Since the age of seven, Curtis Kennedy has been an inventor, filing his first patent application at 19. In 2019, as an engineering student at the University of New Brunswick, he founded Symbodi to design products that simplify how we treat back pain, which he himself experienced following a rare cancer in his childhood. With a mission to create tools that fit seamlessly into people’s lives to help them feel and do their best, Curtis created the Vertiball, the world's first hands-free mountable massage device and Symbodi's flagship product. Since then, the company has grown to include three innovative products, with $8 million in sales through major North American retailers and partnerships with high-level athletes. ​​Curtis brings a passion for great design and a firm belief that it is the small, often overlooked, details that make the biggest difference in our lives.

See the art piece made by Alison Gayton for the Emerging Innovator here.