Masterclass – Vital ventures: Scaling healthtech with sustainable strategies
November 27 @ 8:30 am - 5:00 pm AEDT
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Scaling a healthtech business – whether a start-up or established venture – requires more than just a groundbreaking idea. For many scientists, researchers and bio- and healthtech professionals, the journey from lab to market presents unique challenges that often extend beyond their technical and subject-matter expertise.
This three-day masterclass, offered by BioMelbourne Network and in partnership with MDMD, is specifically designed to equip biotech and healthtech founders and executives with strategic business insights needed to transition their innovations into successful ventures. It will bring strategic vision, business frameworks, actionable insights and the know-how to identify the right mix of tools, people and culture they need to drive sustainable business growth with confidence.
From strategic scaling and culture-building to market positioning and talent acquisition, each session is carefully crafted to provide you with valuable insights needed to avoid common pitfalls, overcome the unique challenges of the healthtech sector, make critical decisions and secure fundings.
You’ll gain exclusive access to insider knowledge through sessions like a fireside chat with Marissa Senzaki, Talent Director, MDMD, practical lessons on brand-building and IP management and hands-on workshops covering everything from team-building and sales to venture formation and future-proofing your business. You’ll have opportunities to get answers to your specific questions, access one-on-on mentoring with industry experts and network with like-minded peers.
Walk away with a clear roadmap to scale your business in a way that is both impactful and sustainable, and equipped with real-world strategies to set up your business for long-term success.
About the Masterclass
Who should attend?
- Founders and team members of healthtech and medtech start-ups
- Early-stage companies (pre-commercialisation to growth stage) with ambitions to scale sustainably in local or global markets
- Companies facing critical transitions
- Founders, CEOs, CSOs, CTOs, commercial heads, BD managers, researchers, and scientists interested in building successful, future-proof companies.
Places are strictly limited. Participation in the program is subject to written approval and confirmation by BioMelbourne Network.
Program details:
Registration for the program includes:
- Two additional complimentary registrations for colleagues to attend the BioForum
- Attendance at the full-day Masterclass workshop for one company representative
- One 30-minute advisory session (two company representatives may attend).
The BioForum – Biotech scandal to SaaS Success: Fireside chat with Theranos ’survivor’ Marissa Senzaki, Featuring special guest speaker Ashwin Ramachandran, CEO and founder of Sapyen is a stand-alone event as well as Part A of the Masterclass Program. Masterclass participants are not required to register separately to attend.
Prices (in-person only):
BioMelbourne Network Member: $1100
BioMelbourne Network Non Member: $1300
*Biopharma Entrepreneur: $750
*Biopharma Entrepreneur applies to start-up companies developing biopharma products in the pre-seed stage and seed stage, prior to Series A capital raising and strictly pre-revenue.
Unsure if your organisation is a member? Check our member directory.
This high-value, heavily subsidised program is made possible with support from the State Government of Victoria
Marissa Senzaki, Talent Director, MDMD
Marissa Senzaki is a seasoned Talent Acquisition and People Operations leader with global experience spanning four continents. With a career of over 17 years, she has worked with renowned technology companies such as Google, Facebook, and Slack. As Slack’s inaugural HR hire, she rapidly scaled the company from under 50 employees to 850 worldwide in less than three years, during its ascent as the fastest-growing B2B SaaS company. Notably, while working alongside Elizabeth Holmes at Theranos, she astutely predicted the company’s downfall. Marissa’s intuitive knack for assessing a company’s potential is unparalleled.
As a startup consultant and angel investor, Marissa is passionate about advocating for a humanistic approach to building companies. She partners with hiring managers and founders to emphasize the importance of building people-first organizations that prioritize values alignment and create inclusive and psychologically safe work environments.
During her time in Australia, Marissa significantly contributed to the HR and tech landscape by actively engaging as a speaker and participant in recruiter meetups, HR/Tech publications, conferences, and accelerators. Her influence extends beyond borders as she continues to nurture these networks from her base in San Francisco.
Marissa holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from San Francisco State University.
As a startup consultant and angel investor, Marissa is passionate about advocating for a humanistic approach to building companies. She partners with hiring managers and founders to emphasize the importance of building people-first organizations that prioritize values alignment and create inclusive and psychologically safe work environments.
During her time in Australia, Marissa significantly contributed to the HR and tech landscape by actively engaging as a speaker and participant in recruiter meetups, HR/Tech publications, conferences, and accelerators. Her influence extends beyond borders as she continues to nurture these networks from her base in San Francisco.
Marissa holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from San Francisco State University.
Leisha Muraki, Brand Director, MDMD
Leisha is an experienced brand leader with 15+ years creating customer-centric design solutions and managing brand assets for B2B, D2C and Fortune 500 companies and 7+ years leading multi-discipline design teams within agency and in-house environments, including roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and ARUP. Leisha is well-versed in end-to-end product development, integrated marketing, and visual systems, having worked with brands such as Alaska Airlines, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Her direct contributions to go-to-market strategies and brand building have led to US $14.5M in first-year revenues, US $16.3M in grant funding, earned media valued over US $28M and US $20.8M in startup investment across fintech, education, retail, travel, hospitality and healthcare sectors.
Leisha’s work has been recognised in esteemed galleries, including the Gaffa Gallery in Sydney and the Jacob Lawrence Gallery in Seattle. In 2013, she served as a “Designer in Residence” at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. Her notable achievements include features in Desktop Magazine, Time Out, and the 2010 edition of PRINT, where she received a US Regional Award for Best Design. Additionally, Leisha was a 2016 Good Design Award Finalist and a former Victoria State Board Member for the Australian Graphic Design Association.
Leisha’s expertise extends beyond the design industry into the academic realm. She has shared her knowledge and insights as a lecturer at globally ranked institutions like the University of Washington, RMIT University, andSIM Global Education (Singapore Institute of Management). Currently, she is a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering (Human-Centered Design and Engineering), where she continues to inspire and educate the next generation of designers.
Leisha holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design from the University of Washington and a Master of Education in postsecondary design education from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University.
Leisha’s work has been recognised in esteemed galleries, including the Gaffa Gallery in Sydney and the Jacob Lawrence Gallery in Seattle. In 2013, she served as a “Designer in Residence” at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. Her notable achievements include features in Desktop Magazine, Time Out, and the 2010 edition of PRINT, where she received a US Regional Award for Best Design. Additionally, Leisha was a 2016 Good Design Award Finalist and a former Victoria State Board Member for the Australian Graphic Design Association.
Leisha’s expertise extends beyond the design industry into the academic realm. She has shared her knowledge and insights as a lecturer at globally ranked institutions like the University of Washington, RMIT University, andSIM Global Education (Singapore Institute of Management). Currently, she is a faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering (Human-Centered Design and Engineering), where she continues to inspire and educate the next generation of designers.
Leisha holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design from the University of Washington and a Master of Education in postsecondary design education from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University.
Dr Mei Ling Doery, Managing Director, MDMD
Dr. Mei Ling Doery is a medical doctor and strategist with over 20 years of experience advising boards, executives, founders, and funders on entrepreneurship. She has worked with 90+ organisations and mentored over 200 early-stage ventures globally, spanning medicine, health and wellness, agriculture, sustainability, manufacturing, education, and infrastructure. Her lens on societal challenges is shaped by roles in emergency medicine, as a civilian medical advisor for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian Defence Force, team doctor for the Richmond Tigers (AFL), and executive physician at BUPA Wellness.
Mei Ling is a trailblazer in the field of public health, having spearheaded multiple global firsts: the delivery of SMS for health promotion for reproductive health in Singapore in partnership with SingTel, and the rollout of evidence- based mobile app quit support to China’s National Tobacco Control Association as the founder of Live Council. She was an early advisor to Nightingale Housing, which has delivered 517 homes with a total commercial value of > AU$350MM (with the same in development) and co-founder of SugarByHalf, led by Dr. Peter Bruckner OAM, which has driven Australian federal reform in type 2 diabetes management. Mei Ling has also been instrumental in addressing gender equity as an advisor to Respect Victoria, ManCave, Flourish Girl, and Founding Chair of TeachUsConsent (TUC), which achieved mandatory consent education across Australia during her tenure.
She holds the distinction of being the youngest ministerial appointment on the prestigious Board of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, which continues to operate at the forefront of ground-breaking public health reforms. Mei Ling’s contributions to innovation and commercial translation are recognised through an ESA Young Researcher of the Year Award, a major grant from LaunchVic, Victoria’s state innovation fund, and as doctor- inresidence for the digital agency Portable (BRW’s ‘Fast 100’). She was appointed to the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (WEF YGL) for contributions to global public health. Mei Ling holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci), “An Examination of Commercial spin-offs from Manned Spaceflight”, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Melbourne.
Mei Ling is a trailblazer in the field of public health, having spearheaded multiple global firsts: the delivery of SMS for health promotion for reproductive health in Singapore in partnership with SingTel, and the rollout of evidence- based mobile app quit support to China’s National Tobacco Control Association as the founder of Live Council. She was an early advisor to Nightingale Housing, which has delivered 517 homes with a total commercial value of > AU$350MM (with the same in development) and co-founder of SugarByHalf, led by Dr. Peter Bruckner OAM, which has driven Australian federal reform in type 2 diabetes management. Mei Ling has also been instrumental in addressing gender equity as an advisor to Respect Victoria, ManCave, Flourish Girl, and Founding Chair of TeachUsConsent (TUC), which achieved mandatory consent education across Australia during her tenure.
She holds the distinction of being the youngest ministerial appointment on the prestigious Board of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, which continues to operate at the forefront of ground-breaking public health reforms. Mei Ling’s contributions to innovation and commercial translation are recognised through an ESA Young Researcher of the Year Award, a major grant from LaunchVic, Victoria’s state innovation fund, and as doctor- inresidence for the digital agency Portable (BRW’s ‘Fast 100’). She was appointed to the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (WEF YGL) for contributions to global public health. Mei Ling holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci), “An Examination of Commercial spin-offs from Manned Spaceflight”, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Melbourne.
Ashwin Ramachandran, CEO and founder of Sapyen, and 2024’s winner of the prestigious Australian Financial Review BOSS Most Innovative Companies Award
Since founding Sapyen and revolutionising the field of male fertility testing by providing an accessible, at-home testing kit that eliminates clinic visits, Ashwin has overcome the challenges of attracting capital and securing key partnerships with international IVF clinics, taking his Melbourne-based start-up global in just three years.
Ashwin brings unparalleled experience in tech commercialisation and scaling healthtech innovations globally. With a career that includes launching diagnostics and therapeutics across four international markets, being an investor in over 50 startups – including seven unicorns - and supporting venture funds through over $100 million in capital raises, he’s uniquely positioned to guide founders toward sustainable growth and international success.
His consulting experience with global brands like Estée Lauder, Nike, and Walgreens gives him a rare perspective on product development and global expansion.
Ashwin brings unparalleled experience in tech commercialisation and scaling healthtech innovations globally. With a career that includes launching diagnostics and therapeutics across four international markets, being an investor in over 50 startups – including seven unicorns - and supporting venture funds through over $100 million in capital raises, he’s uniquely positioned to guide founders toward sustainable growth and international success.
His consulting experience with global brands like Estée Lauder, Nike, and Walgreens gives him a rare perspective on product development and global expansion.
Charles Wong, Founder, Parakeet
https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleswongaus/
