A Canadian Innovation Responding to a Growing Demographic Reality
Presentria announced the continued development of its voice-first artificial intelligence companion designed specifically for older adults, together with its search for pilot partners, healthcare collaborators, community organizations, and strategic investors to support the next stage of deployment across Canada.
Canada is experiencing a significant demographic transition. More than seven million Canadians are now aged 65 or older, and this population is expected to continue growing over the coming decade. As this demographic expands, healthcare providers, caregivers, municipalities, and community organizations are facing increasing pressure to address not only physical health needs but also social isolation and emotional well-being.
Presentria was created to address one aspect of this challenge by providing regular, meaningful conversations through the simplest technology most seniors already know how to use, the telephone.
Building Technology Around Older Adults Instead of Asking Older Adults to Adapt
Unlike many digital health technologies that rely on smartphones, mobile applications, passwords, and touch screens, Presentria operates entirely through regular phone calls and text messaging. Older adults can receive scheduled daily calls from the AI companion, initiate conversations at any time, or exchange text messages without downloading software or purchasing additional hardware.
The platform currently supports conversations in English, French, Cantonese, Italian, and Punjabi, with additional languages under development. This multilingual approach is intended to improve accessibility for immigrant communities and Indigenous populations who may prefer speaking in their first language rather than English or French.
Presentria also includes medication reminders, hydration reminders, emotional wellness check ins, conversation memory across multiple interactions, and caregiver notifications through SMS and email when concerns are detected during conversations.
Designed Specifically for Safe and Appropriate Senior Engagement
General-purpose AI assistants have become increasingly capable across many tasks. However, they were not originally designed as companions for vulnerable older adults.
Presentria has been developed with conversational boundaries intended to encourage supportive interactions while reducing the likelihood of inappropriate medical, legal, or financial guidance. The objective is not to replace healthcare professionals or family members, but to provide an additional layer of daily companionship and support between human interactions.
The platform also adopts a proactive communication model. Rather than waiting for older adults to remember to open an application, Presentria initiates scheduled check-in calls, reflecting the routine many families naturally provide when checking on loved ones.
A Personal Experience Became the Foundation for the Company
Presentria was founded by Dr. Ken Kwong-Kay Wong after a personal experience following surgery during which he reflected on how many older adults experience prolonged periods of loneliness without regular human contact.
The experience prompted him to consider whether artificial intelligence could provide dependable daily companionship that remained simple, familiar, and accessible.
“I realized that millions of older adults experience isolation not for a few hours, but every day,” said Dr. Ken Kwong-Kay Wong, Founder of Presentria. “Presentria was created to provide a compassionate voice that reaches people where they already are, through the telephone, in the language that feels most familiar to them. The goal is never to replace human relationships. It is to strengthen them.”
A Canadian Startup Developed Outside Traditional Startup Models
Presentria has been independently designed and developed by Dr. Wong while continuing his full-time role as a marketing professor at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto. The project has been entirely self-funded and built during evenings and weekends.
Dr. Wong brings more than twenty-three years of experience in Canadian higher education, including appointments at Seneca Polytechnic, the University of Toronto, and Toronto Metropolitan University. In 2020, he received the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities’ Award of Excellence for supporting students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to his academic work, Dr. Wong teaches executive and graduate courses on artificial intelligence, Industry 5.0, digital transformation, and innovation. He is also the author of books on AI applications and human-centric innovation and has delivered keynote presentations on responsible AI adoption for academic and business audiences.
Seeking Partnerships to Advance the Next Stage
Presentria is currently operating as a functional prototype and is seeking pilot opportunities with long-term care homes, healthcare organizations, municipalities, community agencies, telecommunications providers, pharmacy organizations, researchers, and caregiver groups.
The company is also seeking grants, strategic partnerships, and pre-seed investment to accelerate development and conduct multilingual pilot programs across Canada.
Additional information about Presentria’s mission, design philosophy, responsible AI framework, Indigenous Elder initiatives, and founder story can be found at https://presentria.ai/.
About Presentria
Presentria is a Canadian startup developing a voice-first AI companion designed specifically for older adults. Delivered through ordinary telephone calls, Presentria provides multilingual companionship, daily wellness check-ins, medication reminders, hydration reminders, emotional support conversations, and caregiver notifications without requiring smartphones, applications, or specialized devices. The company is currently in the prototype stage and is actively seeking pilot partners, healthcare organizations, researchers, community agencies, and strategic collaborators across Canada to support pilot programs and future deployment. More information about Presentria is available at https://presentria.ai/. Readers can learn more about founder Dr. Ken Kwong-Kay Wong and updates are available on LinkedIn and Facebook. You can email to ken.wong@presentria.ca.