- Innovation Seed Fund provides investment for health and medical start-ups
- $4,312,665 in funding shared by nine successful applicants
- Supported by the State’s Future Health Research and Innovation Fund
Nine health and medical start-up companies will share in more than $4.3 million to advance innovations with commercial potential to attract further investment.
The 2022-23 Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund Innovation Seed Fund supports WA innovators to develop and commercialise their concepts, create high-level health sector jobs and enhance the production/manufacturing capacity of Western Australia.
Among the recipients is WA start-up company EarFlo (EarBuddy Pty Ltd), which is developing a device to non-invasively treat glue ear in young children. Disguised as a sippy cup, the device will help children avoid developmental delay and costly, invasive grommet surgery.
Led by Dr Intan Oldakowska, the development of the EarFlo device will also build manufacturing capacity and experience that can be used for future medical device innovations in WA, while supporting the diversification of the State’s economy.
Funding has also been awarded to VitalTrace’s Dr Lee Hubble, to develop a commercialisation-ready and clinically compatible foetal monitoring biosensor (DelivAssure) to improve maternal and foetal outcomes in childbirth.
DelivAssure will help clinicians to easily identify foetal distress during labour, allowing them to take early action to prevent complications such as brain damage, and reduce unnecessary C-sections.
Another recipient, Dr Samantha South is improving therapeutic delivery to slow or even halt Alzheimer’s disease progression, and Professor Peter Leedman is developing a novel RNA-based therapy for liver cancer.
For the full list of recipients in the 2022-23 FHRI Fund’s Innovation Seed Fund program, visit the FHRI Fund page.
Comments attributed to Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:
“On behalf of the Cook Government, I am thrilled to announce the recipients of the FHRI Fund’s Innovation Seed Fund.
“These start-ups have the potential to change lives, and this funding will help them secure capital and develop into sustainable businesses.
“The Innovation Seed Fund is all about building the number of local health and medical innovation start-ups, and supporting them to take their groundbreaking ideas to market.
“Congratulations to the nine 2022-23 Innovation Seed Fund recipients.”
