NewGen Health, a Waterloo, Ontario-based startup, has won the grand prize at SE Health’s Chrysalis Innovation Challenge for its cutting-edge, at-home testing and digital monitoring solution that enables earlier detection and management of chronic diseases.
In their winning pitch, NewGen Health's co-founders, Mazhar Shahen and Shiv Naik, who met as undergraduate science students at the University of Waterloo, explained how NewGen Health’s technology addresses a hidden but serious risk for older adults aging at home, where conditions such as kidney decline, dehydration and urinary tract infections can quietly worsen until they trigger avoidable emergency visits.
Their solution: a smart urine cup and companion app that transforms urine into a vital sign, enabling simple at-home testing that quantifies key biomarkers, tracks trends over time and shares actionable insights with care teams.
According to Shahen and Naik, by giving caregivers and home and community care providers objective signals that support earlier detection and better triage decisions, “the platform helps reduce caregiver uncertainty and enables more proactive, coordinated care that can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations.”
The award was announced at the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge Pitch Event in Toronto on March 5, where innovators from across Canada presented solutions designed to help people live well, age well and care well. Finalists pitched their solutions to a panel of judges and a live audience of healthcare leaders, investors and innovation partners. The grand prize, $30,000 and two runner-up awards, $10,000 each, are intended to help finalists grow and scale their innovations across the health system to make a positive impact on Canadians.
Hosted by SE Health as part of its
Solutions Lab, the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge brings together entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and health system leaders to identify and accelerate solutions that support healthier aging and stronger care systems.
With more than one in five Canadians projected to be over the age of 65 within the next decade, innovations that support earlier detection, proactive care and healthier aging are becoming increasingly important to the sustainability of Canada’s healthcare system.
“Canada’s aging population calls for bold innovation and new approaches to care,” said John Yip, SE Health’s President and CEO. “Through the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge, SE Health is bringing together innovators, partners and investors to catalyze the future of health, accelerating ideas that empower people and communities to thrive as they age. The response to our 2026 Innovation Challenge was incredible and we are excited to be shaping the future of health together with partners from across the country.”
“Winning the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge is a special honour for our team,” said Shahen and Naik. “Throughout this process, we’ve learned a tremendous amount and built some incredible partnerships along the way. The Chrysalis community is remarkably warm and collaborative. By helping care teams detect risks earlier and intervene sooner, we can improve outcomes, reduce avoidable hospital visits and support more proactive, coordinated care.”
Runner-up awards:
Vessl Prosthetics, also the
People’s Choice award winner, which developed a prosthetic technology that automatically adapts to changes in limb volume throughout the day. Its Kinn™ Automatic Volume Management System helps maintain a secure and comfortable prosthetic fit, improving mobility and independence for people living with limb loss.
Hyivy Health, which developed a data-driven pelvic rehabilitation system designed to improve treatment and recovery for pelvic health conditions affecting millions of women worldwide. The company’s solution combines a medical device, mobile application and clinician software platform to support pelvic floor rehabilitation and track therapy progress.
Thank you to our sponsors:
The SE Health 2026 Chrysalis Innovation Challenge was generously supported by key sponsors:
PwC Canada,
GreenShield,
AGE-WELL,
Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence,
Just Like Family Home Care,
Keyin College and
SE Impact Ventures. Their commitment to innovation and collaboration is helping accelerate new ideas that improve health, care and quality of life for older adults and the communities that support them.
For more information about the Chrysalis Innovation Challenge, please visit:
https://sehc.com/chrysalis innovation challenge
Media inquiries:
Sarah Quadri
Senior Director, Communications and Marketing, SE Health
SarahQuadri@sehc.com