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MedTech Actuator Opens Office in Osaka, Japan

We are thrilled to announce the official opening of our newest MedTech Actuator office in Osaka, Japan!

The opening ceremony was held at JAMBASE, an innovation facility in Grand Green Osaka, a large redevelopment district on the north side of JR Osaka Station, where the office is located.

To celebrate this new beginning, we held a traditional Kagami-biraki sake-barrel ceremony, welcoming friends and partners from across Japan to join us in this exciting moment.

The night began with welcome notes by MedTech Actuator CEO, Dr Buzz Palmer, and CSO & Co-founder, Prof Vishaal Kishore.

“Healthcare innovation cannot exist without an ecosystem (where new technologies continue to be created). We will strengthen our commitment to Japan.” – Prof. Vishaal Kishore

The night’s proceedings also included further speeches from key partners:

  • Mr Toru Takahashi – Deputy Mayor of Osaka
  • Mr Shingo Torii – Chairperson of the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) (Vice Chairman of Suntory Holdings)
  • Mr Sho Hideki – Director General, JETRO

This office opening marks a significant milestone in the MedTech Actuator’s journey, as we formally transition into the Japanese market after spending the past three years building significant relationships, programs, and a strong presence here.

We have developed a local team on the ground and are committed to deepening our roots in Japan and continuing to foster innovation in the health and medical sectors.

A huge thank you to our incredible partners from JETRO Startup, JETRO – Japan External Trade Organization and Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their unwavering support and commitment to such a bold model.

Over the coming months, we will be announcing new initiatives for global startups to access Japan in 2025. We are excited about the future and are eager to collaborate with the incredible talent Japan has to offer.

View more photos here.

Keep up to date with the latest MedTech Actuator news and information! Sign up to our newsletter here.


Further reading: Australian Medical Tech Supporter opens base in Osaka

MedTech Actuator Origin – Diag-Nose.io Founder Makes Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List

MedTech Actuator is thrilled to celebrate a significant achievement by alumnus, Eldin Rostom. Eldin, the visionary CEO and Founder of Diag-Nose.io, has earned a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for Healthcare & Science in 2024. This accolade recognises Eldin’s groundbreaking work in revolutionising respiratory care with cutting-edge AI-powered technology.

Breathing New Life into Respiratory Care

At the heart of Diag-Nose.io’s innovation is their flagship product, RhinoMAP. This AI-driven tool leverages protein signatures to expedite the diagnosis process for patients with chronic respiratory conditions, enabling them to receive the right treatment faster. With over 500 million people worldwide affected by chronic respiratory disorders, the impact of RhinoMAP is profound.

“Our mission is to improve a billion lives globally,” Eldin says. “RhinoMAP is designed to overcome the lengthy diagnosis process and help patients breathe better and live longer.”

From Patient to Pioneer

Eldin’s journey in healthcare innovation is as personal as it is professional. Born with a rare disease (Toxoplasmosis), Eldin spent much of his early life in and out of hospitals. This firsthand experience with the challenges of healthcare ignited his passion for using technology to improve patient outcomes.

“Being an asthma patient myself, I found immense joy and pride in being able to work towards a world free of respiratory disorders,” Eldin shares. This personal connection to his work drives the relentless pursuit of his vision at Diag-Nose.io.

MedTech Actuator: A Launchpad for Success

Eldin’s path to success was significantly shaped by his participation in MedTech Actuator Origin in 2019. The program provided him with critical insights into medtech commercialisation, regulatory landscapes, and intellectual property—essential knowledge for any medtech entrepreneur.

“MedTech Actuator Origin gave us the conviction to continue on with the startup journey,” Eldin reflects. “We met some pretty amazing mentors, friends, and advisors through the program that are still part of our journey to this day.”

Looking Ahead

Joining the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024 cohort has already begun to open new doors for Diag-Nose.io, attracting interest from investors and the media. Eldin hopes this recognition will lead to more collaborations and partnerships, enabling the company to scale its impact and reach even more patients in need.

As Eldin and his team continue to push the boundaries of respiratory care, they exemplify the spirit of innovation and perseverance that MedTech Actuator aims to foster. Their success is not only a source of inspiration for aspiring healthcare entrepreneurs but also a powerful reminder of how technology can transform patient lives.

Apply for MedTech Actuator Origin 2024

Are you driven to change the face of healthcare like Eldin? Applications are open for MedTech Actuator Origin 2024 until Monday, August 26.

Whether you’re a researcher, scientist, clinician or student, MedTech Actuator Origin is looking for passionate entrepreneurs poised to transform healthcare. The winner of MedTech Actuator Origin will receive a $15k cash and in-kind prize pack and gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2025.

Have questions about the application or program? Reach out to Lizzie Laurence, Program Coordinator via email – lizzie@medtechactuator.com

MedTech Actuator Origin is supported by LaunchVic.

[PRESS RELEASE] The OCCI signs MOU with MedTech Actuator to Build a Commercialization Ecosystem as Legacy of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

  • The Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) signs MOU with MedTech Actuator (Australia)
  • To Build a Commercialization Ecosystem as Legacy of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai
  • Osaka as hub for Japan and East Asia, more intensive support for medical and health startups

On Friday, March 15, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) is going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MedTech Actuator – headquartered in Melbourne, Australia – to further expand their partnership.

MedTech Actuator is a global accelerator supporting startups in the medical, biotech and health fields. As Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai approaches, medical and health businesses are drawing more attention, and there will be an increasing number of opportunities for startups to gather in Osaka.

Amid such situation, recognizing Osaka as a hub for Japan and East Asia, both sides will work together to build an ecosystem for startups in the medical and health fields, which will then last as legacy of the expo, by using MedTech Actuator’s expertise on startup acceleration and OCCI’s experiences and networks across Japan in promoting medical-engineering collaboration and commercialization.

The partnership will provide programs for commercialization in Osaka, Singapore, Melbourne, etc. to support startups from Japan and other countries.

MedTech Actuator will also prepare for opening of their base in Osaka, where an international pitch competition in medical and health is planned to take place for the first time in 2025.


Summary of the MOU

The OCCI and MedTech Actuator agree to cooperate and complement each other and jointly work to discover startups across the Asia-Pacific region and other regions of the world and support them to accelerate commercialization in global markets by making the most of medical and health support programs that each party has.

Significance of the MOU

Startups in medical and health will receive support to determine their best exit strategy looking across global markets, thereby growing up to be a globally competitive company. Osaka will work as a hub for Japan and East Asia, and a global startup support ecosystem is expected to be built in the future through reinforced networks of ecosystem hubs located the world.


About the MedTech Actuator

A nonprofit organization that globally supports startups in the medical and health fields. Headquartered in Australia, MedTech Actuator has profound expertise and networks to provide startups with the best exit strategy in global markets. They have supported 200+ health startups, raised more than $750 million and placed 20 products/services in the market.

Support Programs for Startups in Japan

  • ORIGIN
    • Education and pitch program for early-stage startups including those in idea-stage
  • GLOBAL NAVIGATOR
    • Program that helps small and medium-sized companies aiming to expand their business overseas

Read the full press release

Media Coverage

Meet Betty – Early Innovation Programs Lead

Early Innovation Programs Lead Betty Zhang oversees MedTech Actuator’s early innovation programs — MedTech Actuator Origin and Menzies Scholarship and Fellowship for researchers innovating in MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech.

As a recent graduate from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science (Chancellor’s Scholar) in Biotechnology (specialising in Immunology), Betty brings her passion for innovation and the desire to bridge the gap between academia and industry to the role. Her passion for biomedical science started in high school, where she had the opportunity to work in research laboratories across Victoria. Betty was the first Australian scholar in the Clark Scholars high school program where she got a chance to conduct 8 weeks of neuroscience research at Texas Tech University. 

Back in 2018, Betty was also selected as the inaugural Graeme Clark Oration Young Woman Ambassador and successfully organised the first high school neuroscience conference for over 130 students. Betty’s passion for science continued throughout her university years, where she worked as a research assistant at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, the Disability Officer Bearer in the University of Melbourne Student Union and as a Fundamental Equities Analyst for biotechnology stocks at Churchill Asset Management.

Discovering her passion for innovation and the desire to bridge the gap between academia and industry she took a management role rather than pursuing her ambition to become a clinician-scientist. In her role as Early Innovation Programs Lead, Betty can realise her passion as the role straddles the intersection of so many fields that she is passionate about. She is responsible for leading innovation workshops across Australia to provide actionable advice for researchers and clinicians interested in commercialisation.

I hope to combine my passion for science, mentoring and finance, especially in leveraging Australia’s capabilities in biomedical innovation”.

Through her role, Betty will be working at the grassroots level of innovation where she will get an opportunity to witness the foundational translation moment for researchers and clinicians to become entrepreneurs.

I am inspired by the collaborative energy of the MedTech Actuator team and the broader community of foundational partners and collaborators. Everyone is so enthusiastic and optimistic about the opportunities for leveraging Australia’s world-class research capabilities to transform human health”, says Betty.

Looking to the future, Betty is excited about the growth of the MedTech industry in Australia and the increasing focus on diversity and inclusion. 

“I am excited about the future of the MedTech Actuator and the broader ecosystem. With the recent growth in the industry and the increasing interest from investors, I am confident that we will see more innovation and growth in the coming years. It is essential that we create an environment that is supportive and inclusive for everyone, and I look forward to contributing to this effort”, says Betty.

Outside of work, Betty co-founded the Melbourne Bioinnovation Student Initiative (MBSI) to support young innovators and entrepreneurs to build multidisciplinary project teams to solve unmet needs in healthcare. She contributed to the executive management of the delivery of projects spanning digital health, AI, synthetic biology and medical devices. As a CEO at MBSI, she hopes to create a community of students interested in applying their skills to create positive change and implement real-world solutions.

We are thrilled to have Betty on our team and look forward to seeing the impact she will make on the MedTech industry in Australia.

Meet our team

More on how the MedTech Actuator team is supporting Asia Pacific’s next wave of health innovators – meet: 

Announcing MedTech Actuator Showcase 2022 Award Winners

At the recent MedTech Actuator Showcase, we joined ecosystem leaders to celebrate Asia Pacific’s next wave of early-stage MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech entrepreneurs – with four taking home prestigious awards.

About MedTech Actuator Entrepreneurs

Our changemakers are taking their innovations further and faster with MedTech Actuator programs. Eight teams took to the stage in Melbourne to pitch to the ecosystem and industry leaders, including the largest names in medical technology and the startup ecosystem.

Stepping into the spotlight were entrepreneurs from early-stage innovation programs including MedTech Actuator Origin Australia and Japan and MedTech Actuator’s flagship Accelerator program.

Award Winners

MinterEllison MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Award: EN∀I

Dr Simone Mitchel, Partner at MinterEllison joined us to announce the MinterEllison MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Award.

Congratulations to Amin Abbas from ENI on taking out this prestigious award after a highly competitive process and pitching at the finals. EN∀I was selected by the audience and judges as the winner out of four early-stage entrepreneurs who made it to the Origin finals.

EN∀I is improving endometriosis imaging by using ultrasound with inbuilt guidance and 3D reconstruction.

“We were really impressed with the pitches tonight and we decided to offer the winner another $10k in in-kind legal services. Congratulations, EN∀I”, – Dr Simone Mitchel, Partner, MinterEllison.

As the MinterEllison MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Award winner, ENI receives an AUD$10K cash prize, over AUD$5K worth of in-kind support from MedTech Actuator, legal services from MinterEllison to the value of AUD$10K, as well as access to a fast-tracked entry into the MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023. 

MinterEllison MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Award winners: Team EN∀I with Buzz Palmer, CEO MedTech Actuator and Simone Mitchel, Partner Minter Ellison

Bupa MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 Award: Anura Medical

Gerald Marion, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer at Bupa Asia Pacific, joined us to present the Bupa MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 Award. 

“Congratulations to the winner – innovations require a lot of perseverance and it is a long journey to market”, – Gerald Marion, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, Bupa Asia Pacific.

The MedTech Actuator Accelerator supports founders in taking their innovation from Seed to Series A. Embedded in the MedTech Actuator ecosystem, startups radically advance their technology development, raise pre-seed capital, gain critical business and management skills and build a comprehensive commercialisation strategy. 

Congratulations to every founder on their relentless execution towards market success over these past six months – and to Phoebe Lewis from Anura Medical who took home the Bupa MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 Award, winning an AUD$10K cash prize.

Anura Medical helps people breathe better through continuous, wearable lung monitoring.  Founded by a team of engineers, doctors, and business consultants, Anura aims to create a new gold standard that will enable clinicians to treat breathing decline early and reduce health complications for people with lung disease.

Bupa MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 Award winner: Team Anura Medical with Buzz Palmer, CEO MedTech Actuator and Gerald Marion, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, Bupa Asia Pacific.

MedTech Actuator People’s Choice 2022 Award: Vysum

Congratulations to MedTech Actuator Accelerator participant, Lorace Zhang from Vysum, for being selected for the MedTech Actuator People’s Choice 2022 Award.

MedTech Actuator Showcase guests from the innovation ecosystem – spanning investor groups and VCs, multinational corporations, hospitals, product development firms, universities, and research institutes – voted for their favourite pitch of the night, with Vysum taking home the prize.

This coveted vote of confidence went to Vysum for enabling easier eye drop delivery and glaucoma management. Vysum takes home an AUD$1K cash prize.

MedTech Actuator People’s Choice Award winner Lorace Zhang with Buzz Palmer, CEO MedTech Actuator and Rebecca Davies AO, MedTech Actuator Board Member

CROW Clinical Emerging Female Founder 2022 Award: April Van Der Kamp

In 2022, MedTech Actuator focused its efforts to help bridge the gaps for female and diverse founders to pursue entrepreneurship. In its first year event, Julie Von Grum, Director at CROW Clinical, joined to present the CROW Clinical Emerging Female Founder 2022 Award.

Now is the time for women to step up, to have a voice and confidence to go out start new ventures and raise capital”, Julie Von Grum, Director, CROW Clinical.

The CROW Clinical Emerging Female Founder 2022 Award was presented to April Van Der Kamp, CEO, DFU Solutions, acknowledging the impact and progress she has made as a leading female founder and CEO in the space. This award comes with an AUD$10K cash prize to recognise her contribution and efforts as an extraordinary female founder in our community. 

April started her journey with MedTech Actuator as a MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholar in 2021 before embarking on her journey in the MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2022 as the CEO of DFU Solutions, a BioTech startup developing safe, effective, convenient bacteriophage-based treatments for infected wound care.

Read more on April’s experience with the MedTech Actuator programs. Congratulations April, you inspire all the women in STEMM!

CROW Clinical Emerging Female Founder 2022 Award winner: April Van Der Kamp with Julie Von Grum, Director, CROW Clinical

It Takes A Village to Raise a MedTech Startup

The MedTech Actuator Showcase and the specialised acceleration model underpinning all of our programs would not be possible without the support of the innovation ecosystem. Read more about the evening and sponsors in the event brochure.

Special guests

Thank you to our distinguished Showcase guests for your support of our MedTech superheroes and the ecosystem:

  • Mr. Yasuyuki Murahashi – Director-General, JETRO Osaka
  • Rebecca Davies AO – MedTech Actuator Board Member; Director, Heart Foundation
  • Michelle Gallaher – MedTech Actuator Board member; CEO – Opyl

and others.

Showcase Sponsors

We would like to acknowledge our Gold and Bronze Sponsors for the MedTech Actuator Showcase – thank you to:

  • MinterEllison
  • Bupa
  • CROW Clinical
  • Hydrix
  • Biodesign Australia
MedTech Actuator Showcase 2022 Sponsors

Partners

We would also like to thank our Foundation and Product Development partners for their constant and continued support of both the MedTech Actuator and the ecosystem.

Friends and supporters

A very special shoutout to all our ecosystem friends and supporters. Without you, we would not be able to surround founders with the support they need to bring innovations to the patients and clinicians who need it most.

MedTech Actuator Accelerator applications are now open for 2023!

Do you have a medical innovation that you’re ready to bring to market? MedTech Actuator’s Accelerator is here to help and expression of interest is open. Over 12 months, the program will equip your team with the skills, network and resources needed to successfully navigate the commercialisation pathway. Become a part of MedTech Actuator’s next Accelerator cohort!

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

MedTech Actuator Origin Japan 2022 is sponsored by JETRO and co-organized with JETRO, OCCI and OBDA.

MedTech Actuator Showcase 2022 Lineup Announced

The annual MedTech Actuator Showcase brings together leaders and representatives from both the Australian and global health innovation ecosystems. The night will connect and celebrate the achievements, impact and progress of MedTech Actuator entrepreneurs and founders.

At the Showcase, MedTech Actuator Origin and Accelerator Cohort 7 startups will pitch to an audience of over 300 individuals to win $30,000+ in prizes across 4 categories. This event will also feature inspiring speeches from industry leaders, an insightful fireside chat with fast-growing MedTech startups, and opportunities to connect with ecosystem stakeholders.

Meet the four MedTech Actuator Accelerator startups pitching

MedTech Actuator’s flagship 12-month Accelerator program annually selects health startups investing up to  $200,000 in equity-based funding. The program encourages access to over 200 industry experts from across Australia and the globe, to accelerate their growth towards the market. 

At the showcase, hear from four Cohort 7 Accelerator startups innovating in phage therapy,  respiratory function, lumbar punctures and eye drop delivery.

Anura Medical Enabling preventative health care through innovative lung monitoring. 

DFU Solutions Improving outcomes for diabetic foot ulcer patients.

Vause Medical An accessible improvement to lumbar punctures in newborns

Vysum Enabling easier eye drop delivery and glaucoma management.

Meet the four MedTech Actuator Origin Finalists

MedTech Actuator Origin is an early-stage innovation program that turbocharges the development of emerging human health technologies and solutions across Australia and Asia-Pacific. 

32 Qualifying teams joined MedTech Actuator in Melbourne for an intensive sprint, where, over three days, they learned from industry experts, pressure tested their innovations, networked with a cohort, gained exposure to the startup ecosystem and health innovation, and pitched at the semi-finals. 4 Origin finalists innovating in dental, IVF,  dermatitis and endometriosis we selected in the semifinals.

AcuDent AcuDent is developing a medical device to revolutionise the detection of severe gum disease.

ENVI ENVI is improving endometriosis imaging by using ultrasound with inbuilt guidance and 3D reconstruction.

Innova IVF Innova IVF is creating simple, affordable chip technology to measure the energy of embryos in real time for IVF treatments.

Osaka Heat Cool Osaka Heat Cool helps to tackle the symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis (AD), allergies, and other skin diseases by stopping itchiness using thermal illusion on the skin.

At the Showcase, an exclusive black-tie event, 300+ senior representatives from 30+ key ecosystem organisations including governments, global corporations, universities, product development and startup support companies, and the inspiring health innovators, startup entrepreneurs and future stars of the Asia-Pacific health ecosystem will come together to showcase the MedTech startup ecosystem.

Join us at the MedTech Actuator Showcase and experience the power of the global MedTech ecosystem here in Melbourne. If you are interested in attending or sponsoring the event, please reach out to Matthew Frith, Chief Commercial Officer at MedTech Actuator.

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

Congratulations to the MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Finalists!

Out of thirteen impressive startups that made it to the Origin Semi-final, MedTech Actuator is proud to announce four finalists moving forward to pitch at the MedTech Actuator Showcase in December.

After three days of intensive workshops, 10 emerging founders took to the stage to pitch in the 2022 MedTech Actuator Origin Semi-finals. Amongst the Australian founders, three Semi-Finalists from Origin Japan also joined the program in Melbourne, where they learned from industry experts, pressure-tested their innovations, and explored Australia’s startup ecosystem. 

Tackling some of the biggest challenges in healthcare, Finalists are innovating across dental, IVF, itching and endometriosis. Meet the MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 Finalists:

AcuDent

Team members: Liam Murray, Aaron Binns, Anna Dai, Ashwin Ho, Ivy Weng 

AcuDent is developing a medical device to revolutionise the detection of severe gum disease.

AcuDent’s device, the AcuProbe, applies computer vision within the oral environment to more efficiently and accurately conduct the work that current practice burdens the clinician to do manually. The device will ensure that proper diagnosis is achieved to avoid the occurrence of undetected periodontitis, ensuring patients receive the best possible care and dramatically reducing the chances of tooth loosening and tissue degradation – keeping everyone smiling longer.

ENVI 

Team members: Amin Abbas, Nay Minn, Dr Rizwan Jaipurwala, Frederick Lau, Joey Zhou, Steven Wong

ENVI is improving endometriosis imaging by using ultrasound with inbuilt guidance and 3D reconstruction.

ENVI is working on creating a device that can diagnose endometriosis using ultrasound. The device aims to reduce the diagnostic duration for endometriosis. This allows patients to receive an early diagnosis and hence access to early treatment.  Early diagnosis gives patients hope of slowing disease progression and reduces the harmful long-term risks associated with endometriosis, including its association with an increase in cancer risk. It also benefits GPs by reducing multiple patient visits with undifferentiated symptoms, improving the workflow of primary care staff and increasing patient satisfaction. 

Innova IVF

Team members: Dr Fabrizzio Horta, Dr Victor Cadarso, Prof Adrian Neild, Prof Beverley Vollenhoven, A/Prof Sally Catt

Innova IVF is creating simple, affordable chip technology to measure the energy of embryos in real time for IVF treatments.

Innova IVF aims to improve treatments for couples suffering from infertility worldwide. The most critical aspect of IVF treatments relies on the selection of embryos that will lead to a healthy live birth. Thus, the team aims to improve embryo selection by introducing novel non-invasive technology to measure the embryo’s energy in the form of metabolic activity.

Osaka Heat Cool

Team members: Kenzo Ibano, Kiyono Yoshikuni, Toru Sugahara, Kuichi Itoh, Katsunari Sato, Shintaro Izumi 

Osaka Heat Cool helps to tackle the symptoms of Atopic Dermatitis (AD), allergies, and other skin diseases by stopping itchiness using thermal illusion on the skin.

The team is solving the pain caused by itching using thermal illusion on the skin. Using an illusion called the thermal grill illusion, the device provides pain sensation by applying hot and cold sensations simultaneously. This pain sensation does not harm the skin, instead relieves the itch without scratching by nails.

We would like to thank our judges Dr Buzz Palmer, CEO of MedTech Actuator, Lorace Zhang, CEO at Vysum and MedTech Actuator Origin 2021 Winner, Laxmi Pun, Director of Early-stage Investments at Breakthrough Victoria, Shanna Lam, Project Officer at MedTech Actuator, and all community members for attending the MedTech Actuator Origin Semi-final and cheering on startups improving health outcomes.

The MedTech Actuator Origin Final will take place on Thursday, December 1 at the MedTech Actuator Showcase. At the Showcase, teams will have the chance to take home a $10K cash prize, over $5k worth of in-kind support and gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023.

What is next?

Preparations are now underway for a night-of-nights celebration at the MedTech Actuator Showcase, where all programs converge and the ecosystem – from across the Asia-Pacific – will come together to applaud the achievements, impact and progress of founders in health innovation. 

The MedTech Actuator Showcase will be held on Thursday, December 1 in Melbourne. If you are interested in purchasing a table or sponsoring a prize for this exclusive event, please reach out to Matthew Frith, Chief Commercial Officer at MedTech Actuator.

Stay in the loop by signing up for our newsletter below to get the latest updates on our programs and upcoming events.

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



Meet the 2022 MedTech Actuator Origin Cohort

Meet the 29 impressive teams from across Australia selected for the MedTech Actuator Origin 2022. 

Over three days in Melbourne, emerging founders will dive into workshops and industry-led mentoring to help them turbocharge projects and build a strategy to get their ideas to market. The Origin cohort will be joined by the impressive 2022 MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholars. During the sprint, teams will be introduced to topics such as idea validation, intellectual property, pitching, pathways to market, business models, navigating Australia’s healthcare ecosystem, and funding for early-stage ventures.

Ten projects from Australia will be selected to pitch at the Origin Semi-final, along with three Semi-finalist teams from Japan, to secure their place in the Origin Final at the MedTech Actuator Showcase in December.

The Origin 2022 participants include clinicians, researchers, and students working on MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovations that will improve the lives of patients and impact clinicians’ workflows. These solutions span key areas in human health, including dental, oncology, IVF, mental health, cardiology, allied health and more.

Welcome to our Origin 2022 participants

We are excited to announce the 29 teams participating in the MedTech Actuator Origin intensive sprint and competing in the Rapid Fire Round. 

  1. 2Hip4U | Kate Gallagher | Designing custom-made clothing that is practical and comfortable for babies with hip dysplasia.

  2. AcuDent | Liam Murray, Aaron Binns, Anna Dai, Ashwin Ho, Ivy Weng| Developing a medical device to revolutionise the detection of severe gum disease.

  3. AdraCard| Liam Mahony, Lachlan Timms | Creating an alternative to the EpiPen that eliminates the burden of carrying your adrenaline.

  4. C-arm Angio Screens patient positioning| Tim Stewart | Developing patient positioning devices for intraop use in the Cath Lab and Radiology.

  5. Ello Medical | Maria Borsaru, Daniel Malkinson, Kai Van Lieshout, Jeremy Yeh | A centralised directory for hospital staff to reach available clinicians.

  6. Innova IVF | Dr Fabrizzio Horta, Dr Victor Cadarso, Prof Adrian Neild, Prof Beverley Vollenhoven, A/Prof Sally Catt | Simple, affordable chip technology to measure the energy of embryos in real time for IVF treatments.

  7. La Petite Médicale | Rochelle De Silva, Laura Harman | Preventing extravasation injuries in pediatric patients through monitoring of cannula position.

  8. Frame Health | Melinda Wassell, Marcus Yeo | Efficient, compliant and helpful note-taking software for great clinical outcomes in allied health.

  9. Hormoneo | Hope Newman, Olivia Voulgaris | Developing a continuous hormone monitoring device to boost IVF success.

  10. TENSible | Sean James Dominique, Victoria Shi, Gwyneth Chua, Akanksha Agarwal, Josephine Wong | A non-invasive electrical stimulation device that offers personalised chronic back pain relief.

  11. LYF: Leveraging In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG)| Jenna Hall | Helping people start families on a timeline best suited to them using stem cell technology.

  12. Sensure Medical |Brandon Qilin Chen, Aaron Khoo, Daniel Bertone, Michael Qu, Sophia Hsiang | A novel way to improve safety and accuracy of injections through tip localisation.

  13. Noodles Medical| Christopher Ong Yean Hong, Cindy Millenia Hidajat, Robert Jenny, Rochelle De Silva, Simone Di Bisceglie | A self-use device to treat and monitor chronic pelvic pain associated with the high-tone pelvic floor.

  14. Acegirl |Desiree D’Cruz | Empowering women to thrive at motherhood and life by creating discreet wearable breast pumps.

  15. SenSur | Fateme Akhlaghi Bagherjeri | Creating a non-invasive point-of-care multi-marker biosensor as a cardiac diagnostic tool.

  16. Vertere | Urwah Nawaz, Kate Leone, Jacky Cai, Vishal Uppal, Sharjeel Nawaz | An all-integrative lateral rotation mattress combined with machine learning automated prevention of pressure sore development. We are building a low-cost disability friendly mattress that provides PwD autonomy over their sleep

  17. EnVi | Amin Abbas | Endometriosis imaging using ultrasound with inbuilt guidance and 3D reconstruction

  18. OncoSure | Benjamin Arya, Oliver Cucanic | Detecting cancer early. In the comfort of your own home.

  19. Living Lateral Australia | Anita Nikora | It is self-operated & raises a patient from lying on their back to seated on the side of their bed.

  20. Tupointo Health – The Helping Hand |Julian Bianco, Mark Perrott, Maggie Lam., Robert Tran, Shehan Wisidagama | Safe patient rolling and holding device for nurses to reduce workplace manual handling injuries.

  21. Aware Care Baby |Clive Kaicer, Jenny Kirschner, Sarah Hunstead, Robert Wise, Jon Seddon | To help parents make informed decisions about their baby’s safety in prams on hot days

  22. DocuMed | Andrew Xu, Gary Chen, Geetika Gupta, Jacky Chen, Sebastian Mensink, Sreshta Sheri | Enables doctors to remind patients of key information from outpatient consultations

  23. Smartheal | Santosh Kaur | SmartHeal allows you to replace paper rulers and dipsticks for wound measurement.

  24. EMR-AI | Taser Zoubi | Leveraging electronic medical records to improve the lives of Australians through the early detection of Osteoporosis.

  25. Kali Healthcare | Emerson Keenan | A digital health platform for pregnancy monitoring to provide better access to care

  26. Shrinker | Omar Ibrahim | Solving the problem any therapy seeker faces, not knowing if their prospective therapist will be a good personal match/fit, through Artificial Intelligence, genetics, and neuroscience

  27. VR for remote mental healthcare support | Shiva Pedram | Provision of mental healthcare through applications of VR for members of remote communities.

  28. Ophthalmoscope | Jacob Cook |  Patient-empowered retina analysis

  29. A-Eye | Mojtaba Golzan | A-Eye is a disruptive technology platform that detects signs of abnormal brain pressure through a simple eye scan

What is next?

The experience culminates in the MedTech Actuator Origin Semi-Finals on 27th October where teams will compete for a place in the MedTech Actuator Showcase. At the Showcase, teams will have the chance to win a share of the $10K prize pool, over $5k worth of in-kind support and gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023.

Stay in the loop by signing up for our newsletter below to get the latest updates on our programs and upcoming events.

MedTech Actuator Origin is supported by LaunchVic and the REDI Initiative, powered by MTPConnect. 



MedTech Actuator Origin Alumni: Vause Medical

Vause Medical is making lumbar punctures more accurate and accessible in newborns. Using machine learning and medical imaging, the team are creating LumVi – a guidance system that will help clinicians choose the best point to insert needles during lumbar punctures, increasing accuracy and efficiency of care. This will allow more children to have access to this crucial procedure and medical care, no matter where they are.

Vause Medical’s Origin story

Mara Quach, Shelby Holland, and Michelle Callow, founders of Vause Medical, came together while undertaking the University of Melbourne’s BioDesign Innovation course in 2021. After talking with clinicians, the team identified the recurrent problem of finding accurate puncture points, prevalent across paediatrics and general medical practices. When a newborn is brought to an emergency room with a fever or seizures, chances are they will need to get a test for meningitis, which includes a lumbar puncture where a long needle is inserted into their back. This critical procedure is not only painful, but also difficult to perform on small children, particularly in rural areas with the added costs of equipment, wages, manual labour, and a need for an extra specialist to perform the imaging. With a device like Lumvi, the team aims to streamline lumbar punctures with medical imaging to identify puncture points, taking the guesswork out of difficulty in meningitis diagnoses.

Motivation to improve healthcare accessibility

Healthcare disparities in the team’s respective home countries impacted them directly and drove them to come together to try and create a solution that removes barriers to accessing healthcare. 

For Shelby Holland, financial barriers to healthcare are the motivator: 

As a US citizen, I don’t have access to health insurance as it’s a huge cost for me. Back in 2019 when I went home to visit my family over Christmas, I didn’t have health insurance. I had to go to the hospital for an anaphylactic reaction and I am still paying off those medical bills. There are countless times in my life when I’ve had to make the decision between using my EpiPen and going to the hospital and incurring the costs after,” Shelby Holland.

For Mara Quach, her personal motivation comes from her experience in Vietnam where healthcare resources are limited. 

When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time in hospitals as my mother was really sick. The question to me was how do you distribute a limited amount of resources to 90 million citizens in a country? Experiencing illness and seeing cancer patients not getting access to treatments motivated me to try to make healthcare accessible and adequate for all,” Mara Quach.

After spending significant time working in the pharmaceutical industry, Michelle Callow is inspired to address the biases in healthcare.

I’m very conscious of inequities in health globally. In my current role in the pharmaceutical industry, I see the impact that innovation could have on patient outcomes and equally in remote areas. I am driven by the impact that innovation can have not only on addressing problems in accessing resources but also on the patient and their families,” Michelle Callow.

Their strong support network consisting of the MedTech Actuator, BioDesign Innovation leaders and other startups is driving the team to bring this product to market. 

We want to make our idea work as we want people to live happier, healthier lives and want to make an impact on newborns and their families”.

The MedTech Actuator Origin experience

Before applying to the MedTech Actuator Origin, Vause Medical was undertaking BioDesign Innovation at the University of Melbourne. Having completed the concept designs and early-stage clinical validation, the next step was to develop a prototype and build their network. 

We knew that Origin was a well-respected competition to test out your idea and see what people think about it. So we applied for the program as it ended up being a safe learning environment to validate our theories, pressure test our concept and gain feedback from people that were valuable”, Vause Medical team.

As Vause Medical progressed, they learned innovative ways to design and test the solution to get closer to a prototype and minimum viable product. Other challenges have been finding stakeholders, such as clinicians, to assist with product development and further validation. 

The team utilised the mentoring opportunities in Origin to rework the initial LumVi designs and deepen their connections with the ecosystem. The team also engaged with regulatory consultants, who helped to craft a clear vision of what a LumVi would look like in clinical settings and how this would inform the subsequent regulatory pathway. From here, the team were able to pivot and refine their product strategy and better address a variety of benefits to different stakeholders. 

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel

During ideation, Vause Medical received key advice from mentors early on – don’t try to reinvent the wheel – and this has become their north star. For emerging teams and startups, Vause Medical advises a similar approach; don’t try to change something for the sake of changing something, you must start with a powerful mission statement that addresses a clinical need for a specific user group. 

From an industry perspective, Michelle advises, “Healthcare is a challenging industry to be in because of all the regulations that we have. You should have a real love or connection to what you’re developing and a business or a clinical need”. 

When it comes to taking the first step, Vause Medical recommend reaching out and not being shy when it comes to asking for help from partners, distributors, and manufacturers. There is power in asking for help and you never know where one conversation can lead to.

Mentors and advisors of Vause Medical have been incredible drivers to help progress the team, including: 

  • The BioDesign Innovation lecturers, Prof David Grayden, Prof Kwanghui Lim, and Simon Wilkins, showed the A-Z of identifying a problem that is worth bringing to market. 
  • Yaser Darban, General Manager of Sales Strategy at EnTech Electronics, was their Origin mentor and who inspired them inspiration, shared wisdom and connected the team to other industry partners. 
  • Elise Sutherland, Founder of Stelect, guided them through some of the early-stage unknowns of building a healthcare venture.

Apply for MedTech Actuator Origin 2022

Vause Medical made it to the Semi-finals of MedTech Actuator Origin 2021, helping them to get out of an echo chamber and into the startup ecosystem. The Origin experience connected them with key stakeholders and mentors, enabling them opportunities to stress-test LumVi and dive into their product strategy.

MedTech Actuator Origin is a pre-accelerator for the MedTech Actuator’s Accelerator program. Participants can gain fast-tracked entry into the program and the Winner of Origin receives further mentoring to help address key milestones required for the application. After completing MedTech Actuator Origin, Vause Medical applied and was accepted into the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Cohort 7.

Origin was incredibly beneficial for us, as it gave us that springboard that we needed and the confidence to know that we could progress forward. We are very grateful for the opportunity and are fortunate to join MedTech Actuator Accelerator as the next step. We’re working hard on LumVi, and we’re dedicated to getting it to market”, Michelle Callow.

Whether you’re a researcher, scientist, clinician or student, MedTech Actuator Origin is looking for passionate entrepreneurs to transform healthcare. The winner of MedTech Actuator Origin will receive a $10k cash prize, over $5k worth of in-kind support and gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2023.

Have questions about the application or program?

Check out the FAQs or reach out to Makenzie, Program and Community Coordinator via email – makenzie@medtechactuator.com – or book a meeting with the team via calendly

MedTech Actuator Origin is supported by LaunchVic and the REDI Initiative, powered by MTPConnect.




Make your MedTech Actuator Origin 2022 application stand out

Thinking about applying to the MedTech Actuator Origin Program? Here are some top tips on how to make your application shine from Shanna Lam – Project Officer at MedTech Actuator.

As a biodesign alumna and an ex-founder I know first-hand how complicated the journey ahead can seem. It does take a village to bring health innovation to market. Luckily, we at MedTech Actuator have done this before and are here to help. Below are a few ideas on how to make your application shine! 

Now that you’ve come up with an innovative health venture and are ready to take the first step to become a startup founder, you might be asking yourself – what’s next?

MedTech Actuator Origin is an early-stage innovation program that turbocharges the development of emerging human health technologies and solutions across Australia and it is the perfect place for emerging founders to start. 

“This is the best first step you can take if you are interested in the MedTech innovation space. The Origin experience will provide you with mentorship, networking and connections. Also, the practical pitching advice you receive will help you in getting further investment or just getting people interested in your idea”, says Wiliam Symington, co-founder of Anura Medical, on his program experience. 

Applications are currently open for the 2022 program and they close on October 7 at 11:59 pm AEST. If you’re excited to join in then you’ll need to nail the application in order to be successfully selected. Below are key areas where you can strengthen your application to put your best foot forward for the program. 

1. Make sure you’re eligible!

First, double-check the eligibility criteria to make sure the program is the right fit for you:

  • You have a research project, idea or innovation in human health;
    • And, for this project, the idea or innovation has to be in its early stages of development;
  • You are highly motivated to learn about innovation commercialisation, as well as Australia’s health, medical and biotechnology startup ecosystem;
  • You are able to attend all program (in-person in Melbourne and online) activities scheduled (Oct 25-27, Dec 1); and,
  • You have at least one team member based in Australia.

2. What is the problem you are trying to solve?

The origin experience will help you better define and develop the elements described below, so don’t worry about having it perfect. 

First, tell us what you know about the problem you are solving, who has this problem, and why you’re motivated to solve it. 

Some of the questions you can think about: 

What are the current hospital workarounds, or the daily impacts it has on the patient? 

Who are the people it affects? It may impact not only the patients, doctors, and hospitals, but also family members, insurance companies, and the government.

Customer Validation

In your applications, we want to see a simple description of your idea with key features and benefits (how the person’s experience will improve).

A good first step would be to figure out who are the users and beneficiaries of your innovation – clinicians, patients, and payers. Next, getting a better understanding of their perceptions about the problem, gaps and potential solutions could be the key to understanding the market.

Below are some thoughts from one of our founders on customer validation.

Tim Tyndale, Quitta:

Customer validation can seem like an inconvenient step that slows the building process. After all, we entrepreneurs know exactly what our customers want already…right?!

In truth, validating the problem and solution is more important in MedTech/BioTech than almost any other field. In a highly regulated industry, the further you go down the development journey, the harder it gets to make adjustments. 

In Quitta’s case, we wanted to tailor our solution to the needs of our end-users without having to conduct expensive clinical trials for each iteration. Fortunately, e-cigarettes created a legal precedent in the U.S. for us to test real-world demand and gain all-important user feedback.

Without developing a deep understanding of the needs of our customers, we could have spent lots of time and money building a product that no one wanted at the other end.

We are not expecting you to conduct dozens of formal customer interviews but we want to make sure you understand how this problem is currently being solved and why your solution would be better. 

3. What is your solution?

Once you’ve validated your problem, now is the time to revisit the solution – what proof do you have that this problem needs to be solved and that your solution will be used? Also, does your solution really address the problem? Has your solution solved one problem but created another? Is it too difficult to adjust to?

Can you communicate this in the most simple terms? You can use the Value Proposition Canvas or The Mom Test to match your solution to the pain points your end users face and communicate this in a concise way.

You can even go back to your customers and see how they react to your solution. Check to make sure your potential customers are not cornered into praising your innovation when you talk to them.

Practical tips for the application:

  • Be concise, don’t use too much technical jargon and tell us how the solution addresses the problem identified.
  • Don’t just tell us how great you think your solution is, tell us who else thinks it’s great, how many people you’ve spoken to and what feedback you’ve received. Back your solution with evidence where possible.

Don’t worry about having it perfect, in the program we will help you better define your problem and solution and learn more about the market. 

4. Passion

Being a startup founder is hard, and can be overwhelming at times. Health ventures could sometimes take years to enter the market and secure a revenue stream, so motivation, focus and a strong support system can’t be underestimated. 

We want to know what drives you to pursue this project, and what does it mean to you? How can we know that you will be committed in the long run? Why are you or your team the right people to take this product to market?

“Challenging the existing market and making the device available to patients is what drives me forward,” says Lorace Zhang, CEO of Vysum. 

Read more about last year’s Origin pitch competition winner, Vysum, and their origin story here

In your application, be sure to tell us:

  • What makes you passionate and committed to this project, innovation or idea?
  • Why you and why your team?

Here to help with your next steps

Applications to MedTech Actuator Origin close on October 7 at 11:59 pm AEST.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to book a call with the team or me.  We’re here to help.

Or, come along to some of our upcoming events:

Starting a company can be overwhelming and exhausting. But they don’t need to be – connection, community and relationships of support are what make the difference. If you decide to join us on the journey, you will be welcomed into our community of 250 MedTech founders and befriend companies like Nutromics, Navi, Ventora, Jay-Nik, and others!

MedTech Actuator Origin is supported by LaunchVic and the REDI Initiative, powered by MTPConnect.