MedTech’s Got Talent: Are you Australia’s next MedTech rising star?

Wave Digital is proud – and excited – to announce our affiliation with the 2017 National MedTech’s Got Talent accelerator program (MTGT).

In its third year, MTGT identifies high-potential MedTech concepts from start-ups across the country and fosters them from, often, just early-stage ideas through to working concepts that can be used in hospitals, universities and research institutes the world over. MedTech start-ups will vie for $160,000 in cash prizes and priceless critical professional support in the areas of marketing, development, commercialisation and technology from some of the country’s leaders in each field.

Wave Digital is this year’s MTGT technology partner, which means we’ll work with early-stage entrepreneurs to help them validate and bring to life their MedTech ideas and innovations. “We’re honoured to be chosen as one of the 2017 MTGT technology partners,’’ says Wave Digital’s MD Guy Cooper. “We have more than 15 years helping entrepreneurs and businesses, including a number of MedTech clients, to create successful digital products and, this year, we get to share this extensive experience in digital product strategy, design and development with some of Australia’s most promising MedTech talent.” “MedTech is the intersection of traditional medical devices and technology,‘’ adds Guy, “and it is one of the most significant and meaningful areas of research on the planet at the moment because it helps better – and sometimes extend – human lives and the quality of our lives. What could be more important?”

MTGT, which is managed by MedTech incubator STC Australia, previously ran only in Victoria but this year the prestigious entrepreneurship program goes national. It is already Australia’s largest MedTech start-up competition. So, how does it work? “There are a few stages,’’ says Guy Cooper whose passion for health can be traced back to his time as an Army Reserve medic and, later, as personal trainer and practitioner. 

“We’ll then cull the entries down to a handful based on the ideas, viability and technology, before it goes to a rapid-fire round where the finalists pitch their innovations to us and four or five other partners.’’ After that, “we’ll choose who we want to work with and mentor them into the next phase of the process where there will be another culling of applicants leaving us with a final shortlist of five potentials.” These five candidates will each receive $20,000 in funding and, after a few more months of mentoring from various partners, including ourselves as technology partners, “they’ll pitch their ideas again,’’ says Guy Cooper, “but this time it will be for real cash to real investors within the MedTech space.” For more information, visit http://medtechchallenge.com/