The Brisbane Economic Development Agency has selected 10 local businesses to take part in its inaugural MedTech Accelerator, with an aim to secure international investment and partners.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the program was set up to advance Brisbane’s growing health industry, to create jobs and drive economic growth for the city.

“Brisbane has a long, successful history leading world-changing innovation and we want to support the next generation to compete on a global scale,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Brisbane is a great place to live, work and relax but it’s also a great place to do business.

“These businesses have huge potential to make a difference locally and around the world.

“Brisbane is already being recognised globally as the host for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but this also presents opportunities to showcase our city and its talent outside of the sporting arenas.

“Right now, we have a great opportunity to accelerate key industries like MedTech, to create new jobs and resources that boost the local economy.”

Participants in the MedTech Accelerator will learn to create a strategy to target global partners for funding, collaboration and distribution deals.

The intensive program will culminate with a visit to San Francisco where participants will pitch to active investors at the RESI JP Conference at the JP Morgan Health Week.

The inaugural MedTech Accelerator cohort:

• Canaria Technologies which has produced a wearable device to monitor cognitive fatigue and heat stress which accounts for two thirds of all industrial accidents in Australia. 
• Clinials which uses AI to recruit participants for clinical trials, with pre-screening and eligibility checks to speed up the process.
• De Motu Cordis which is developing adrenaline-based technologies for the emergency medicine market.
• Eevi which manufactures personal medical alarms to help elderly people call for emergency care, while living independently.
• Field Orthopaedics which has designed orthopaedic implants such as the Microscrew and Nx Nail to repair complex fractures of the hand.
• Laronix which has developed a bionic voice box for people who have lost their voice after having their larynx removed. 
• Max Kelsen which provides a platform for healthcare and life-sciences organisations build and deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning into clinical practice
• Microbio which has developed a test to identify pathogens that cause sepsis, a life-threatening complication that claims the lives of 8,700 Australians every year.
• Midnight Health, a digital health platform to help patients access telehealth consultations, prescriptions, treatments, and other services.
• TickerCardiology, a platform to improve diagnostic cardiology services using cloud-based technology.