// A record number of $20K innovation vouchers have been announced for 2020, mostly to med/health tech and resources tech…
Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly announced a record number of Innovation Vouchers Program (IVP) recipients across the State today, with funding for the program totalling almost $690,000.
The WA state government has awarded 36 vouchers, each valued up to $20,000, including an additional 16 vouchers to help respond to the impacts of COVID-19 on Western Australian businesses.
The IVP, part of the $16.7 million New Industries Fund, rewards exceptional WA startups and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that have developed innovative products, technologies or services.
The vouchers aim to help them commercialise their ideas and innovations through access to research providers and specialist commercialisation support services.
Applicants have to put up at least $5K to be awarded the $20K, so the projects are typically in the $25K range, and are usually spent on a local provider.
“The Innovation Vouchers Program is designed to help Western Australian businesses and individuals overcome the many hurdles that can lie on the path to commercialisation,” said Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly.
Dave Kelly
“The McGowan Government is committed to creating local jobs and providing assistance to the many Western Australian businesses and individuals impacted by COVID-19, and we’re very pleased to support a record 36 voucher recipients this year.
One of this year’s recipients, local robotics company Nexxis, are developing their ‘Magneto’ smart industrial robotic arm technology to improve technical support, testing and safety in mining, offshore oil and gas and industrial applications.
Another standout application from this year’s program was from medical technology start-up VeinTech which has designed a handheld ultraportable unit to help find veins faster and more accurately for cannulation.
Recipient’s innovations and ideas have the potential to bring an economic, social or environmental benefit to the State, as well as create local jobs and help diversify the economy.
The 36
- Active Aquila – SUTEC – Stand Up (or Sit Up) to empty
- Emergency Triage Services (ETS) – Remote telepresence and life support system development
- What the Doctor Said
- Dynamic Mining Innovations – Controlled Force Crusher
- Singular Health – Virtual Anatomy Academy – Immersive VR Medical Education
- Geoscience Data Management Systems – geoscience data collection, interpretation, management and visualisation
- Zipform Packaging – Project Pump
- Mine Tech Australia – SafeGuard Safety Statistics Data Sharing Capacity and App Functionality
- Inova Medical – Abcease: A novel kit for draining skin abscesses
- Medimodels – Alive airway trainer – for Nasendoscopy and intubation
- Ear Science Institute Australia – ClearDrum®: an acoustically-optimised silk implant to treat chronic middle-ear disease
- Digital Therapeutics Labs – BeatStepper
- Rubix Health – Digital Workflow App
- Sunovate – Remote & Mobile Photovoltaic Thermal (RAM PVT) System
- GET Trakka – Real-time Wear Monitoring for GET
- VeinTech – VeinWave: Improving first pass cannulation success
- Neurotologix – Digital health – Remote patient monitoring to diagnose dizziness
- Inspiring – Development of a novel universal spacer system for inhaled therapies
- CAPS Australia – National Asset Telemetry
- Force Hooks – Portable athlete testing system
- ARCS Group – Novel calibration chamber for efficient gas sensor calibration
- The EFT Playbook (for Couple Therapists) – Counselling training tool to reduce relationship distress/divorce in urban/regional/remote WA
- Diag-Nose medical – SinuSight product
- Oxidation Technologies – Enhanced refractory mineral oxidation process
- Wise Realities – Mental Health improvement through Virtual Reality Storytelling
- HealthRegen – Commercialisation Feasibility Studies of Diabetes Complementary Medicine Products
- Tan Ninety – 1TASK – Task Collaboration App for the Resources Industry
- Foodcubed – Foodcube Urban Farm
- Nexxis – Smart Industrial Robotic Arm
- Iron Matrix
- Better Nature Australia – PRC778, a novel, natural and safe headache relief product
- Rhinohide – vehicle body armour for on and off-road application
- Electro Nautic – WaveFlyer S1 Electric Hydrofoil Watercraft Rotomolded Hull
- SafeTTag – A safer electrical plug, safety device
- Backyard Industries – Backyard Bash, the world’s most advanced Cricket Wicket
- Fuselage Design – The Cat-Foil Stand-Up Paddle-board / Kayak
The largest category of awardees this year – perhaps not surprisingly with Covid-19 – was in the med/health field (16), followed by resources (10).
More information about the awards is available on the New Industries Fund website.
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MAIN PHOTO: Nexxis CEO Jason De Silveira, Minister for Innovation and ICT Hon. Dave Kelly MLA and Nexxis Business Development Manager Lina Velosa.
Disclosure: The New Industries Fund is a sponsor of Startup News.
