The AUScelerate Podcast

Micro-X's patented X-ray technology is smaller, lighter, faster and more precise than anything the world has seen before, creating new opportunities for industries. 

The company, based at the Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide, has developed a mobile X-ray platform manufactured in Australia and sold around the world. 

Now it is using this lightweight tech to create the world's first portable stroke head CT scanner, small enough to fit in an ambulance or retrieval aircraft using precise imaging to diagnose stroke patients before reaching hospital, giving patients access to treatment sooner and increasing their chances of su...

One of the challenges we face in Australia is getting more homegrown medtech products purchased and used by local hospitals and health services. 

AUScelerate’s Pathway to Market – Medtech Capability Uplift Program has been supporting seven market-ready Victorian medtech innovations to position themselves competitively for local health procurement opportunities. 

The recent Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA) Medtech Showcase profiled Victorian-made products and innovations from 21 local manufacturers spanning surgical care and diagnostics to hospital consumables and equipment. From advanced lung imaging, a live patient monitoring system to solve pressure injury to a sophisticated AI screening tool to pro...

Two in three Australians experience sleeping difficulties which can have profound impacts on health and wellbeing, at home and in the workplace.

In this episode dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP), we meet Dr Sumedha Verma, a clinical psychologist and sleep expert, and the founder of Deep Sleep Health. It’s a new evidence-based sleep help service that brings together patient care, workforce training, and workplace solutions to reduce insomnia and improve sleep health across clinical, community and corporate settings. Taking a hybrid model of clinician-led support combined with digital programs. 

Dr Verma has...

The WA Grant Excellence Service - or WAGES - is a new three-year initiative running in Western Australia (WA), supporting researchers, innovators and start-ups to improve the competitiveness of applications to national grant funding programs. It’s helping to build WA’s health and medical research and innovation capacity and capability, working in conjunction with WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (WALSIH).

WAGES is delivered by MTPConnect in partnership with WA-based Synergy Health Solutions and supported by the Western Australian Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.

In this episode, we meet the team behind WAGES –MTPConnect’s Dr Tra...

It was after an email exchange with Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr Kati Kariko, that Dr Anushi Rajapaska had a lightning moment and decided to back her research innovation – founding Mellbourne-based startup Misti to develop a ‘smart inhaler’ based on acoustofluidics. It’s engineered to deliver a wide range of biomolecules—including mRNA, antibodies, small molecules, and antigens. 

It’s a first-in-class solution for both chronic and infectious respiratory conditions using super-sonic sound waves to generate ultra-fine aerosol for lung delivery of respiratory medications. While smart circuitry enables breath-triggered dosing and seamless digital integration.

Anushi joins the pod...

If you’re a medtech company looking to take your innovation to the US and want some tips on US regulatory strategy, listen in as this podcast episode is for you.

As part of MTPConnect’s support for the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program, MTPConnect brought US regulatory expert Jeff Gibbs to Australia for a three-city tour for a seminar and workshop ‘Navigating FDA Pathways for Medical Devices’. 

Jeff is a Director at Hyman Phelps and McNamara – the largest law firm specialising in FDA issues, based in Washington DC, and brings his 40 years of expertise wor...

Dr Jordan Nguyen - world-renowned AI and biomedical engineer, inventor, TV documentary presenter and author of A HUMAN'S GUIDE TO THE FUTURE presented a thought-provoking keynote at MTPConnect’s Accelerator Showcase in Melbourne recently. 

Jordan joins the MTPConnect podcast to discuss innovations in disability and aged care from his social business Psykinetic, where biomedical technology, AI, extended reality and robotics are applied to create inclusive technologies with positive and life-altering impact.  He shares his move from Resmed to set up his inclusive tech company Psykinetic, discusses his innovations including a mind-controlled wheelchair, and the importance of user-centred desi...

Are you developing a medical science innovation and need funding for your venture? 

MTPConnect and Wholesale Investor are collaborating on a dedicated capital engagement program designed for life science companies looking for private investment. 

Wholesale Investor Co-Founder and Managing Director Steve Torso is behind one of the largest capital raising platforms in Australia, and he joins the podcast to talk about how the MTPConnect Investor Ready program can help life science companies develop an investor network, build a skill base in investor communications and avoid some of the pitfalls when engaging with investors.

Tessara Therapeutics, a pioneering biotech start-up based in Melbourne, has developed a platform which creates 3D human brain models using stem cells.

Its RealBrain technology generates reproducible, scalable micro-tissues that mimic the complexity of the human brain. Ready to accelerate neural drug discovery – without using animal models.

From working with CSIRO’s Kickstart program, receiving a CRC-P grant with Xylo Bio, and the University of Sydney  to develop neuroplastogens to research the treatment of addiction disorders and inking a new agreement with Swiss based InSphero, Tessara Therapeutics is helping to unlock human neuroscience. 

Joinin...

One of the challenges we face in Australia is getting more homegrown medtech products purchased and used by local hospitals and health services. 

MTPConnect’s Pathway to Market – Medtech Capability Uplift Program has been supporting ten market-ready Victorian medtech manufacturers to position themselves competitively for local health procurement opportunities. 

The recent Australian Medtech Manufacturing Alliance (AMMA) Medtech Showcase profiled Victorian-made products and innovations from 25 local manufacturers spanning surgical care and diagnostics to hospital consumables and equipment. From a new nasal swab designed for children to smart bedding systems for aged care and healthcare sectors, the lineup...

Professor Sharath Sriram was recently appointed as the new Chief Scientist of WA, providing independent, expert advice to the WA Government on topics important to the future of science and technology in the State. At our WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub’s Spotlight event he joined MTPConnect’s Dr Tracey Wilkinson for a fireside chat sharing his vision for science and technology in WA, his ambitions for the three years ahead, and insights from his first few months in the role.

Accomplished nanotech researcher and commercialisation champion, Professor Sharath spent 16 years at RMIT University in Melbourne most rece...

To mark our 200th episode, we are taking you into Space to discover the benefits of microgravity for health and medical research and its real-world applications. Can we use space technology to advance medical discoveries to improve health here on earth? And should we be doing more to connect our life science sector innovators into Australia’s space research sector?

We meet leading Australian superstars working at the intersection of space and health technologies at MTPConnect SA’s Insights Series event “What’s Your Place in Space’, celebrating Australian Space Week in Adelaide.

Australia’...

As the world’s largest biotech partnering event took place in Boston in June, MTPConnect was there introducing an Australian delegation to the Boston ecosystem, hosting business events to drive international collaborations and leading the Australian Pavilion to highlight Australia's fast-growing life sciences sector to the international biotech industry.

Our CEO Stuart Dignam was on the ground to find out why people are making the trip to BIO and what the buzz is all about. 

In this episode, Stuart speaks to Brent Owens, co-founder of Ballarat-based Vitrafy Life Sciences – a company pioneering cryopreservation technology and Brent...

Queensland Health is one of the largest employers in the state with some 130,000 full-time employees, geographically dispersed with 16 hospitals and health services across the country. 

The Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) hosts the ‘Queensland Health Research Excellence Showcase’ to celebrate how translating research into practice is advancing medical research, workforce development and healthcare. 

The Showcase’s theme - Fast, Fearless and Future – is a unique opportunity for Queensland Health employees to promote their translation-ready research. 

MTPConnect partnered with ORI to deliver a research poster and pitch session for the Showcase – attracting more than 40 entri...

Medical device innovator Laronix aims to give people who have had their larynx removed due to laryngeal cancer, their voice back. And not a robotic voice, but a natural sounding voice for both men and women where even laughing and singing is possible.

The pioneering company has worked with speech pathologists and surgeons around the world to develop the world’s first smart, wearable (non-invasive), electronic voice box - the first new voice technology in forty years! It uses the power of AI and a person’s respiration signals to generate a natural-sounding voice.

In this...

In a special series dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) we introduce you to some of the passionate health professionals taking part in this 12-month program to develop their innovative ideas into products and enterprises.

Ibrahim Samaan is a senior physiotherapist and Managing Director of Purifas, an award-winning company developing and manufacturing clinically proven hygienic products for allied healthcare - like its FaceShield - now available in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK. 

The company is now branching out to develop a new innovation - Recyclable Single-use Hospital Bed Linen f...

In a special series dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) we introduce you to some of the passionate health professionals taking part in this 12-month program to develop their innovative ideas into products and enterprises.

Dr Monica Hadges is a Clinical Educator and Mental Health Therapist and founder of Mi Team Mental Health. Monica’s digital health innovation, I-CiE Mi Team, is an app for client involved e-collaboration giving consumers and families easy access to participate in clinical review dialogues about their care.

Monica shares her start-up journey which began with th...

In a special series dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) we introduce you to some of the passionate health professionals taking part in this 12-month program to develop their innovative ideas into products and enterprises.

Dr Yagiz Aksoy is a Resident Doctor at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and co-founder and Director of EosGene Therapeutics, a startup developing a pioneering light-activated gene therapy for diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration using proprietary drug delivery technology – removing the need for painful eye injections.

Yagiz explains how taking part in AUSCEP helped him shift from be...

In a special series dedicated to the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program (AUSCEP) we introduce you to some of the passionate health professionals taking part in this 12-month program to develop their innovative ideas into products and enterprises. 

Elleesha King is a registered nurse and ambulance paramedic, and founder of Pulsatile Innovations, a start-up developing a medical device called Pulse Tile™ to reduce delays to CPR and defibrillation. She takes us on the journey of turning her idea into reality and explains how taking part in AUSCEP and meeting like-minded entrepreneurs has paid off in spades.  www.thepulsetile.com<...

From scientific breakthrough to compelling headline - how do medtech and biotech start-ups developing new medical products tell their stories to attract investors, partners and public attention?

Profile Media hosted a development workshop for a group of medtech startups through MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech accelerator program…helping innovation companies develop a story that goes beyond complex science and is relatable to mainstream media and investors. 

Sue Papadoulis is a journalist and founder of Profile Media and joins the podcast to share some valuable insights on how start-ups can develop a compelling public profi...

Jeff Gibbs is a Director at Hyman Phelps and McNamara – the largest law firm specialising in FDA issues, based in Washington DC. With four decades of FDA expertise he delivers crucial insights for medical technology companies aiming to crack the US market. Peaking to the podcast during his national tour for the MTPConnect seminar series, this US-based regulatory veteran shares his strategic tips on the FDA submission process, and discusses the dramatically shifting FDA landscape that could make or break your US market entry strategy. 

Whether you're developing breakthrough medical technology or refining existing solutions, this epi...

Medical Alley is a powerhouse in global healthcare innovation, connecting startups and Fortune 100 companies to transform healthcare solutions. Headquartered in Minnesota, it’s one of the world’s largest medtech clusters.

At the 2024 MedTech Conference in Canada, MTPConnect and Medical Alley renewed an MOU to strengthen collaboration and support for Australian medtech companies looking to expand internationally.

Now, Medical Alley is launching a game-changing online training program, Medical Alley Academy, designed to help innovators move into the US market - a great opportunity for Australian companies to tap into.

Joining Caroline Duel...

Dive into another episode coming to you from MTPConnect’s Development Workshop Series held recently in Sydney for 52 start-up organisations from around Australia. The 2-day program was a terrific opportunity for companies participating in our Accelerator programs to get ‘investor ready’.

Exportia Australia’s Christelle Damiens, an entrepreneur and award-winning author, shared her insights in the workshop “Accessing Global Markets”. Christelle is described as the go-to person for Australian companies looking to expand into the European market and she shared her methodologies, winning strategies and key learnings from more than 20 years of business development in Europe. 

Christelle...

This episode is coming to you from MTPConnect’s Development Workshop Series held in Sydney for 52 start-up organisations from around Australia. The 2-day program was a terrific opportunity for companies participating in our Accelerator programs to get ‘investor ready’.

Advisory firm Intrinsika’s workshop, ‘Finding Your Intrinsic Value’, focused on how to reframe a company’s value beyond the financials, by identifying and maximising unique assets and pitching this value to investors.  

Intrinsika’s Brett Kensett-Smith and Michael Masterson joined host Caroline Duell at the event to discuss the importance of differentiating your company to captur...

The Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator, established through MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator for cardiovascular disease and diabetes on behalf the Medical Research Future Fund, is a research centre with a bold vision to deliver new health outcomes in coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke.

Through clinical impact and entrepreneurship, an Australian wide network of academics, institutions, and industry partners are driving a high potential research portfolio and an education and training program with a commercialisation focus.

We talk to stroke and heart research experts Professor Geoffrey Donnan AO and Professor Jason Ko...

We meet Dr Daniel Timms, the Australian biomechanical engineer behind BiVACOR who has dedicated his life to developing a titanium Total Artificial Heart (TAH) to restore the lives of people with end-stage heart failure, a disease that impacted his own family.

It’s a 25-year quest that has taken him from a PhD at QUT, developing the device with his father in his parent’s kitchen in Queensland, to collaborating with experts around the world and expanding operations to the US on his mission to save lives.

In 2024 Daniel made history in Texas, with the firs...

As World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) kicked off around the globe, the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network (AAMRNet) was meeting in Canberra to explore how Australia can better support the development of and access to new antimicrobial technologies. 

Key clinicians, researchers, industry and government representatives gathered to discuss how a subscription-style funding model for new antimicrobials might be adapted to be fit-for-purpose in Australia.

It’s an idea turned into reality by the UK’s National Health Service (the NHS) after it successfully piloted a world-first subscription reimbursement model, with the goal to improve access to mu...

It’s World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) and the theme is "Educate. Advocate. Act now". It’s a yearly global campaign, raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and promoting ways to reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections. 

To mark the occasion, MTPConnect’s Andrew Bowskill, Co-chair of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance Network, AAMRNet, and Anne Harris, Managing Director of Pfizer Australia and New Zealand join host Caroline Duell to discuss new approaches to fighting superbugs. Why it needs to be tackled holistically with a ‘One Health’ approach across all sectors, including the environment, animal health and agriculture...

As thousands in the medical technology sector headed to Toronto, Canada for The MedTech 2024 Conference, MTPConnect was making sure that the 18 companies and organisations joining the Australian delegation were given opportunities to showcase their capabilities and make valuable US and international connections with a stopover in the medtech hub of Minnesota, before hitting Toronto.

In this podcast special from North America, our MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam caught up with Kylle Jordan from Destination Medical Centre at the Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester Minnesota ahead of the Medtech conference to find out more about the 20-year initiative underway...

In July 2024, MTPConnect was selected to deliver a new $28.5 million investment for Drugs and Devices, which builds on the legacy of the inaugural TTRA program.

The objective of TTRA Drugs and Devices is to accelerate development and commercialisation of promising drugs and medical devices into products that can reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and complications of diabetes for patients, carers, families and community.

TTRA Drugs and Devices is now calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI), to fund eligible Australian start-ups, spin-outs and SMEs to develop innovative preventative, diagnostic, therapeutic and/or disease management drugs...

Omico is leading Australia’s largest cancer genomics initiative –giving 23,000 Australians nationwide with advanced or incurable cancers, access to genomic profiling to detect unique genetic variations in their tumours to identify potential matches to new targeted treatments options. It is opening up new treatment pathways, extending lives and attracting more international trials to Australia.

Professor David Thomas, renowned for his groundbreaking work in precision oncology, is the founder and Chief Science and Strategy Officer of Omico - the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre. 

In this episode, host Caroline Duell speaks with Profe...

Biocom California is the US state’s advocate for the life sciences industry with a network of over 1700 members. With offices located in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Washington, D.C, and Tokyo the group is focused on building international collaborations and networks to bring new medicines to patients.

MTPConnect recently signed an MoU with Biocom California during a visit to San Diego for the 2024 BIO Convention to strengthen ties between the US and Australian life sciences sector. 

In this episode, MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam joins host Caroline Duell to chat wit...

Back in June, MTPConnect led the Australian delegation at BIO 2024 in San Diego organising a range of activities to showcase Australia’s innovative life sciences sector to the international biotech industry. With a powerful #TeamAustralia focus and a 500-strong delegation from Australia, BIO2024 was the biggest and best ever! 

In this BIO Bites episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Stuart Dignam catch up with Australian and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers doing business at BIO and find out what all the buzz is about at the world's largest biotech partnering event. 

We take a tour around San...

Back in June, MTPConnect led the Australian delegation at BIO 2024 in San Diego organising a range of activities to showcase Australia’s innovative life sciences sector to the international biotech industry. With a powerful #TeamAustralia focus and a 500-strong delegation from Australia, BIO2024 was the biggest and best ever! 

In this BIO Bites episode, hosts Caroline Duell and Stuart Dignam catch up with Australian and global companies, entrepreneurs and researchers doing business at BIO and find out what all the buzz is about at the world's largest biotech partnering event. 

We take you to the Aust...

Diabetes affects one in 20 people. An important initiative to set up a ‘virtual’ emergency department designed for people living with diabetes has launched in Melbourne, Victoria during National Diabetes Week, with the aim of preventing unnecessary trips to hospital. 

The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service will be added to the existing Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) giving patients 24/7 online video access to emergency nurses and doctors. As a world first, this new model of care will add a roster of diabetes specialists on weekend and evening shifts, when diabetes patients are most likely to present to a h...

ARM Hub is a technology adoption hub based in Brisbane, with a focus on robotics, AI and design for manufacture for biomedical, energy and defence industries.

The not for profit was recently appointed as one of four AI Adopt Centres by the Government to provide a service for SMEs that demonstrates how data and AI can modernise business, build skills and boost productivity. ARM Hub is also leading the Australian Manufacturing Capability Network (AMCN) as an Industry Partner Organisation for the Industry Growth Program to help participating small and medium businesses bring new products and services to...

The Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program aims to boost commercialisation of home-grown medical products. It is delivered by MTPConnect on behalf of the Medical Research Future Fund.

WA-based VitalTrace is one of the companies participating in the CTCM program and developing a groundbreaking medical device to revolutionise fetal monitoring during childbirth. The company has set up an Australian-based manufacturing facility, received FDA Breakthrough device designation and will soon start its first clinical trial with mothers and babies. 

Joining host Caroline Duell on the podcast is Dr Chuong Phan, VitalTrace’s Man...

Back in 2022, the Government of Western Australia issued a global challenge for a world-leading medical research and innovation solution to resolve a pressing problem of health service delivery in the remote Pilbara region.

Ten projects were selected as finalists and given 12 months proof of concept funding to deliver their solution on the ground in the Pilbara. With the competition ending in October, the best solution will be selected to take home the $5 million prize supported by WA government’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, Rio Tinto and BHP. 

To give us...

The Australian Stroke & Heart Research Accelerator (ASHRA) was established in early 2022 as part of the Targeted Translation Research Accelerator – a program delivered by MTPConnect for the Medical Research Future Fund.

This is a research centre with a difference. Lead by Australia’s foremost heart and stroke researchers, ASHRA is aiming to transform the field of cardiovascular and stroke research in Australia by bringing a new sector-wide focus on clinical impact and entrepreneurship.

ASHRA’s Director, Professor Clara Chow in Sydney and ASHRA’s Deputy Director Professor Stephen Nicholls...