MTGT Launches National Call for Australia's Pathbreaking Healthcare Innovators

Melbourne, Australia – 25 July 2021: Yesterday, STC Australia announced the opening of applications for the 2021 National MedTech’s Got Talent Program. The program focuses on identifying and refining high-potential MedTech concepts from aspiring next generation early stage entrepreneurs and innovators associated with Australia’s world-class universities, hospitals and research institutes.

After three successful years in Victoria, the program has this year gone national and the competition is anticipated to be as fierce as ever.

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 that a home-grown Victorian 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.” – Laura Faulconer, COO of STC Australia.

Applications for the 2021 National round are now open and will close on the 25 August. Applications submitted before the 17 August will receive in-depth feedback* to greatly increase the chances of advancing to the Rapid Fire Round.

Selection Process:

  • The top applicants are invited to pitch at the Rapid Fire Rounds in Melbourne and Sydney (21 September 2021) where up to 20 teams plus 2 national wildcards advance to the next round
  • MedTech Bootcamp (28 September 2021) teams will undergo one week of intensive training and mentoring led by industry experts
  • Teams pitch their progress at The Eliminator (25 October 2021), where the top teams receive up to $1,000 and advance to The Finals
  • The Finals (30 November 2021) is a gala pitch dinner held in Melbourne where five finalists receive $20,000 each and a place in the Accelerated Technology Roadmapping phase
  • The Accelerated Technology Roadmapping (December 2021 – February 2018) program is an intense 6-week training program to get startups prepared to pitch for equity investment
  • The entire program culminates in the invite-only Investor Deal Pitch (20 March 2018) where the five finalists pitch to seed-stage MedTech investors, with the most investible team receiving an additional $40,000

For full program details, eligibility and to apply, visit www.medtechchallenge.com. MedTech’s Got Talent does not take equity or ownership in its portfolio.

The 2021 National MedTech’s Got Talent Program would not be possible without the generous support from our foundation partners: The Victorian State Government – Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, MTPConnect – the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical Industry Growth Centre, Australian Government – Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Artesian, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Macquarie University, Swinburne University, Baker IDI and the Burnet Institute. We would also like to thank our amazing sponsors: Cook Medical, Procept, Hydrix, Planet Innovation, MiniFAB, Wave Digital, Ingenuity Electronics Design, IDE Group, Design + Industry, Griffith Hack, ANDHealth, Brandwood Biomedical, Innermaven, Cogentum, Seedly, Australian Healthcare Solutions, Mobius Medical, BioMelbourne Network, FounderSuite, Melbourne Angels, Dialectica, Capstone Partners, Fab9, Vestech, F2F Communications, and Paul L Clark and Associates.

*Conditions Apply:
Must be an applicant from a partner institute to have access to the pre-submission review.
Can only obtain one pre-submission review per application.

Summary of STC Australia:
An Australian independent not-for-profit organisation with headquarters based in Melbourne. STC Australia sets a new global standard for medical technology commercialisation acceleration, deploying a dynamic, multi-faceted, integrated program that supports innovators and entrepreneurs to rapidly translate and commercialise new ideas into solutions and change the face of healthcare.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kaushalya Gunatilaka
+61 (0)404 255 715
[email protected]