We came together in Melbourne to celebrate the achievements of two remarkable MTPConnect initiatives: the Clinical Translation Commercialisation Medtech program (CTCM) and the Targeted Translation and Research Accelerator (TTRA), supported by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
Designed and brought to life by MTPConnect, these innovation engines have accelerated the development of 34 cross-disciplinary solutions across digital health, First Nations models of care, health service delivery, medical devices and therapeutics. And established two national research centres for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Was great to welcome an incredible group of founders, leaders and innovators tackling real-world problems in healthcare.
After a moving Welcome to Country smoking ceremony, our Chair The Hon. Jaala Pulford GAICD kicked off the event, outlining how these programs have driven collaboration, built national capability through job creation and future investments, and delivered meaningful impact across Australia’s health and innovation sector.
Jaala welcomed our special guest to the stage, the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, who congratulated MTPConnect, the TTRA and CTCM programs, on its success in supporting innovation and commercialisation with backing from the MRFF, and the significant impact of the work on individual lives and the broader research ecosystem in Australia.
The moving keynote from future-tech expert and Psykinetic founder Dr Jordan Nguyen who is developing inclusive cutting-edge technologies that empower people with disability and support ageing well, reminded us that the power of technology and healthcare together can keep us connected and change lives for the better. He brought along his AI-powered companion robot Koobo and demonstrated his incredible eye tracking software that’s being commercialised into a tablet computer for those who struggle with communication or mobility. And took us all on an exciting and emotional journey through the human side of technology, ethics in AI and embodied AI systems, and a bold vision of hope for harnessing AI to help create a better tomorrow.
We were thrilled to share an inspirational new video – introducing you to some of the remarkable companies and organisations developing innovative products and solutions for better health – with the support of our programs!
Meet Ventora Medical, Endo Axiom, CathRx and LISTEN!
MTPConnect was proud to have played a role in supporting these life-changing innovation journeys along the path to success.
The afternoon session covered some important discussions around ensuring rapidly evolving healthcare technology is of benefit to all, the need for human-centred innovation and the benefits and risks of healthcare AI to consider.
Adjunct A/Prof Deanne Minniecon, Karen Carey and Dr Jordan Nguyen joined the panel on ‘Nothing About Us Without Us: Living Experience Shaping the Future of Innovation Success’, moderated by MTPConnect’s Lauren Kelly.
Sophia Moscovis PhD, GAICD, Bronwyn Le Grice and Ray Mahoney joined the panel on ‘Who Benefits? Ethics, Bias and Equity in Healthcare AI’, moderated by MTPConnect’s Dr Erin McAllum.
It was great to see so many delegates spending time in conversation at the Exhibitor Showcase Day 1 with clear interest in the healthcare innovations being developed by Navi Medical Technologies, Ventora Medical, CathRx, Clever Culture Systems, The Kids Research Institute Australia, VitalTrace, Menzies School of Health Research, The Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations (ACADI), ARIA Research, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, UNSW, Deakin University HypoPAST (LISTEN).
We also celebrated what’s been achieved through the inaugural Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Since 2020, TTRA created a platform to support and incentivise translation of research efforts to improve the prevention, management and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Australia. Providing Australian innovators and startups with much needed capital along with extensive and targeted commercialisation and implementation support and mentorship as they develop their life-changing innovations.
With $37.8m invested in 22 innovative projects and to establish 2 national Research Centres, matched by $50.1m in co-contributions, the TTRA program, which wraps up early next year, is having a meaningful impact.
Early interim outcomes include:
🔺 76 new products and solutions progressed
🔺 28 clinical studies underway or completed, involving 2,591 participants
🔺 67 new skilled jobs created
The TTRA backed innovations have gone on to attracted a further $40.6m flow-on investment, resulting in a total injection of $128.5 into diabetes and cardiovascular disease innovations that are positioned to have real meaningful impact for people in Australia and around the world.
The two national TTRA research centres, The Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations (ACADI) and Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA), are amplifying impact by creating sustained hubs of expertise that will continue driving translation and training the next generation of researchers, clinicians and entrepreneurs beyond the life of the programs.
It’s been great to have so many of our TTRA innovators taking part in the Exhibitor Showcase in Melbourne putting these products and solutions front and centre…
A big thank you to our inaugural TTRA team – Lauren Eve Kelly, Erin McAllum, Jane Xintong Zheng (and Mana Liao, PhD), our program partners, ANDHealth, The Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), Lowitja Institute, Medical Device Partnering Program and UniQuest, along with the TTRA Expert Advisory Board for contributing to the program’s success.
Innovation Projects: The Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes, The Australian National University, The Kids Research Institute Australia, BiVACOR, Cardihab, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Endo Axiom, Inosi Therapeutics Pty Ltd, Lorikeet Therapeutics Pty Ltd, Menzies School of Health Research, Monash University, Nanomedx, Nirtek, QUT (Queensland University of Technology), University of Melbourne, UNSW, The University of Queensland, University of Sydney, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), Wavewise Analytics (Formerly Cyban), Western Sydney University.
Wrapping up Day 1 of the MTPConnect Accelerator Showcase, we brought together TTRA and CTCM innovators from around Australia, with our program partners, advisory board members and sector leaders for a celebration dinner at an iconic Melbourne venue.
MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam kicked off the evening with a reflection that people are, and should be, at the centre of everything we do to advance medical innovations to improve health and wellbeing. Stuart took a moment to reflect on the achievements of MTPConnect’s CTCM and TTRA initiatives, that are heading towards completion and officially launched the new CTCM impact report ‘Driving Australian Medtech Innovation Success‘.
Stuart said the highly successful CTCM program has de-risked projects for private investment, enabled clinical trials, created jobs, and injected much needed funding into Australia’s medtech sector while advancing groundbreaking ideas into viable medical technologies to help shape the future of healthcare.
“Through this $19.75 million program, $64 million has been injected into Australia’s medtech sector and there is more to come.
“Companies supported through our CTCM accelerator have captured the interest of investors, with 75 per cent securing further flow-on and external investment, to take their innovations closer to market.
“It has been an immense achievement to see these companies conducting trials using new technology, with patient voice at the heart of these innovations, engaging 247 end users in co-design, involving 51 clinicians and almost 400 patients in clinical trials in Australia and internationally.
“MTPConnect is proud to play a role in helping these medtech projects to thrive and more broadly strengthen Australia’s ability to translate world-class science into investable and scalable medtech companies,” he said.
Congratulations to our CTCM innovators: 4DMedical, Clever Culture Systems, Navi Medical Technologies, Ventora Medical, CathRx, OncoRes Medical, VitalTrace, ARIA Research, Medical Developments International (MDI), VividWhite, Eudaemon Technologies.
And guests were treated to a thought-provoking fireside chat led by MTPConnect’s Dr Andionne Parlade with special guest, Dr Ben Bravery, who shared his gritty personal story of cancer recovery and his insights on working towards human-centred healthcare as he navigated a career change to become a doctor in 2018. Ben’s memoir, ‘The Patient Doctor’, released in 2022 is recommended reading for anyone committed to change-making in our healthcare system.
Day Two!
Our COO Lisa Dubé Dube opened Day 2 of the MTPConnect Accelerator Showcase, and welcomed Dr Sophia Moscovis to the stage for an inspiring and motivational keynote “Are you getting in the way of your own success?’, reminding delegates that career journeys are not always linear, and “your potential expands the moment your self doubt gets out of the way”.
We were delighted to hear insights from Edwina Lim from Mimetic – MedTech Foundry, Dr Anand Gautam from G2OME Consulting, and Dr Alan Taylor, Clarity Pharmaceuticals on a panel ‘Beyond Unicorns: Building the Missing Middle in Australian Life Sciences Innovation’ moderated by MTPConnect’s Dr Elise Needham.
Tackling critical issues and solutions around ‘Funding Diversity, Smarter Capital, Stronger Returns’ were panellists Rachel Yang from Giant Leap, Roo Harris from Scale Investors and Anthony Liveris from Proto Axiom – moderated by MTPConnect’s Dr Dharmica Mistry.
It was great to have so many of our CTCM and TTRA innovators taking part in the Exhibitor Showcase Day 2 putting promising new products and solutions front and centre…REX Ortho, Endo Axiom, Deakin University (LISTEN), QUT, Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA), Inosi Therapeutics Pty Ltd, 4DMedical, Wavewise Analytics (Formerly Cyban), Lorikeet Therapeutics, Cardihab and Nanomedx.
Thanks to our amazing MC’s MTPConnect WA’s Dr Tracey Wilkinson and MTPConnect SA’s Dana Bell for keeping us on track.
And a big thank you to Michelle Lam for successfully managing the Showcase project over many months working with CTCM and TTRA teams and coordinating everyone.
Let’s Innovate. Accelerate. Celebrate!
