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Month: September 2021

Our village is raising MedTech’s next wave of innovators.

Posted on by MedTech Actuator

Thank you to health innovation experts from across Asia Pacific and the US who recently shared their industry insights and knowledge through MedTech Actuator sprints with the region’s best emerging health entrepreneurs.

As Asia Pacific’s MedTech catalyst, MedTech Actuator is a 15-month, industry-led, venture-backed program that aggressively funds and accelerates medical, health and biological technology startups. Our latest MedTech Actuator cohort is driving innovation for patients and clinicians who need it most, in diverse fields spanning IVF, prosthetics, rehabilitation and more.

The sprints: relentless execution towards market success.

Through our recent MedTech Actuator sprints, founders developed expertise in business models, pitching, customer validation, IP, regulations, reimbursement, clinical trials in Australia, Singapore, the US, and the EU.

This expertise will be crucial to their success in determining a pathway to market, including how long it will take to secure their first paying customer.

With these important foundations in place MedTech Actuator startups are now working to address critical risk areas, before ramping up commercialisation activities.

Our village, helping to take founders there.

It takes a village to raise a startup and health innovation is no exception. These latest MedTech Actuator sprints would not have been possible without the support of our village.

Our sincere thanks to all the people and companies that have contributed to our latest cohort so far:

  • Alex Newton – NAVI
  • Tony Sinclair – Impactor
  • Gemma and Lucas Testro – SONDO
  • Matt Godden – Australian Healthcare Solutions
  • Nairy Baghdikian – Cogentum
  • Penelope Lane – SCALE
  • Michelle Gallaher – Opyl
  • Stefaan Van Der Meulen – Syntactx
  • Nick Opie – Synchron
  • Jean-Nicolas Boudaud – Brandwood
  • Marco Kalms – Kalms Consulting
  • Tom Hughes – LabCorp
  • Lee Phin Peng, Hee Choon – Singapore Biodesign
  • Amrish Nair – Biorithm
  • Jason Lim, Yang Jie Tan – Stendard
  • Lawrence Ho and Rina Lim – NUHS
  • Cher Hwa Teo, Ee Lim, Michael Ho – NHIC Singapore
  • Tan Cher Heng – NHG

Our village spans far and wide across the globe. We also extend our sincere thanks to MedTech Actuator partners for their generous contribution.

  • Jarred Roache – Roache Design
  • Matthew Gould, Leah Han, Dr Anna Bellamy-McIntyre, Matt Cary, Joseph Barker – EY
  • Rachel Hooke, Eddie Walker – FB Rice
  • Jonathan Kelp, Simone Mitchell & Kristi Geddes – Minter Ellison
  • Natalie Lawandi, Rashmi Joglekar – MedTronic
  • Dr Megan Robertson – St Vincent’s
  • Chris Rupp, Stefaan van der Meulen – NAMSA
  • Frank Jaskulke – Medical Alley
  • Anh Bourcet – J&J Singapore
  • Johanes Candra, Sherilyn Chan – EY Singapore
  • Delon Toh – ESG

We are grateful for everyone’s time, drive, energy, and enthusiasm – we could not do this without you and are excited to support the continued growth of our founders.

Find out more about MedTech Actuator.

Meet the next MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholars

Posted on by MedTech Actuator

The MedTech Actuator and Menzies Foundation are thrilled to announce the second cohort of MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarships.

After an overwhelming response to our call for applications – we were three times oversubscribed – MedTech Actuator and the Menzies Foundation have narrowed it down to an inspiring cohort of researchers and scientists who are ready to transform their impact.

Embarking on a two-month scholarship, recipients will gain insight from industry experts, learn alongside Australia’s best emerging entrepreneurs, access exclusive industry events and network with a dynamic cohort of innovators. The scholarship supports emerging scientists and researchers on their pathway to an impact-driven career fusing science, research, and entrepreneurship.

Introducing the new scholars

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship cohort are passionate about developing healthcare solutions that improve and save lives. Their diverse expertise spans diabetes, cancer treatments, precision medicine, wellbeing devices, gene therapy, neonatal care and more. 

Scholarship recipients include:

Dr Sebastian Corlette, Anaesthetist, Royal Children’s Hospital and PhD Candidate, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the University of Melbourne.

Project: Developing a new sensor for high-quality, long-term electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement in young babies.

Darcy Dunn-Lawless, Master of Engineering (Biomedical), Flinders University.

Project: Developing a new medical implant for cancer patients who have had orthopaedic surgery.

Adaeze Ekwe, PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology.

Project: Developing a novel cellular therapy for graft-versus-host disease using genetically modified regulatory T cells.

Erin Humphries, Research Assistant at Children’s Medical Research Institute and Masters by Research Student at the University of Sydney.

Project: Discovering new biological insights into cancer.

Ismat Kabbara, Co-founder, Synbiote and Master of Science in Anatomy, University of NSW.

Project: Making biological materials for pharmaceuticals more efficient to manufacture and affordable.

Marta Orlowska, PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Queensland University of Technology.

Project: Investigating metabolic shifts at a cellular level, through time of day dependent influencing factors.

Dr Rowan Page, Lecturer and Industrial Design Program Director, Monash University.

Project: Developing a wearable light sensing device to guide people toward healthier light exposure patterns.

Dr Anushi Rajapaksa, Senior Research Officer, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Founder, Think Project Global.

Project: Developing rapid, life-saving drug delivery for children with infectious respiratory disease.

Rance Brennan B. Tino, PhD Candidate, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and RMIT Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT University.

Project: 3D Printing of bespoke phantoms for treatment planning verifications in radiotherapy

April Van Der Kamp, PhD Candidate, Flinders University.

Project: Developing novel diabetic foot ulcer treatments.

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship Experience

Joining MedTech Actuator Origin, scholars will be exposed to the world of entrepreneurship and see what it takes to commercialise successful healthcare ventures. Topics covered across workshops and an industry-led intensive sprint will include intellectual property, pitching, business modelling, pathways-to-market, regulatory strategies, market analysis and more.

MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarships will provide recipients with a $1,000 stipend and a pivotal learning experience to amplify their careers as champions for impact-driven healthcare innovation.

Follow their journey – or get ready to become a scholar

Sign up to our newsletter below and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn to follow the journey of scholars – and to find out how to be a 2022 MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholar.

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship is supported by the Menzies Foundation as part of their Entrepreneurship in Science mission in partnership with the MedTech Actuator.

MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowships now open

Posted on by MedTech Actuator

Are you a high-potential scientist or researcher working with MedTech, BioTech or HealthTech innovations? Are you interested in exploring entrepreneurship and commercialisation? Do you have a research project with market translation potential?

Applications are now open for 2022 MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowships. Two high-potential medical or scientific researchers will each receive a tailored MedTech Actuator experience. This includes mentorship from industry experts, networking opportunities, exclusive industry events, and a $20,000 stipend.

Apply now for 2022 MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowships!

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship exposes senior researchers to entrepreneurship, commercialisation and the startup ecosystem to unlock the potential of Australia’s world-class research.

“We know that there is great work being done by researchers in Australia – particularly in the areas of human health and medicine. We want to support this talent by giving researchers access to commercialisation expertise so that they can share their work with the people who need it most – patients and clinicians,” says MedTech Actuator CEO, Dr Buzz Palmer.

“The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship will provide high-potential scientists with a strong grounding in the elements of commercialisation. Most importantly, it will provide access to founders and our extensive ecosystem of partners – a network that spans hospitals, product development firms, multinational MedTech corporations and investors,” says Dr Palmer.

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship is a partnership between the Menzies Foundation and MedTech Actuator, which supports the scientific community’s commercialisation capacity by facilitating knowledge transfer from industry to researchers. 

“We are passionate about investing in our country’s future science leaders and giving them the runway to ensure that their research has an impact in the world. We look forward to sharing their entrepreneurial journey,” Menzies Foundation CEO Liz Gillies said.

How it works

Initially, Fellows will embark on 6 months of mentorship – working with experts within the MedTech Actuator focusing on both technology and personal development. 

During the second 6-month phase, Fellows will take part in a tailored version of our flagship, industry-led accelerator. They’ll learn how to navigate key inflection moments in the commercialisation journey, from developing regulatory and reimbursement strategies to product development, approaching investors and building a team. Importantly, they’ll learn with – and from – other MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech founders from across Asia Pacific.

Eligibility

To be eligible researchers must be working in a senior position in areas of health, medical or biotechnology research at an Australian university or institution. Applicants must also have 15+ years of experience across research and scientific positions.

Fellows must have employer approval to be absent for:

  • Approx. 10 hrs during the first 6-month phase 2022 (Jan – June, 2022).
  • Approx. 2-3 days per month during the second 6-month phase (July – Dec, 2022).
The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship can be undertaken while working.

Key dates

  • September 6 – October 15, 2021: MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship applications open
  • November 11, 2021: MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship selection interviews
  • July – December 2022: MedTech Actuator – Asia Pacific’s MedTech accelerator – sessions on commercialisation (first week of every month)
  • December, 2022: Wrap up of the Fellowship

The MedTech Actuator Menzies Fellowship is supported by the Menzies Foundation as part of their Entrepreneurship in Science mission in partnership with the MedTech Actuator.

Apply now

If you are a career researcher or if you know someone who might be interested, find out more about the Fellowship and transform your research potential today!

Apply now