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MedTech Actuator Accelerator – Meet Ruwini Cooray, Founder of Neurogen Global

Ruwini Cooray, the founder and CEO of Neurogen, is on a mission to transform the treatment of neurological diseases. Recently completing Cohort 9 of the MedTech Actuator Accelerator, Ruwini showcased her startup at the program’s Demo Day, highlighting the groundbreaking potential of her company’s technology to revolutionise brain health.


A Scientist with a Purpose

Leveraging over a decade of expertise in neuroscience and genetics research, Ruwini assembled a team of experts from the University of Melbourne, the Florey Institute, and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne to transform her findings into real-world, life-changing healthcare solutions.

Enter Neurogen, a startup developing a minimally invasive, micro-tissue brain implant for treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. The implant aims to restore brain function by 80% or higher, offering a one-time, long-term solution that could replace the lifelong pharmaceutical regimens used today. By focusing on microtissue technology, Neurogen seeks to reverse neurodegeneration and significantly improve the quality of life for patients suffering from progressive neurological conditions.

The Neurogen Approach

While most existing therapies only manage symptoms of neurological diseases, Neurogen’s technology aims to restore damaged neuronal networks, offering hope for those with conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s. With 55 million people currently living with Alzheimer’s worldwide, the need for innovative, long-term solutions has never been more urgent. Neurogen is poised to not only change the lives of patients but also provide investors with a promising opportunity in the field of neurotherapeutics.


Turning Challenges into Opportunities

As with any groundbreaking technology, developing a new solution for neurological diseases presents significant challenges. Neurogen Global faced the complexities of securing funding, navigating regulatory pathways, and proving the efficacy of its technology. However, Ruwini has persevered, successfully securing angel investment in 2024, allowing her to continue advancing her research. Additionally, Neurogen commenced pre-clinical large animal trials at the Florey Institute, moving them one step closer to human trials.

One of the critical turning points for the company came through Ruwini’s participation in the MedTech Actuator Accelerator, where she gained access to tailored content, mentorship, and a vibrant network that significantly accelerated the company’s growth. Reflecting on the Accelerator experience, Ruwini shared:

“The Accelerator’s tailored medtech/biotech content, insightful group discussions, and vibrant network dramatically transformed our approach. The invaluable mentorship and one-on-one guidance significantly catapulted our startup’s growth and fostered impactful industry connections.”

Ruwini Cooray (centre), Founder – Neurogen Global, and the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Cohort 9 participants.

Looking to the Future

With pre-clinical trials underway and plans to expand their research, Neurogen Global is well on its way to making a lasting impact in the world of neurological disease treatment. Ruwini’s leadership at Neurogen exemplifies the power of combining cutting-edge science with entrepreneurial vision, demonstrating how determined individuals can change the healthcare landscape and improve lives through innovation.


Apply for MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2025

Are you ready to bring your healthcare startup to the next level? Applications are open for the MedTech Actuator Accelerator, Asia Pacific’s leading 6-month venture development program for early-stage MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startups. The program will simultaneously accelerate your pathway to market, build your team capability, and get your startup ready for investment.

Since its launch in 2018, the Accelerator has supported over 100 startups, providing access to expert guidance, one-on-one mentoring, and a global network to help businesses scale. 

Applications close on 21 March—don’t miss your opportunity to accelerate your startup’s growth.

Or, get in touch with Program Coordinator, Lizzie Laurence, to chat about this year’s program.

MedTech Actuator Origin Semi-Finalists Announced

Twenty impressive teams recently battled it out at the MedTech Actuator Origin Rapid Fire Rounds, pitching their ideas to improve and save lives through health innovation. Ten teams took out top place and are now progressing to the Semi-Finals.

The ten emerging stars will experience industry-led mentoring and education, turbocharging their ideas and taking them closer to making their entrepreneurship ambitions a reality.

Contestants include clinicians, researchers, and students who are working on MedTech, HealthTech and BioTech innovations that patients need and clinicians want. They’re pioneering in diverse fields spanning respiratory disease, heart disease, sleep, mental health, epilepsy, brain tumours, stroke, lumbar punctures, glaucoma and more.

What’s at stake?

The teams will join MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholars next week for a three-day intensive sprint exploring the Australian healthcare ecosystem and how to take their startup to market.

Industry mentors, MedTech Actuator alumni and ecosystem leaders will share their knowledge and insights with the teams, pressure test their projects and guide them in refining their business models.

The experience will culminate in the MedTech Actuator Origin Semi-Finals next Wednesday evening where teams will compete for a place in the MedTech Actuator Showcase. At the Showcase teams will have the chance to win $15K prize money, fast-tracked application to MedTech Actuator – Asia Pacific’s MedTech accelerator – and in-kind support valued at $5K.

Welcome To Our Semi-Finals Contestants

We are excited to announce the ten teams participating in the MedTech Actuator Origin intensive sprint and Semi-Finals. We wish each of these rising stars all the very best in their pitch and beyond in their endeavours to improve and save lives.

  • Anura (CAHM) | Jessica Anderson, William Symington, Elamathi Arivukkan Venugopal, Phoebe Lewis, Rebecca McCormick | Anura is developing CAHM, a wearable device that monitors lung function during daily activities to facilitate early treatment for respiratory disease flare-ups, preventing severe illness and hospitalisation.
  • Cardiopin | Farhad Goodarzy, David Kaye, Andi Partovi | Cardiopin is developing a novel, in-home monitoring system for congestive heart failure, using easy-to-access biomarkers like voice recordings and weight measurements.
  • Circadian Health Innovations (The Melanopic Eye) | Rowan Page, Elliott Wilson, Andrew Phillips | Circadian Health Innovations are developing the Melanopic Eye, a light sensing wearable that guides people to healthy light for better sleep, mental health, and general wellbeing.
  • Nuroflux | David Almeida Cardoso, Sam van Bohemen | Nuroflux is a wearable, continuous brain-monitoring device for stroke patient management.
  • SimpleSense EEG | Sebastian Corlette | SimpleSense EEG is making high-quality electroencephalogram possible for any patient, at any time.
  • SoundMind | Pete Field | SoundMind is focused on improving your sleep performance so you can reach your greatest human potential.
  • Spira Health (Aeolus) | Joseph Po, Tony Pang, Jason Jin, Jake Harris | Spira Health is developing Aeolus, a device that trains the muscles of the throat and is designed to empower people with obstructive sleep apnoea to proactively improve their sleep, allowing them to make the most out of their day.
  • Think Global Project | Anushi Rajapaksa, James Friend | Think Global Project has developed a novel acoustic nebuliser for rapid lung delivery of life-saving biomolecules against infectious respiratory diseases in children.
  • Vause Medical (LumVi) | Trinh (Mara) Quach, Shelby Marie Holland, Alexandra Wigley, Amanda Druk, Michelle Callow | Vause Medical is developing LumVi, a medical guidance system that helps clinicians choose the correct puncture point during a lumbar puncture.
  • Vysum | Lorace (Tianshu) Zhang, Darren Tan, David Lin, Isaac Ho, Aryan Motevali | Vysum aims to develop a handheld device to make eye drop administration more convenient for glaucoma patients, improving treatment compliance and preventing blindness.

About MedTech Actuator Origin

Find out more about MedTech Actuator Origin and sign up below to stay in the loop on joining future cohorts.

MedTech Actuator Origin is back – apply today!

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur with a MedTech, BioTech or HealthTech startup idea? Apply now for the 2021 MedTech Actuator Origin!

All superheroes have a beginning and so do startup founders. Transform your idea or research with MedTech Actuator Origin – a two month early-stage entrepreneurship competition that will help you translate your concept into an impact orientated health venture.

Whether you’re a researcher, scientist, clinician, student or garage inventor, MedTech Actuator Origin is looking for passionate entrepreneurs to transform healthcare. Apply today!

The MedTech Actuator Origin experience

Delivered in-person and online, MedTech Actuator Origin is open to Australian health entrepreneurs and will run from October to December 2021. Our experts will pressure test your idea and expose you to the world of startups through:

  • Workshops – gain insight into what it takes to protect your idea and learn how to craft a prize-winning pitch.
  • Rapid Fire Round – pitch your concept to a panel of industry leaders and peers, putting your idea and pitching skills to the test.
  • Mentoring – receive tailored mentorship from industry experts who will help you bring your MedTech, BioTech or HealthTech innovation to market.
  • Access to the MedTech Actuator knowledge hub – commercialisation 101 curated content for researchers and medical professionals turned entrepreneurs.
  • Sprint Intensive – access a 3-day sprint intensive where you’ll dive into the world of entrepreneurship and commercialisation, including workshops, founder stories, panel discussions, activities, and heaps more!
  • Pitch Competition – bring together all your ideas in a short, 3-minute pitch to a select panel of judges to earn one of three places at the MedTech Actuator Showcase, a $15k cash prize and over $5k worth of in-kind prizes.
  • MedTech Actuator Showcase – pitch your idea to the ecosystem at the MedTech Actuator Showcase, a black-tie gala event for investors, industry-leaders, corporate partners and global MedTech companies.

The Origin winner will take home $15k in cash and have the opportunity to be fast-tracked through the application process for the MedTech Actuator – Asia Pacific’s MedTech accelerator – moving your product even closer to market.

Meet Amy Yu – MedTech Actuator Origin alumna

Photo of Amy Yu in MedTech Actuator superhero tee, Melbourne lane way by night.
Amy Yu, MedTech Actuator Origin alumna & Ventora Medical CTO.

“Ventora Medical spun out of the BioDesign Innovation program at the University of Melbourne. As soon as we graduated in 2018, we entered MedTech Actuator Origin. For Ventora, MedTech Actuator Origin really was the first point of validation from the MedTech entrepreneurial community in Melbourne. We were lucky enough to get through each round and be selected as a top five finalist.

You don’t know what you don’t know, and MedTech Actuator Origin taught us just that. At the bootcamps we took that all in, like sponges, and learnt so much from MedTech Actuator. This was backed up by networking with people who helped us achieve all of those unknowns and hit milestones.”

– Amy Yu, MedTech Actuator Origin alumna and Ventora Medical CTO, Forbes 30 Under 30

Key dates

  • Applications open: 6 Aug – 30 Sep
  • Finalists announced: 1 Oct
  • Online MedTech Actuator Origin Workshops: 7 Oct
  • Rapid Fire Round Pitch: 21 Oct
  • Mentoring and Sprint Intensive preparation: 22 Oct – 15 Nov
  • Sprint Intensive: 15 Nov – 17 Nov
  • Semi-finals Pitch: 17 Nov
  • MedTech Actuator Showcase and Finals Pitch: 9 Dec

Apply now

Are you ready to transform your idea and build your origin story – or do you know someone who is? Find out more about MedTech Actuator Origin and apply today.