Featuring original research and analysis on emerging learning technology markets and ventures published as Open Educational Resources (OERs) by professional educators enrolled in the University of British Columbia's Master of Educational Technology (MET) program. Browse and be inspired!
Across Latin America, the population is aging rapidly — but our healthcare systems and workforce are not keeping pace. At the same time, millions of young people remain excluded from traditional education and employment opportunities.
My idea for a venture is VITALIA–a hybrid training venture that addresses both challenges. By combining VR/AR simulations with hands-on lab practice, we prepare learners for essential roles in elder care — quickly, affordably, and at scale.
This venture was developed as part of ETEC522 to explore how immersive technologies and microcredentials can bridge real workforce gaps. Watch the pitch below to learn more.
This is the short elevator pitch:
And you can see the longer and more detailed pitch here
Would love to hear your thoughts!
( Average Rating: 5 )
Victoria
I’m an advocate for meaningful technology in education, based in Quito, Ecuador. Born and raised here, I co-lead a family-run technology company undergoing a generational transition. With a background in psychology and education, I’ve spent the past five years working at the intersection of learning and digital tools, supporting both public and private institutions. As Director of Educational Technology at iData, I collaborate with global partners to promote equitable access and sustainable implementation, particularly in underserved areas. I’m currently pursuing a Master’s in Educational Technology to explore the EdTech landscape more deeply and eventually design solutions that truly fit Latin American realities.
I think this is an excellent idea. As an occupational safety practitioner, I’ve seen strong potential in using VR/AR training for crisis scenarios, and I believe it could be equally effective in elder care.
One of my colleagues applied VR/AR in his biomedical engineering research for rehabilitation. The system used gamified tasks controlled by the patient to support upper-limb recovery, significantly accelerating progress. Based on what I’ve observed, your proposal is both pragmatic and highly promising.
Hey Victoria, as a healthcare provider in my current role, this is a fantastic idea! One of the biggest needs in Canada is for healthcare providers for the elderly especially in the home care area; not only is Latin America looking at increased care provider needs, but the rest of the world as they grow older (something that you comment on). I think the multi-modality and microcredential training, is the way of the future, as someone who used outside training to fix their own car, I can see that there are some instances of care being provided that can be done just by anyone with the right kind of training. Also, you’re spot on with the education for foundations and splitting the differences between competencies and skills and adjusting for the best modality.
Can I help make it great?
In Canada, 10th graders can start a career in providing basic care to the elderly, so long as they have a 5-month program (which can be done remotely with a lab component).Is there an opportunity to expand the audience not just with adults but even in the middle of highschool? so it doesn’t have to rely primarily on post-secondary teaching. I think theres an opportunity to tweak content in middle-schoolers to get them interested and even start their careers in healthcare with the hope of bridging over to full bachelor’s level education into healthcare. Also I could see a venture or feature that provides extra education to patient families to assist them with extra training to support the care of their loved ones. Something that I think would benefit from the modality and a way to expand a market for one-off courses.
Overall, this is an outstanding venture that I could see become a valuable asset not just in Latin America, but around the world.
Thank you Rico, for your comments, insights and ideas! I agree, there is definetly space to expand the audience/target, and I even think it can make it (emotionally) more special – elders and teens sharing can be of great benefit for society. I only fear that they might not have enough emotional maturity for some situations, but then the thing would be to limit the courses that they can access.
I really value your comments given that you are in health care!!
I love your venture and am interested in investing in it. Here’s why.
The pitch’s clarity in identifying the gap between healthcare needs and workforce readiness immediately signals relevance to investors, policymakers, and educators. You have clearly targeted a problem and provided a solution.
What I love most about your venture is the hybrid training model, which combines VR/AR simulations with hands-on lab practice. This approach addresses the need for both theoretical learning and the human-centered skills essential in elder care. I also like how you emphasized speed and affordability, especially in regions where traditional vocational training can be slow, costly, and inaccessible.
Vitalia demonstrates strong vision and market fit. The integration of technology with hands-on skill building addresses both the skills gap and inequities in Latin America’s healthcare.
I thought both your elevator pitch and venture pitch were excellent. You clearly explained a scalable solution to a pressing need in the healthcare systems across Latin America.
One question I had while watching the pitch is whether the money might be better spent on designing an apprenticeship-type training program, so that trainees could get more in-person training while helping ameliorate some of the gaps in service for the elderly. However, I thought you did a solid job of explaining why a hybrid lab with online and VR training would offer more consistency in the quality of the programming.
I also appreciated that you provided examples of the type of programming that the institute would offer as part of its VR component. I would invest in your venture.
Excellent pitch! Your problem is well-defined, clearly articulated, and urgent. Such a good elevator pitch. For your longer pitch, the way you step back and paint a broad picture of the current economic situation of elder care and the shortcomings of higher education and relate them to Vitalia is very convincing. It shows an intimate knowledge of the market landscape, and lends a ton of credibility to your venture. It also demonstrates a very clear opportunity that Vitalia aims to fill.
As a prospective investor, I would have many questions related to the venture’s financials. Including some specific numbers – such as tuition cost estimates, licensing costs, etc., along with some projections on number of users and potential recurring revenue for the hybrid model – would go a long way to strengthening your pitch. I would also be interested in hearing about Vitalia’s nearest competition in the space: are there non-higher education ventures currently operating in elderly care training? You’ve done an excellent job defining the problem-space and explaining the ever-important “why now?” for Vitalia, and its potential scalability is compelling.
Forgot to label the above comment as a REVIEW. While I would not recommend investment at this time, the foundations of a fantastic venture are clearly present and some small elaboration is all it would take for me to change my recommendation.
Great work on your venture and elevator pitch! You did a great job outlining exactly what problem your product solves and how it can tackle these problems, which can help address increasing workforce gaps in healthcare in Latin America. However, I would be interested in learning more about the scalability of your product. Can your product only be used in Latin America or can it be scaled globally? One suggestion for your elevator pitch would be to split up the background into 4 slides that you can scroll through during your pitch. This makes it easier for the audience to read the information and reduces clutter on the page.
As always, you WOW me with your ideas. You always take the road less traveled, and it brings great return. I think this will be an influential product to solve Latin America problem.
I love how you thought about the program details, and the certification for participants too – it is a great benchmark to ensure people go through the programs would be job-ready.
I think having a more specific roadmap at the end would support your GTM strategy greatly.
REVIEW
Hi Victoria,
First off, this was a really well made presentation and you did a wonderful job of conveying a lot of very important and compelling information in your Elevator pitch and the longer pitch – you’ve really got a knack for this!
I’m not surprised that this market is so massive but what I hadn’t considered before watching your presentation, is the importance of the workforce in these regions when addressing gaps in elder care.
Given the size of this market and the salience of the issue, I would be interested to know if there are other ventures like this in Latin America or other regions that could offer some lessons or inspiration for your venture. Japan and some European nations are already dealing with the issues that accompany aging populations and may have spawned some similar training ventures like Vitalia. If so, have you studied their approach? And if not, would you consider expanding this approach beyond Latin America to other regions?
I ask this because as an investor I would wonder if the specific nature of the Silver Economy in Latin America (the perfect intersection of need, opportunity and innovation you point out) is so unique that Vitalia has been built specifically to address its challenges? Or could this model be adapted to other regions that might be experiencing similar challenges, albeit with a workforce that has different demographics and Higher Education rates? That would really ramp up the potential for this venture to become truly massive.
I also wonder if the reliance on VR/AR could be a double-edged sword for this venture. The target market for Vitalia (ie. rural learners) might not have the necessary infrastructure and/or technological abilities to use these technologies without a significant amount of training or support. However, your Solution and Value Prop slides allude to this so maybe you have some solutions in mind. I think that an investor might want a more detailed summary of how this would work and remain cost effective for the learners and profitable for Vitalia.
I love this concept and I also think it could make a massively positive impact so if the logistics were mapped out and realistic, I would definitely invest in this venture.
Hello Victoria,
I think this is an excellent idea. As an occupational safety practitioner, I’ve seen strong potential in using VR/AR training for crisis scenarios, and I believe it could be equally effective in elder care.
One of my colleagues applied VR/AR in his biomedical engineering research for rehabilitation. The system used gamified tasks controlled by the patient to support upper-limb recovery, significantly accelerating progress. Based on what I’ve observed, your proposal is both pragmatic and highly promising.
Review
There is something here:
Hey Victoria, as a healthcare provider in my current role, this is a fantastic idea! One of the biggest needs in Canada is for healthcare providers for the elderly especially in the home care area; not only is Latin America looking at increased care provider needs, but the rest of the world as they grow older (something that you comment on). I think the multi-modality and microcredential training, is the way of the future, as someone who used outside training to fix their own car, I can see that there are some instances of care being provided that can be done just by anyone with the right kind of training. Also, you’re spot on with the education for foundations and splitting the differences between competencies and skills and adjusting for the best modality.
Can I help make it great?
In Canada, 10th graders can start a career in providing basic care to the elderly, so long as they have a 5-month program (which can be done remotely with a lab component).Is there an opportunity to expand the audience not just with adults but even in the middle of highschool? so it doesn’t have to rely primarily on post-secondary teaching. I think theres an opportunity to tweak content in middle-schoolers to get them interested and even start their careers in healthcare with the hope of bridging over to full bachelor’s level education into healthcare. Also I could see a venture or feature that provides extra education to patient families to assist them with extra training to support the care of their loved ones. Something that I think would benefit from the modality and a way to expand a market for one-off courses.
Overall, this is an outstanding venture that I could see become a valuable asset not just in Latin America, but around the world.
Thank you Rico, for your comments, insights and ideas! I agree, there is definetly space to expand the audience/target, and I even think it can make it (emotionally) more special – elders and teens sharing can be of great benefit for society. I only fear that they might not have enough emotional maturity for some situations, but then the thing would be to limit the courses that they can access.
I really value your comments given that you are in health care!!
FEEDBACK
Hello Victoria,
I love your venture and am interested in investing in it. Here’s why.
The pitch’s clarity in identifying the gap between healthcare needs and workforce readiness immediately signals relevance to investors, policymakers, and educators. You have clearly targeted a problem and provided a solution.
What I love most about your venture is the hybrid training model, which combines VR/AR simulations with hands-on lab practice. This approach addresses the need for both theoretical learning and the human-centered skills essential in elder care. I also like how you emphasized speed and affordability, especially in regions where traditional vocational training can be slow, costly, and inaccessible.
Vitalia demonstrates strong vision and market fit. The integration of technology with hands-on skill building addresses both the skills gap and inequities in Latin America’s healthcare.
REVIEW
Hi Victoria,
I thought both your elevator pitch and venture pitch were excellent. You clearly explained a scalable solution to a pressing need in the healthcare systems across Latin America.
One question I had while watching the pitch is whether the money might be better spent on designing an apprenticeship-type training program, so that trainees could get more in-person training while helping ameliorate some of the gaps in service for the elderly. However, I thought you did a solid job of explaining why a hybrid lab with online and VR training would offer more consistency in the quality of the programming.
I also appreciated that you provided examples of the type of programming that the institute would offer as part of its VR component. I would invest in your venture.
Excellent pitch! Your problem is well-defined, clearly articulated, and urgent. Such a good elevator pitch. For your longer pitch, the way you step back and paint a broad picture of the current economic situation of elder care and the shortcomings of higher education and relate them to Vitalia is very convincing. It shows an intimate knowledge of the market landscape, and lends a ton of credibility to your venture. It also demonstrates a very clear opportunity that Vitalia aims to fill.
As a prospective investor, I would have many questions related to the venture’s financials. Including some specific numbers – such as tuition cost estimates, licensing costs, etc., along with some projections on number of users and potential recurring revenue for the hybrid model – would go a long way to strengthening your pitch. I would also be interested in hearing about Vitalia’s nearest competition in the space: are there non-higher education ventures currently operating in elderly care training? You’ve done an excellent job defining the problem-space and explaining the ever-important “why now?” for Vitalia, and its potential scalability is compelling.
Forgot to label the above comment as a REVIEW. While I would not recommend investment at this time, the foundations of a fantastic venture are clearly present and some small elaboration is all it would take for me to change my recommendation.
FEEDBACK:
Hi Victoria,
Great work on your venture and elevator pitch! You did a great job outlining exactly what problem your product solves and how it can tackle these problems, which can help address increasing workforce gaps in healthcare in Latin America. However, I would be interested in learning more about the scalability of your product. Can your product only be used in Latin America or can it be scaled globally? One suggestion for your elevator pitch would be to split up the background into 4 slides that you can scroll through during your pitch. This makes it easier for the audience to read the information and reduces clutter on the page.
Hi Victoria,
As always, you WOW me with your ideas. You always take the road less traveled, and it brings great return. I think this will be an influential product to solve Latin America problem.
I love how you thought about the program details, and the certification for participants too – it is a great benchmark to ensure people go through the programs would be job-ready.
I think having a more specific roadmap at the end would support your GTM strategy greatly.
Amazing work.
(Btw, if you have time would you mind checking out my venture as well? Would appreciate any comments and suggestions – https://blogs.ubc.ca/etec522/2025/08/04/creaba-studio-building-the-future-of-education-content-creation/)
REVIEW
Hi Victoria,
First off, this was a really well made presentation and you did a wonderful job of conveying a lot of very important and compelling information in your Elevator pitch and the longer pitch – you’ve really got a knack for this!
I’m not surprised that this market is so massive but what I hadn’t considered before watching your presentation, is the importance of the workforce in these regions when addressing gaps in elder care.
Given the size of this market and the salience of the issue, I would be interested to know if there are other ventures like this in Latin America or other regions that could offer some lessons or inspiration for your venture. Japan and some European nations are already dealing with the issues that accompany aging populations and may have spawned some similar training ventures like Vitalia. If so, have you studied their approach? And if not, would you consider expanding this approach beyond Latin America to other regions?
I ask this because as an investor I would wonder if the specific nature of the Silver Economy in Latin America (the perfect intersection of need, opportunity and innovation you point out) is so unique that Vitalia has been built specifically to address its challenges? Or could this model be adapted to other regions that might be experiencing similar challenges, albeit with a workforce that has different demographics and Higher Education rates? That would really ramp up the potential for this venture to become truly massive.
I also wonder if the reliance on VR/AR could be a double-edged sword for this venture. The target market for Vitalia (ie. rural learners) might not have the necessary infrastructure and/or technological abilities to use these technologies without a significant amount of training or support. However, your Solution and Value Prop slides allude to this so maybe you have some solutions in mind. I think that an investor might want a more detailed summary of how this would work and remain cost effective for the learners and profitable for Vitalia.
I love this concept and I also think it could make a massively positive impact so if the logistics were mapped out and realistic, I would definitely invest in this venture.