Social robots are designed to help humans by interacting and communicating with them. These types of robots are promising in their potential to act as companions for older adults with and without dementia and their caregivers, and to support them in aging at home. Social robots can also help with brain health, for example by reducing stress and providing reminders for daily activities. Despite these benefits, few older adults use social robots, due to misunderstandings about what robots can and cannot do, difficulties in connecting with the robot, and concerns about ethical issues. The goal of the Designing Innovative Social Robots through end-User ParTicipation (DISRUPT) project is to test a new approach for the development of social robots that brings together different disciplines and lived experience experts in a co-creation process. In a first step, we will use surveys and interviews to gain a better understanding of the emotions older adults experience when they interact with social robots. In a second step, we will host workshops with older adults, computer scientists, robotics engineering, ethicists and health care researchers to identify how social robots could best help older adults and to co-create two prototypes that can respond to user emotions. The DISRUPT team will measure whether the co-creation process is effective, so we can inform the research community about new ways of developing technology. The DISRUPT project will also include different knowledge exchange activities, like tweet chats and webinars. During these activities, we will analyse people’s attitudes towards the DISRUPT research and social robots, and use these data to draft policy recommendations for social robots in Canada. Altogether, the DISRUPT project will play a key role in showcasing the benefits of engaging older adults in research, social robot co-creation and policy, and in advancing the field of social robotics.