Australia’s national science agency CSIRO announced the commencement of its Innovate to Grow program, a free 10-week online initiative aimed at propelling innovation in digital health and medical technologies, specifically catering to start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The program, designed to guide SMEs through the complexities of research and development (R&D), offers businesses operating in critical sectors an opportunity to advance their technological solutions and ideas, the agency said in a news release.
Professor Susie Nilsson, Biomedical Manufacturing Research Director at CSIRO, emphasised the program’s significance in fostering meaningful collaboration between research organisations and SMEs.
“Developing a sustainable product in the digital health and medical technology sectors is a challenging and often underestimated process,” the professor noted.
The program, set to kick off on 14 March 2024, provides participants with a chance to collaborate with mentors from CSIRO or universities, addressing both technical and business challenges.
Participants will gain valuable insights into navigating stringent testing and product development processes, learning how R&D collaboration can transform a research idea into a tangible opportunity.
Liz Crompton, SME Connect Program Advisor, highlighted the success of Innovate to Grow, noting, “To date, Innovate to Grow has equipped over 500 businesses with the knowledge and tools to advance their ideas, with many program alumni initiating R&D projects with research organisations like CSIRO within 12 months of completing the program.”
The program is open to a limited number of SMEs working in digital health sub-sectors such as therapeutics and care, health system analytics, biomedical informatics, and data modeling, among others.
Additionally, medical technology sub-sectors including diagnostics, biosensors, biomedical devices, drug discovery, and vaccines and biologic therapeutics are considered.
Applications for CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Digital Health and Medical Technology program will close on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
The program also opens doors to potential dollar-matched R&D funding through the CSIRO Kick-Start program.
Applications for CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Digital Health and Medical Technology program close on Sunday, 18 February 2024.
