Rick Robinson - Agetech Goes Mainstream. From Innovation Theater to Real Impact

In this week’s 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is joined by Rick Robinson, who leads innovation at AARP and is the driving force behind the Agetech Collaborative.Rick shares how a career spent at the edge of emerging technology led him to longevity innovation. From early work in online media to running AARP’s innovation lab, his focus has stayed constant. Build what matters next, and make it real.The conversation traces AARP’s shift from internal pilots to ecosystem building. Rick explains why he moved away from what he calls innovation theater and toward startups with products already solving real problems for people over 50. During COVID, that shift accelerated, giving rise to the Agetech Collaborative.Today, the Collaborative connects more than 650 startups, investors, enterprises, and testbeds across health, caregiving, fintech, mobility, housing, and AI. Rick’s goal is clear. Reach 1,000 companies and create a self-sustaining global market for longevity innovation.He and Avivah explore concrete examples already changing lives. Simpler digital wills. AI support for dementia caregivers. Secure digital vaults for family records. Exoskeleton clothing that boosts mobility. Captioning glasses for real-world conversations. Tools that help grandparents read bedtime stories in augmented reality.Rick also tackles the hard questions. Privacy. Ethics. AI in the home. He argues that older adults are far more tech-ready than most leaders assume, and that convenience, dignity, and control matter more than novelty.The episode closes with a direct challenge to big business and investors. Demographics are destiny. By 2035, people over 65 will outnumber children in many countries. The growth market is already here, and it is being ignored at real cost.Rick Robinson is Vice President of Product Innovation at AARP and is the architect of the Agetech Collaborative. With a career spanning early online media, digital product leadership, and emerging technologies, Rick has consistently worked at the frontier of what comes next. At AARP, he has helped drive innovation from internal experimentation t a global startup ecosystem focused on real-world impact for people over 50 and their families. His work connects startups, investors, enterprises, and researchers to accelerate practical solutions for longevity, caregiving, health, and independent living.Useful Links* Agetech Collaborative: https://agetechcollaborative.org* AARP Innovation: https://www.aarp.org/innovation* Trust & Will: https://trustandwill.com* Amicus Brain: https://amicusbrain.com* Zoog: https://getzoog.com* Neko Health: https://www.nekohealth.com Get full access to 4-Quarter Lives | Elderberries at elderberries.substack.com/subscribe