MedTech Bites April 2019 – edited by Jeanette Donnelly

April sees two exciting new initiatives in our ecosystem that will benefit the medtech sector in the long-term.

Callaghan Innovation recently launched its Scale-Up NZ free online platform to help connect the dots between innovative businesses, investors and incubators. Companies are able to showcase their technologies and organisations so that they canbe discovered more easily by potential investors, R&D and business partners. The platform captures all of New Zealand’s industry sectors including medtech. Check out Scale-UP NZ if you have not already, as it is a goldmine of information. Quoting Vic Crone, CEO of Callaghan Innovation at the launch event: “Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation.”

On that note, Women in Health Tech (WIHT) held its launch event in mid-April in Auckland. WIHT is a collaboration between the Medical Technology Association NZ (MTANZ), NZ Health IT (NZHIT) and the CMDT/MedTech CoRE. It brings together women and diversity at all levels from companies and researchers in health technology across New Zealand to make culture change via organisational opportunities and leadership.
The “christening” networking event attracted an audience of 80 and opened a conversation around non-traditional career pathways, which are becoming more common for many women. Deloitte’s Director Bev Cassidy-McKenzie -a world expert in diversity and inclusion – discussed the increasing how organisations need to be aware and accommodating of this if they want to diversify their workforce. Dr Catherine Mohr, Vice President of Strategy at Intuitive Surgical, illustrated this point very nicely drawing from her personal journey. After spending many years developing da Vinci surgical robots she now heads Intuitive Surgical’s philanthropic arm. Although based in the US, Catherine finds the time to help mentor medtech research teams and start-ups in New Zealand as a member of the MedTech CoRE Advisory Board.

Finally, with graduation ceremonies happening around New Zealand in April and May, the MedTech CoRE would like to congratulate its postgraduate students starting out on the next phase of life. The CoRE is now seeing a pipeline of PhD graduates moving into industry and academia. Prashanna Khwaounjoo, one of our bright shining stars is profiled in this newsletter. Alongside academic training, the CoRE has initiated an internship programme, “Talent Transitioning” to help our post-graduates gain experience in industry. The CoRE is always interested to hear from companies wanting to be a partner to this programme.

For further reading
https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/scaleup-nz
https://new-zealand.globalfinder.org/
https://www.cio.co.nz/article/660208/innovation-doesn-t-happen-isolation/
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1904/S00056/women-in-healthtech-launched.htm

Dr Diana Siew
CMDT Co-Chair and Associate Director of MedTech CoRE

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