Category: MedTech Actuator Accelerator

We are incredibly excited to introduce you to teams of  MedTech Actuator™ Accelerator 2023. Over the next 12-months, startups will be provided intensive support to help them develop the skills, networks, and resources needed to successfully navigate the complex health commercialisation pathway.

Throughout the Accelerator, startups will connect to the extensive MedTech Actuator health innovation ecosystem. Over 100 speakers, 150 business, clinical and investment mentors, and the MedTech Actuator alumni portfolio will contribute their expertise to help these startups strategically grow and bring their innovation to the market faster while preparing them for future investment rounds. 

Cohort 8 startups come from all across Australia, with teams joining from Victoria, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. 

Meet the Teams Driving Innovation in Australia’s Health Ecosystem

• Acegirl Innovation Lab Pty Ltd.– Acegirl is developing a sleek and low-in-noise breast pump that mimics a baby’s latch, to empower all mothers to pump, despite their environment.
• AdraCard– AdraCard aims to significantly reduce the burden of disease for those with anaphylaxis and decrease the rate of hospitalisations and deaths, by eliminating the hassle of carrying adrenaline. 
• Aurabox– Aurabox is a cloud-based platform for storing, viewing and sharing medical imaging which allows doctors to view and collaborate with imaging from multiple sources in one place.
• Circadian Health Innovations– We create a wearable light sensor to guide users toward better light for better health and longevity.
• Hindsyt– Hindsyt is a cutting-edge technology that uses computer vision and machine learning to improve the accuracy and efficiency of radiotherapy treatments.
• Kidney Ally– Personalised and affordable nutrition to slow kidney disease progression.
• NanoCube Health – NanoCube Health is developing bioinspired nanorobots combining advanced diagnostics with targeted cancer treatment technology.
• Parallel Medical Pty Ltd– Our aim is for healthcare organizations and physicians to adopt Nexus as a tool to improve patient care and outcomes, promote the advancement of surgical techniques, and streamline healthcare delivery processes.
• Pretect Devices Pty Ltd– IView – We aim to eliminate  IV infiltration injury in the smallest and the most vulnerable.
• Skin Genetics Inc– The DermR® Patch is a first-of-its-kind microneedle patch that quickly and effectively extracts skin cells pain-free, allowing for a new way of pre-screening for skin cancer without the need for a biopsy.
• TENSible– TENSible is a non-invasive micro-electrical stimulation device that implements biofeedback and an integrated pain management virtual assistant to provide you with personalised chronic back pain relief.
• Visualisation Hub– A healthcare data analytics platform that leverages AI to provide actionable insights for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies to deliver insights to improve patient outcomes.

The MedTech Actuator is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that curates a globally connected ecosystem of MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovation and investment. We do this by activating, accelerating and investing in startups.

1. Activate – We prime and build capacity in the ecosystem, through our early-stage innovation pitch competition, the MedTech Actuator Origin and partnerships with hospitals and universities.
2. Accelerate – We accelerate ventures and technologies through our flagship Accelerator program and our international programs, Access APAC and Global Navigator. We do this in collaboration with the network of ecosystem partners covering the entire commercialisation pipeline, from product development, regulatory specialists and clinical trial specialists to manufacturers and investors.
3. Invest – We connect and curate opportunities to invest and co-invest for our ecosystem partners.

MedTech Actuator Accelerator is supported by the REDI initiative, powered by MTPConnect, funded by the MRFF and LaunchVic.

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Pregnancy can be an exciting yet daunting time for many women. Unfortunately, the experience can be made even more difficult when labour needs to be induced. MedTech Actuator startup, Gravida Health recognised this issue and set out to create a world-first medical innovation to improve labour induction procedures and provide a more positive experience for women.

The idea for Gravida Health was born out of longstanding clinician-engineer partnerships among the team members, Mr Ritesh Warty – Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Dr Densearn Seo – Co-Founder & Co-CEO and A/Prof Vinayak Smith – Co-Founder & CMO. After researching the clinical gap and several conceptual prototypes later, they realised that they were just scratching the surface. Gravida Health was established to bring its product and vision to life.

At Gravida Health, the team is motivated by the potential to improve the delivery of care for women. They recognize the lack of innovation in women’s health and the minimal change that has occurred clinically in the past decades. Their unique position allows them to bring their innovations and ideas to the world and lead the charge for vital transformations within the global FemTech ecosystem.

The biggest challenge for Gravida Health has been dealing with uncertainty in a dynamic environment. The healthcare industry is deeply rooted and traditional, making it challenging to implement new innovations. However, the team at Gravida Health has faced these challenges and overcome them.

Gravida Health has experienced many learnings during their journey so far, their advice to future founders is that ideas, clinical use cases, and strategies always evolve. Startups are an ongoing learning experience, and it’s essential to remain humble, manage biases, and adapt to new insights and data constantly. 

“If you begin your startup journey with the belief that your idea is the best, you set yourself up for eventual failure”, Ritesh Warty – Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Gravida Health.

Experience with the MedTech Actuator

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is Asia Pacific’s industry-led, investor-backed 12-month venture development program for early-stage MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startups.

Gravida Health joined the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Cohort 7 in 2022 to further develop their skills and reduce knowledge gaps in their startup journey. Since joining the MedTech Actuator, the company has made significant progress in developing synergistic partnerships with strategic industry partners locally and abroad. They have also provisionally patented their technology and are now refining their product design for further trials and manufacturability.

The most beneficial aspect of the MedTech Actuator for Gravida Health has been its strong network of mentors and industry partners. The founders credit Buzz Palmer, CEO of MedTech Actuator and Vishaal Kishore, Co-CEO of MedTech Actuator for their guidance and Elane Zelcer for her regulatory and operational knowledge. The MedTech Actuator has been a resourceful place that provides a foundation for new startups and helps other innovative minds to come together to build a stronger network within Asia-Pacific and beyond.

“We would recommend MedTech Actuator to anyone who is looking to innovate and drive changes to the archaic healthcare ecosystem on a global scale. MedTech Actuator is a resourceful place that provides a foundation for new startups and helps other innovative minds to come together to build a stronger network within Asia-Pacific and beyond”, Ritesh Warty – Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Gravida Health.

MedTech Actuator Accelerator is supported by the REDI initiative, powered by MTPConnect, funded by the MRFF and LaunchVic.

In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the importance of personalised, proactive care for those living with chronic inflammatory conditions. MedTech Actuator startup, InflaMed is at the forefront of this movement, prioritising proactive care using personalised data and insights to guide shared decision-making and improve care for those living with chronic conditions like allergies, eczema, and asthma.

The idea for InflaMed came about when the founders Mari Robert and Alan Robert’s daughter routinely broke out with highly irritating eczema. As parents, Mari and Alan wanted to track the various chemicals she was exposed to,  as well as record her diet to identify any patterns that could be contributing to her eczema flare-ups and triggering inflammation episodes. Using her background as a software developer, Mari created an application to collect and organise this data while providing helpful resources for other parents. Now, InflaMed is expanding to serve a wider community, offering more sophisticated capabilities and ongoing support.

The driving force behind InflaMed is a deep personal understanding of the impact that chronic inflammatory conditions can have on the quality of life. The founders know from experience that a one-size-fits-all approach is not enough and that there is a need to focus on the root causes of these conditions. This is why they are dedicated to creating a platform that prioritises personalised care and encourages collaboration between patients and healthcare providers.

“Experiencing over a decade, firsthand, the fluctuating severity of chronic eczema and the contribution it has to a lower quality of life for all of us. Combined with the stress and anxiety you face as a parent, I am fully driven to make this work”, Mari Robert, Founder & CEO, InflaMed.

The founders recognise that the role of clinicians is crucial to the success of the platform, so they have made sure to consult with a range of healthcare providers at every stage of the process. They are thrilled to have recently added several key advisors to their team, including  Dr Ellen Paton (GP), Dr Sonika Tyagi  (Data Science and AI advisor), and Dr Maida Affan (Digital Health Brand Advisor).

InflaMed advises any early-stage startup to first build a strong founding team that can complement skills and share the passion towards the mission. Secondly, it is important to keep the end-users at the centre of everything and to work closely with healthcare providers to ensure the solution is both usable and valuable. Finally, it is important to be flexible and ready to adapt as market conditions and customer needs change, and to keep the “why” in mind at all times, even during tough moments.

“Build a strong founding team, have a bold vision with feasible milestones, keep the end user at the centre, be ready to adapt, and always remember your why. MedTech startup life in a highly regulated industry is not for the faint of heart, but a reminder of your purpose can help overcome the challenges”, Mari Robert, Founder & CEO, InflaMed.

InflaMed’s journey with MedTech Actuator

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is Asia Pacific’s industry-led, investor-backed 12-month venture development program for early-stage MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startups.

InflaMed joined the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Cohort 7 in 2022 with the mission to elevate awareness and care around chronic inflammation. MedTech Actuator Accelerator gives founders access to dedicated industry mentors, experts-in-residence, investors, key industry leaders, suppliers and government support agencies. 

“We joined the MedTech Actuator for access to a clinical network as we knew we needed to make those partnerships in order to elevate the research and care around chronic inflammation”.

Since joining the program, InflaMed achieved some significant milestones. They have incorporated as an investable company, grown their team from just one person to six, and continued usability testing with their iOS app, which serves as an unregulated, self-managed endpoint. Additionally, they have run market validation with over 100 people for B2B expansion and are working closely with the technology partners on B2B architecture design and prototype development. Lastly, they are ready to raise funds in February 2023.

One of the most beneficial aspects of the MedTech Actuator Accelerator is the exposure to the ecosystem of healthcare innovation. InflaMed utilised the Accelerator experience to connect with other startups, investors, potential partners, government personnel, researchers, and clinicians. They were able to access mentorship from experienced individuals in the industry who have made significant contributions to their work. 

• Ray Yamamoto Hilton, serving as the Technology Advisor, has been a valuable weekly sounding board and has been instrumental in the design of the architecture in collaboration with Google engineers. He will be transitioning to the role of Chief Technical Officer.
• Dr Ellen Paton has been thorough in her analysis of clinical workflow and has played a crucial role in defining gaps and refining requirements. The team looks forward to continuing their close collaboration with her.
• The team would also like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of Dr John Knight, who has served as an excellent mentor with extensive experience in clinical product commercialisation. 
• Dr. Maida Affan has been instrumental in raising brand awareness and improving social media engagement.

InflaMed recommends joining the Accelerator program.

“MedTech Actuator can provide access to essential resources and knowledge for starting a company in the Medical and health industries for determined and resilient founders.”

Join MedTech Actuator’s 8th Accelerator cohort

Are you looking to take your health innovation to the next level? 

Applications are open until March 3 for the next Accelerator cohort! Join early-stage healthcare startups in a 12-month accelerator program, tailored to MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovation in Australia and Asia Pacific. With investment and access to over 150 industry experts, the MedTech Actuator Accelerator will help to strengthen your commercialisation strategy as you advance your technology closer to the market.

Sign up to receive the Accelerator information pack or schedule a call with Makenzie to discuss the application and see if MedTech Actuator Accelerator is right for you!

MedTech Actuator Accelerator is supported by the REDI initiative, powered by MTPConnect, funded by the MRFF and LaunchVic.

MedTech Actuator startup, Symex Labs is revolutionising the fertility industry. The venture is developing lab-on-a-chip solutions that provide continuous monitoring of hormones in interstitial fluid (ISF). The goal is to provide couples who are trying to conceive with a more convenient and effective solution to predict ovulation and measure fertility hormones. The idea has garnered strong market appeal, after extensive market research with Virtus Health, Monash IVF Group and internationally with IVF clinics in the US and Singapore.

The idea behind Symex Labs stemmed from the unpleasant personal experiences of the cofounders’ partners when trying to fall pregnant using the consumer-based products available for ovulation prediction. These products are usually urinary-based, require strict compliance for accurate estimation and involve a cumbersome user experience. This led the co-founders to imagine a “set-and-forget” solution inspired by the prominent Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM), which are used by diabetic patients to monitor their glucose levels.

Driven by passion to help

The disappointment, sadness, and physical and emotional pain that couples experience during unsuccessful IVF rounds drive the team at Symex Labs every day. Cofounders Edgar Charry and Muhammad Umer are passionate about finding solutions that can help couples fall pregnant more easily and reduce the traumatic experience of infertility. Symex Labs is on a mission to achieve more insights into women’s fertility hormones with the sensor they are developing.

Symex Labs is a young company that has carried out extensive market research and its focus is now on the development of its product. Although the technology ecosystem has a great pool of technical talent, some parts of their technology require complex biochemistry and microfluidics design experience, making it challenging to find the right people locally. To overcome this challenge, the team reached out to their network of professionals overseas in the US, Europe and Asia to connect with the right people with the appropriate level of experience.

Symex Labs advises MedTech, HealthTech, or BioTech startups to firstly, do diligent and comprehensive market research before investing too much time in the technology. Secondly, gather feedback from the market as soon as possible. Give mock-ups and prototypes to potential customers to start getting feedback quickly to iterate. Thirdly, de-risk the high-risk parts of the technology as soon as possible. Finally, be ready to pivot if the market is telling you differently from what you originally thought.

“It is important to keep in mind the possibility of pivoting – if the market is not interested in your idea, use your technology as a platform to carefully pivot to another area where there’s evidence of more commercial interest in your products and services”, Edgar Charry, CEO & Co-Founder, Symex Labs

Symex Labs is on a mission to revolutionize the fertility industry with their lab-on-a-chip solutions. Their passion for helping couples fall pregnant and their determination to overcome challenges make them a company to watch in the coming years.

Experience with the MedTech Actuator

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is Asia Pacific’s industry-led, investor-backed 12-month venture development program for early-stage MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startups.

Symex Labs joined the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Cohort 7 in 2022. The Accelerator experience provided Symex Labs with valuable networking opportunities with IP consultants, business executives, investors, and global medtech partners. The seed funding received through the program allowed the company to acquire lab space, build a small team of experts in biochemistry, immunoassay, and microfluidic research, license proprietary technology from RMIT University. The team has set a goal to create a benchtop prototype by June 2023 to demonstrate the key components of their technology.

Throughout the Accelerator program, founders have access to dedicated industry mentors, experts-in-residence, investors, key industry leaders, suppliers and government support agencies. 

Mentors such as Graham McLean (ex-president Asia Pacific Stryker) and Dr Buzz Palmer (CEO Medtech Actuator) have played a significant role in Symex’s success, providing valuable guidance and support. Participating in the MedTech Actuator cohort 7 has also been enjoyable, as the team had the opportunity to interact with other startups in the medical device industry.

Symex Labs would highly recommend the MedTech Actuator to others in the medical device industry. The networking opportunities and mentorship provided through the program can be invaluable in helping startups grow and progress their business.

“There are many ways that you could benefit from participating in the Accelerator program depending on what stage your company is at. For us, networking with important professionals in this ecosystem was vital to grow and progress our business in the right direction”, Edgar Charry, CEO & Co-Founder, Symex Labs.

Join MedTech Actuator’s 8th Accelerator cohort

Are you looking to take your health innovation to the next level? 

Applications are open until March 3 for the next Accelerator cohort! Join early-stage healthcare startups in a 12-month accelerator program, tailored to MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovation in Australia and Asia Pacific. With investment and access to over 150 industry experts, the MedTech Actuator Accelerator will help to strengthen your commercialisation strategy as you advance your technology closer to the market.

Sign up to receive the Accelerator information pack or schedule a call with Makenzie to discuss the application and see if MedTech Actuator Accelerator is right for you!

MedTech Actuator Accelerator is supported by the REDI initiative, powered by MTPConnect, funded by the MRFF and LaunchVic.

MedTech Actuator Accelerator startup, TuCann Medical, is developing a Peripheral Intravenous Cannula (PIVC) that aims to prevent bloodstream infections, phlebitis and occlusion of these devices. Current cannulas used in hospitals have a high rate of complications and often need to be removed, resulting in multiple needle sticks for patients. TuCann Medical’s PIVC aims to change this by creating a safer patient experience where only one line is needed, every time.

The idea for TuCann Medical came about after co-founders, Dr. Maryam Soomro, Santiago Beltran Diaz and Kenneth Wong, realised that the sterility of peripheral IVs is often broken and is a major cause of sepsis and other infections in hospitals. They decided to tackle this problem by designing a PIVC that requires less needle sticks and has novel antimicrobials to prevent infections. As a result, TuCann Medical’s innovation prioritises patient vascular health and comfort, whilst reducing waste and saving time in clinical workflows.

The team is driven by the desire to improve the patient experience and to create a safer environment for patients in hospitals. TuCann Medical’s PIVC has the potential to make a significant impact on healthcare outcomes, reducing the number of deaths caused by sepsis and other infections.

The biggest challenge that the team has faced so far is growing as a startup and as individuals. Starting a company is a journey that requires a lot of growth and self-discovery. The co-founders have found that the biggest challenge is not only the company obstacles faced, but also managing this amongst the opportunities to grow and become better individuals.

“Make sure you are with the right people. Building a strong team is essential for the success of any startup, and the right team can make all the difference in achieving your goals”, Dr Maryam Soomro, CEO, TuCann Medical.

Experience with the MedTech Actuator

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is Asia Pacific’s industry-led, investor-backed 12-month venture development program for early-stage MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startups. The program will simultaneously accelerate your technology development, build your team capability and provide access to investment. 

The Accelerator is designed to support every dimension of health innovation commercialisation, with elements of the program built to support each cofounder in their focus areas. In 2020, TuCann Medical joined the Accelerator Cohort 5 and used this opportunity to take their PIVC innovation to the next level.

“When I joined the MedTech Actuator, I was hoping to achieve several things. I wanted to gain access to extensive networks in the Australian startup space and to expertise of experienced mentors who could help guide me through the commercialisation process. I also wanted to improve my commercialisation skills, which I intend to carry forward into my startup,” Dr Maryam Soomro, CEO, TuCann Medical.

Throughout the program, founders have access to dedicated industry mentors, experts-in-residence, investors, key industry leaders, suppliers and government support agencies. 

“The mentors I met through the program, Toby McSweeney, Byron Darroch and Greg Rogers, were invaluable in helping me grow TuCann Medical. They helped us identify gaps in our commercialisation strategy and provided guidance on how to fill them”.

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is designed for maximum speed and efficiency. The program sets milestones for each startup that helps them get to market faster. Startups are surrounded by all the expertise, resources, and infrastructure the healthcare startup needs so founders can focus on building the company.

During the program, TuCann Medical was able to connect with other startups on similar journeys and built a community of support, where they were able to share experiences and learn from one another. Since the Accelerator, TuCann Medical has achieved several milestones accelerating their health innovation to market, including:

• Incorporation as a company whilst participating in the program, and since then have grown into a seed-stage company with incredible traction in trials, R&D and are moving closer to regulatory approval; 
• Have negotiated exclusive licensing agreements with RMIT, where they are working on a functioning prototype that we are putting in for FDA assessment;
• Participated in US-based Techstars and have built out their US networks;
• Established ties with Monash Health and are negotiating trial agreements;
• Closed a pre-seed capital raise (America and Australia) and are currently raising a seed round;
• Have mapped out reimbursement strategies and built a board of advisors, including members from Cook Medical and Cochlear.

Join MedTech Actuator’s 8th Accelerator cohort

“The most beneficial aspect of the MedTech Actuator Accelerator is the lean commercialisation thinking it has, which was really excellent for strategising pathways forward and exit options. I would absolutely recommend the MedTech Actuator to others. It is vital to fill in the commercialisation gaps of the science-heavy start-ups and spin-offs in this space. The MedTech Actuator Accelerator is an incredible program that provides a wealth of resources, networks and mentorship to help young start-ups grow and succeed in the MedTech industry.”

Are you looking to take your health innovation to the next level? 

Applications are open until March 3 for the next Accelerator cohort! Join early-stage healthcare startups in a 12-month accelerator program, tailored to MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovation in Australia and Asia Pacific. With investment and access to over 150 industry experts, the MedTech Actuator Accelerator will help to strengthen your commercialisation strategy as you advance your technology closer to the market.

Sign up to receive the Accelerator information pack or schedule a call with Makenzie to discuss the application and see if MedTech Actuator Accelerator is right for you!

MedTech Actuator Accelerator is supported by the REDI initiative, powered by MTPConnect, funded by the MRFF and LaunchVic.