6 December 2019
Last night, the very best of our nation’s innovation ecosystem helped promising entrepreneurs strike out towards commercial success and healthcare impact at the MedTech’s Got Talent Challenge Gala Finals.
At MedTech’s black-tie night of nights, entrepreneurs revealed new healthcare solutions fuelled by insights into real needs and moving first-hand experiences.
Uniting these changemakers was a clear passion for collaborating and bringing to life the profound impact that MedTech can have in the lives of individuals, communities and people around the world.
Judges had a tough job cut out for them, with each and every entrepreneur showing huge potential to shake up healthcare for the better. In the end, the following startups won a share in $50,000 and fast-tracked application to the MedTech Actuator Accelerator program:
- Johnson & Johnson Award: Cogniant – ensuring care continuity for people with mental health conditions – Neeraj Kothari – mentored by Hayley Quinn, Medtronic.
- Medtronic Award: Injectra – a new cannula that saves lives through simplicity – Maryam Soomro – mentored by Jamal Elsheikh, MedTech Actuator.
- Cook Medical Award: SoundSense – helping blind and visually impaired people see with sound – Jonathan Hribar – mentored by Ingenuity.
- LaunchVic Award: Rapid Motion – a new test for infection to improve cancer patient quality of life and outcomes – Hannah Wardill – mentored by Michelle Kleynhans, MedTech Actuator.
- MedTech Actuator Award: Lactamo – bringing breastfeeding benefits to more mothers and children – Etta Watts-Russell – mentored by Ann Damien, Cook Medical.
The $1000 People’s Choice Award for the night was taken out by Maryam Soomro from Injectra.
This year’s Challenge was bigger and better than ever – in an exciting development, the competition scaled beyond our shores to welcome entrepreneurs from India.
Primary school students also graced the night for the first time, sharing their ideas to improve lives with MedTech innovation. The MedTech Actuator team hopes to see them in the competition in years to come and know that they’ll inspire other young changemakers to follow their lead.
“I’d like to congratulate all teams, finalists and students on their courage to put themselves out there last night in the name of innovating for healthcare impact,” says Dr Buzz Palmer, MedTech Actuator CEO.
“It’s never easy, but well worth it for the difference you can make in the lives of people around the world. We’re thrilled to support emerging talent and promising ideas, in deep collaboration with our region’s innovation ecosystem.”
To learn more about entrepreneurs from this year’s Challenge and how they’re making waves in healthcare, visit www.medtechactuator.com/news.
Applications for the MedTech Actuator Accelerator program open in January 2020 at www.medtechactuator.com.
The MedTech’s Got Talent Challenge and MedTech’s Got Talent India are delivered by the MedTech Actuator in partnership with the Karnataka Government and brought to you by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, through Incubator Support initiative funding as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme and the Victorian Government through Global Victoria.
The Challenge would not be possible without the entire ecosystem coming together. This includes major partners and sponsors: The Federal Government, The Department of Industry, Innovation & Science; The Victorian Government, The Department of Jobs, Precincts & Regions; Global Victoria; LaunchVic; Government of Karnataka; Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre; Johnson & Johnson; Cook Medical; Medtronic; K&L Gates; Vestech; IDE Group; Design + Industry; Tricycle Developments; Ingenuity Electronics Design; Outerspace Design; MiniFAB; LEAP Australia and Wave Digital.
Media contact
Emma Clark
0414 778 615
