The state government has shown its support for the Western Australian early stage medtech community through its inaugural Innovation Seed Fund, a new program providing financial support for research applications.
West Leederville-based medtech company VeinTech is one of the 17 projects to share in the $8 million Seed Fund, receiving a total of $500,000 through the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund initiative.
The funding will help boost VeinTech development of their prototype VeinWave, a portable device small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, created to make the cannulation process easier and more effective for health practitioners and patients.
VeinTech chief technology officer and director Nickilesh Bappoo welcomes the recognition of WA medical science and innovation by the McGowan government.
We are so fortunate to receive this support, to speed up our path to market but also to show what the MedTech industry in Western Australia can provide – not just in better health outcomes, but also diversification of the economy, training and job creation in a high-value industry
Mr Nickilesh Bappoo, VeinTech chief technology officer
Other prototypes in the making include PainCheck, a tool for children with disabilities to use to able communicate when they are in pain.
Another innovation is What the Doctor Said, which aims to provide accessible and personalised home-care advice on opioid medication, from doctors and medical experts to hospital outpatients via mobile devices.
Innovation and Medical research minister Stephen Dawson says the investment in local innovators is vital in improving the wellbeing of the WA community.
“As a government, we want to improve the sustainability of the WA health system and position WA as a key player in health and medical research innovation,” Mr Dawson said.
“The Innovation Seed Fund provides an opportunity to diversify the WA economy and create health and medical innovation jobs.”
The McGowan government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund is supporting innovators in developing and commercialising ideas to create health sector jobs and enhance the production capacity in WA.
Major Research Application Support
Through the FHRI Fund, the McGowan government is offering the Major Research Application Support (MRAS) program to boost WA’s position to conduct high-quality research.
Applicants need to demonstrate how their project addresses a significant health issue in WA, builds capability in research, and has the potential to attract external funding to WA.
Successful applications supported by the MRAS will have the ability to undertake research to address significant health issues in WA.
Researchers with projects focused on Aboriginal and regional WA health issues are encouraged to apply as they are areas of importance in the FHRI Fund Act and Governance Framework.
Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes chairperson professor Jonathan Carapetis AM says the MRAS program will allow WA’s health and medical researchers to solve several health challenges.
“The MRAS program will give our researchers a competitive edge by providing crucial support to Western Australian submissions to major competitive co-funding programs,” he says.
“Increasing our state’s share of national and international competitive funding will drive more medical research discoveries and increase our capacity to improve the health and prosperity of all Western Australians.”
