about this event
Join Labfront and the XPRIZE Canada Hub for a Health Research Challenge! This one-day event is for early-career researchers who want to move from a research question to a pilot study they can actually run. Teams design a wearable-tech pilot study, pitch it to a panel of judges, and compete for a $5,000 package of research tools to bring it to life. This session's challenge is focused on two themes: women's health and brain health.
Who should apply: This event welcomes early-career researchers (ECRs) from any institution, including MRes and MSc by Research students, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and academics up to two years post-PhD.
What to expect — Team formation: Teams form around at least two participants, mixing disciplines and experience. Industry talks: Short presentations from industry partners open the day. Mentorship: Mentors stay on-site throughout the day to support each team's progress. Pilot study design: Each team designs a study that addresses a real-world challenge in health and human performance.
Prizes: Winning teams take home a $5,000 research tools package, including three Garmin vivosmart 5 devices for continuous HR, activity, BBI, SpO₂, sleep staging, and more; advanced Labfront platform access for data capture, participant management, and analysis; expert analytics support for HRV or sleep analysis reports; and personalized project setup and onboarding from the Labfront team.
Logistics — Date: September 21, 2026. Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Location: Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, Calgary, Canada. Additional details can be found HERE. Registration is by application only.
when
The Health Research Challenge: Labfront & XPRIZE Canada Hub
One-day Health Research Challenge for early-career researchers: team formation, industry talks, mentorship, and wearable-tech pilot study design, ending with pitches to a panel of judges.
◍ Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinkingtickets
| tickets | price | Fee | Status | description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application-Based Registration | Free | TBA | Available | Registration is by application only. The event is free to attend for accepted applicants. |
prizes
| # | PRIZE | price |
|---|---|---|
| Winning Team | $5,000 research tools package: three Garmin vivosmart 5 devices (continuous HR, activity, BBI, SpO₂, sleep staging and more), advanced Labfront platform access for data capture, participant management and analysis, expert analytics support for HRV or sleep analysis reports, and personalized project setup and onboarding from the Labfront team. | $5,000 |