Social isolation is one of the most pressing, yet under-addressed, issues facing Australia's ageing population. At Brightwater Care Group, where over 2,000 seniors receive in-home care across Perth, this challenge is deeply understood. For many of these individuals, the only visitor they see all week is a Brightwater service provider. The physical and mental health implications of this isolation are profound, linked to increased risks of depression, cognitive decline, weakened immunity, and chronic disease.
In response, Brightwater launched the Tech Innovate Challenge, an ambitious initiative supported by Meshpoints through a $37,500 Catalyst Create grant, supported by Spacecubed, and Lotterywest, designed to spark innovative solutions to this complex social issue. Its goal was to reduce isolation through the power of technology, collaboration, and community-led innovation.
Nicola Bedwood, Manager Corporate Partnerships at Brightwater shared, “Our mission is: ‘Pursuing the dignity of independence’. We want our clients living independently to not just survive but thrive in a way that keeps them connected to what matters most to them.”
What made the Tech Innovate Challenge different from a typical aged care initiative was its focus on cross-sector collaboration. Startups, corporates, university students, and community members all played vital roles, contributing unique skills, perspectives, and energy to the cause. This approach was made possible through Meshpoints’ ecosystem connections, enabling Brightwater to reach diverse stakeholders with aligned motivations.
“We began with clear, tailored communication, understanding what each group needed to get out of the experience and what value they could bring,” Nicola explained. “Whether it was piloting real-world solutions, building skills, or gaining visibility, each partner saw their role in the impact.”
This early clarity and the co-design approach allowed all participants to feel ownership in the process. The program featured regular touchpoints, from ideation sessions and mentorship pairings to validation rounds and pitch nights, keeping momentum high and connections meaningful.
“Emphasising purpose, especially when tackling real-world issues like social isolation, turned diverse participants into genuine collaborators,” Nicola shared.
The challenge surfaced several standout ideas, each grounded in empathy and designed with seniors in mind:
- Pigeon Tales: A personalised newspaper that curates content from family members' social media and combines it with senior-friendly stories and formats. Rather than asking seniors to learn new digital platforms, it brings the content to them in a format they know and trust.
- Across the Table: A virtual café where seniors can connect over shared interests, hosted by student volunteers. This idea not only bridges generational gaps but also tackles loneliness through conversation.
- Affinity Cube: A user-friendly scheduling device that lets families organise events and calls with one click, syncing directly with a senior’s TV, no training required.
“Who would have thought that a newspaper could hold the key to connection?” Nicola said, reflecting on the innovation rooted in simplicity and empathy.
Beyond the ideas themselves, the Tech Innovate Challenge left a lasting legacy on the innovation culture within aged care in WA.
“Traditionally, innovation in these sectors has been seen as something that happens to them. This program flipped that dynamic,” Nicola shared.
By embedding clients, families, and frontline staff into the process, Brightwater demonstrated that aged care could help lead innovation, not just receive it. This has led to greater openness to experimentation, deeper engagement with the startup ecosystem, and a renewed respect for lived experience as a driver of innovation.
“We’ve seen a tangible move away from ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ toward ‘let’s test it and see what works.’”
For those looking to run their own cross-sector innovation challenges, Nicola’s advice is to, “Start with a shared purpose, not just a brief, and embed end users early and often.”
The success of the Tech Innovate Challenge came not from flashy tech, but from deep alignment, clear communication, and a commitment to human-centred problem solving.
Inspired by this project? Visit our website here to explore more funded initiatives, and sign up as a Meshpoints Partner for free to join a growing network of 150+ individuals and organisations working together to build a stronger, more connected and resilient innovation ecosystem across WA.
