startup experience during the world-renowned DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival.
The competition, which is run annually in Canada by the Embassy of Israel and Startup Canada, celebrates growing Canada-Israel ties in technology and innovation. This year, the global competition also champions the work of the world’s top women-led startups. Tel Aviv ranks as the top hub outside the United States for both startups and for women entrepreneurs (Compass Report).
Minister Bains reflected on this achievement for a young woman-led startup and the importance of collaboration by Canadian entrepreneurs with their global counterparts: “Andrea Palmer is a shining example of what innovative Canadian entrepreneurs can achieve. Awake Labs has the potential to help millions of people around the world. I congratulate Andrea on the opportunity to attend Start Tel Aviv to showcase Canadian innovation and to forge partnerships with other successful start-ups from around the world. I wish her continued success.”
Upon winning this national competition, Andrea Palmer expressed her enthusiasm and what this achievement means for her company: “I am very excited for the opportunity to meet with top entrepreneurs from around the world and showcase what Awake Labs is doing on the global stage.” She added, “Start Tel Aviv 2016 will open the door to a new world of collaborations, partnerships, growth, and investment and I am thrilled to being a part of it.”
“I would like to wish Andrea Palmer a heartfelt Mazel Tov and I know Awake Labs will truly benefit from this global opportunity to establish links with Israel,” said Ambassador Barak. “By sending a champion from Canada’s startup community, we are helping to deepen the growing people-to-people ties between our countries that have emerged in a range of business sectors from cyber security to water technology, life sciences to food security and green energy to aerospace.”
“Andrea Palmer is an excellent ambassador of Canada’s innovation community, and is an example of how Canadian companies are making a social impact through their innovations,” said Brenda Halloran, Chair of Startup Canada. “Andrea will represent Canada well in Tel Aviv. The world needs to know about more Canadian companies like hers.”
For more information, contact:
Howard Fremeth
Director of Communications, Embassy of Israel
613-324–0400
press@ottawa.mfa.gov.il
Kathryn Forrest
Communications & Marketing Manager, Startup Canada
1-613—627–0787 ext. 106
press@startupcan.ca
BACKGROUNDER
About Awake Labs
Awake Labs is the maker of Reveal – a wearable device that predicts and prevents meltdowns suffered by people with autism, provides better insights into care, and provides feedback directly to the wearer to help with self regulation.
Many individuals with autism have difficulty relating to their own emotions or communicating verbally, which often leads increase frustration and anxiety, and sometimes the only way they can express themselves is through a behaviour meltdown. These meltdowns are emotionally draining and sometimes physically dangerous for themselves and the caregiver.
Reveal tracks 3 leading physiological indicators of anxiety heart rate, perspiration, and skin temperature, in realtime to provide insight into anxiety levels for autistic individuals. Parents and caregivers can interact with the application to give contextual data and train the algorithm to become smarter and create a personalized profile for each person wearing it.
About Start Tel Aviv
Start Tel Aviv is a global competition held by The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tel Aviv Global that brings together startups from 31 different countries around the world to compete for the opportunity to take part in an intense, five-day startup experience in Tel Aviv’s startup ecosystem. 31 competitions take place in 31 countries in order to find the best startup in each country. The list of winners will contain the best startups in the world.
This year the competition celebrates women entrepreneurship around the world, and the winners arriving in Tel Aviv will be women founders from around the world. https://www.tel-aviv.gov.il/en/WorkAndStudy/Pages/Start-Tel-Aviv-Competition.aspx
About Startup Canada
Startup Canada is the leading national social enterprise supporting and giving a voice to entrepreneurs through online programs, national awards, flagship events, and partnerships with private sector and government to foster a community for startup and small business success across the country. For more information, visit www.startupcan.ca.
About The Embassy of Israel in Canada
Celebrating 67 years of diplomatic ties, the Canada-Israel relationship is rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. The warm relations and close people-to-people connections provide fertile ground for the Embassy to promote greater partnerships, economic growth and friendship between the State of Israel and Canada. Based in Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook or connect with us at http://ottawa.mfa.gov.il/.