Alberta Invests in the Future of Wearables: $348K Supports New Innovation Hub at the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19th, 2025

Alberta Invests in the Future of Wearables: $348K Supports New Innovation Hub at the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta

Calgary - Alberta Innovates is supporting a new effort to position the province at the forefront of wearable health tech. With a $348,750 investment over one year, the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta (CSIAB) is launching a province-wide initiative to support the next wave of wearable technologies—tools designed to monitor, understand, and improve human health and performance.

The initiative, powered by CSIAB’s Sport Product Testing (SPT) program, offers something Alberta’s innovation landscape has been missing: a centralized resource to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) validate, analyze, and commercialize wearable products that measure everything from biomechanics to physiological function.

“The technology coming out of Alberta is impressive—but innovators often hit a wall when it comes to testing and market readiness,” said Raja Mita, Vice President of Health Innovation at Alberta Innovates. “This project fills that gap. It connects Alberta companies with the expertise they need to move their products from prototype to practical use.”

This investment builds on Alberta’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation in sport science and digital health. The initiative will create new pathways for collaboration between industry, research, and high-performance sport—helping entrepreneurs fast-track their ideas from concept to market, while ensuring their products are backed by rigorous data and real-world application.

The project offers a phased approach: scientific validation of wearable devices, advanced machine learning-based analytics, and commercialization support. It also includes wraparound services—like mentorship, training, and collaboration with researchers at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta—to strengthen the broader innovation ecosystem.

While Sport Product Testing is best known for working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the team is eager to apply its high-performance lens to health-focused products for everyday users.

“Wearables aren’t just about elite sport anymore—they’re a gateway to better health for everyone,” said Pro Stergiou, Business Development Manager at CSIAB. “This investment allows us to help Alberta companies create tools that are reliable, evidence-based, and ready to make a difference in people’s lives.”

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