Australia's largest medical device accelerator program, MedTech’s Got Talent, is on for another year.
The program is a challenge supporting emerging entrepreneurs to develop and refine skills in pitching a business concept, developing a technology roadmap and launching commercialisation activities for their medical technology innovations.
Entrepreneurs will receive support to develop an investible startup pitch, developing a go-to-market strategy, and initiating commercial activities. Participants will vie for over $160,000 in cash prizes plus critical support, such as mentoring from Australia’s leading commercialisation and technology experts.
“We are incredibly excited to be taking MedTech’s Got Talent national this year. Our mission is to support our homegrown talent within their local innovation ecosystems, and with the incredible successes achieved by our alumni, we are eager to see the game-changing ideas sure to emerge this year,” said Dr Buzz Palmer – CEO of STC Australia.
Victoria’s Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Philip Dalidakis, said he is proud a home-grown innovation program is going national, having set the standard for nurturing Australian MedTech entrepreneurship.
“Victoria’s medtech and pharmaceutical sector is booming, generating $12.7 billion in revenue annually and employing 23,000 people in more than 650 companies from small startups to large Victorian exporters and global manufacturers,” said Mr Dalidakis.
“We believe that in MedTech’s Got Talent, we have built an excellent proving ground for emerging biomedical innovations. Victoria has proven to be fertile grounds for promising talent – I am confident that the national program will create an even stronger pipeline of successes,” added Laura Faulconer, COO of STC Australia.
The top applicants have been invited to pitch at the Rapid Fire Rounds in Melbourne and Sydney on 21 September. Up to 20 teams plus two national wildcards advance to the next round.
The Finals, to be held on 30 November 2017, is a gala pitch dinner held in Melbourne where five finalists receive $20,000 each and a place in the Accelerated Technology Roadmapping phase.