Message from the CEO

It was pleasing to see the release this month of the Australian Government’s Strategic Examination of Research and Development final report. Its title, Ambitious Australia, is an accurate reflection of our sector’s challenge – there is no time to waste and boldness is the order of the day when it comes to getting more value from our health and medical research.

Life sciences is one of the most under-leveraged strengths of the Australian economy and while well-positioned for success, we know there are unique challenges that exist in realising the full commercial and local manufacturing potential of our innovative health and medical ideas.

Funding for commercialisation support for early-stage companies, building sector capabilities, cementing collaborations between industry and research and building durable international partners to open-up new markets are initiatives which can make a real difference in bringing life-saving medical products from ‘bench to bedside’ – initiatives that MTPConnect is championing - and they’re exactly what ‘Ambitious Australia’ talks about.

The review panel; Robyn Denholm, Ian Chubb, Fiona Wood and Kate Cornick have consulted widely and well. Their report, and its recommendations are well worth your time. 

One of the issues raised in the report is the need for reform of procurement pathways for Australian products. The current geopolitical tensions and market shocks have once again sharpened our focus on the importance of sovereign manufacturing and robust supply chains.

And this is where our Pathway to Market program in Victoria is making a real difference. It’s about giving life science innovators the opportunity to get more home-grown medtech products purchased and used by local hospitals and health services.

We know that being “procurement ready” requires more than just a strong product so we’re pleased to have announced the new 2026 cohort. Congratulations to seven medtech companies taking part in the program, who are addressing critical healthcare challenges spanning infection prevention, chronic disease management, AI-enabled patient monitoring, medication safety and advanced diagnostics.

Our thanks to the Victorian government for backing this AMMA initiative. This is the second year we have rolled out our sought-after Pathway to Market Program which provides capability assessments, tailored practical workshops and expert insights to help SMEs get ready to navigate the Victorian Government’s procurement pathway. We are working on taking this very successful program to other states, so watch this space.

And we are currently taking applications from medtech companies that are keen to be exhibitors at the AMMA Medtech Showcase in May, which we deliver in partnership with BioMelbourne Network.

Our work on antimicrobial resistance continues in earnest, with AAMRNet co-chair Andrew Bowskill in Brussels this week for the first face-to-face meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Civil Society Task Force on AMR. The agenda includes an open session with the European Economic and Social Committee of the European Parliament. And in the Australian Parliament last week, Andrew met with independent MPs Dr Sophie Scamps, Allegra Spender, Dr Monique Ryan, Nicolette Boele and Zali Steggall in Canberra to discuss Australia's limited access to the newest antibiotics and how a subscription-style reimbursement mechanism could be a practical solution to the problem.

There was a strong response to our second funding round of Targeted Translation Research Accelerator initiative for medtech innovators in heart disease and diabetes and applications have just closed. Awardees will be selected and notified in next few months.

Looking to global health forums and supporting international trade, we are bringing you some premier activities at BIO International Convention in San Diego, so save these dates and start planning!

MTPConnect is once again organising our annual two-day, pre-conference site visit program  which will include visits to multinational companies and industry organisations, access to market intelligence and insights and exclusive networking events with the San Diego innovation ecosystem (18-19 June).  

Tickets will be available soon for the flagship BIO event -- our American Australian Association & MTPConnect BIO 2026 Dinner on Sunday 21 June. This unique evening will allow you to network and engage with corporate, government and sector leaders from across Australia, the U.S. and around the world.

And we are delighted to be hosting MTPConnect’s 4th women’s leadership event on 23 June where we will gather for a workshop to explore strategic networking as a competitive advantage in Global Life Sciences. Limited places will be available, so don’t miss out. 

We’re also pleased to be supporting Austrade’s Australian Clinical Trials Initiative and looking forward to being involved in a great event for the California Roadshow on 17-18 June with our partner Biocom California.

We are taking EOIs for our delegation to The Medtech Conference in Boston (October). Plans for BIO Middle East (May) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are currently on hold due to the security situation in the Middle East.

I’ve recently been in China building life science connections in Shanghai and Suzhou and took part in a panel session at Bio China focusing on cross-border collaboration, with support from the team at Boson Ventures.

Great to visit the Shanghai Chamber of Biopharmaceutical Commerce for some constructive discussions about opportunities for collaboration to deepen links between Australia and China and very pleased to visit with Z.P. Chen from Shengsheng International.

We were also honoured to be hosted by the Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee. If you haven’t heard about the BioBAY precinct there, it is an incredible innovation district in Suzhou that’s a hub for biomedical innovation, supporting discovery, translation and commercialisation of innovative medicines and devices.

My fellow Bio China panellist, Misti founder Dr Anushi Rajapaksa, is also the guest on our latest episode of the MTPConnect Podcast. Misti is a Melbourne startup with activities in China and a US footprint, developing smart inhalers based on unique technology that can deliver biologics via inhalation for respiratory care.

And we are rolling out full-house workshops for our WA Grant Excellence Service (WAGES) with another event taking registrations in late April. We have welcomed Karen Tucek on board as part of our team in Western Australia, supporting WAGES.  

With more compelling events coming up next month and beyond, you’ll find all the details below.

Kind regards,

Stuart Dignam
Chief Executive Officer 

MTPConnect & Industry News

Save these dates for MTPConnect's premier activities at this year's BIO international Convention 2026 in San Diego from 18-25 June 2026

Take the opportunity to showcase your Life Sciences organisation by sponsoring a Team Australia activity at BIO 2026 - download the Sponsorship Prospectus

Join the AMMA Medtech Showcase 2026 on 7 May 2026 at Aerial, South Wharf, Melbourne. Exhibitor EOIs extended until 7 April 2026

Read MTPConnect's response to the Albanese Government's Examination of Research and Development report

Find out about our recent visit to China with Boson Ventures to build connections with the Life Sciences Sector, with our CEO Stuart Dignam joining a panel session at BIO CHINA

We announced the medtech companies selected for the 2026 Pathway to Market Program and they took part in our recent Medtech Selling to Health Masterclass highlighting procurement journey challenges

Register to join us at our next WAGES event, Commercialisation Grant Development Workshop on 22 April 2026. We also had a full house at our March WAGES workshop.

We are seeking experienced researchers to join our WA Grant Excellence Service as Expert Peer Reviewers - register your interest

Our Industry Growth Program (IGP) Networking Breakfast series, Translating Science to Success, wrapped up in Melbourne with a great turnout and a though provoking keynote from Lindo Group about the journey to securing an IGP grant.

Listen to our latest MTPConnect Podcast episode with Misti Founder and CEO Dr Anushi Rajapaksa!

Find out how we support startups and SMES through our latest video - Innovation to Impact Stories - from MTPConnect's CTCM and TTRA programs

Congratulations to Tessara Therapeutics, together with Chromos Labs, Quantum Brilliance and Axol Bioscience Ltd., for securing a $2 million Critical Technologies Challenge Program (CTCP) grant to develop a quantum-enabled platform for neurological drug development. We recently interviewed CEO Christos Papadimitriou on the MTPConnect Podcast. 

Sector Opportunities

• NSW Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund is now open - apply by 29 April 2026
   

• Australian Clinical Trials Initiative: the Australian advantage, California, Utah and Arizona USA: Austrade is inviting Australian companies with capabilities across clinical research to participate in two multi-city, clinical trials roadshows prior to BIO 2026, to highlight the advantages of undertaking clinical trial activities in Australia. Register expressions of interest by 14 April. Fees to participate. Find out more

• US-based Medical Alley has created two Market Access Accelerator offerings, designed to address the majority of questions they receive in a format that also allows personalised advisory from our leading content experts.  Learn more about 2026 enrolment

• Therapeutic Innovation Australia Pipeline Accelerator 2025-2026 Round 2 closes 17 April 2026. Watch the recent webinar. 

• Applications are open for Cicada x Tech23, Australia’s biggest deep tech event. Apply by 30 April 2026
   

• Australian–Swiss Joint Research Programme (2026 call) -  a new funding opportunity jointly implemented by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Submit before 17 June 2026
   

• The NSW Government has launched the Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (ETCF), supporting startups and businesses to turn world-class research into market-ready products, services and systems. Closes 29 April 2026
   

• Applications are now open for the 2026 Australian Technologies Competition. Must be an Australian SME with evident traction and an MVP established in Australia. Closing 10 May 2026.

• CRC-P Round 19 is now open for industry-led research collaborations with artificial intelligence systems and technologies  included as a priority area! Matched funding of between $100,000 and $3 million with grants for up to 3 years. Closes 12 May 2026

• Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is seeking applications for novel chemistry plans against known antimicrobial resistance (AMR) targets, during its 2026 Funding Round, which opens in April 2026. The aim is to unlock innovative starting points for therapeutics to address dangerous, drug-resistant bacterial infections. More information here
   

• Here is a tip - subscribe to gemaker's monthly newsletter to stay up to date on commercialisation, innovation and research news, plus jobs, funding, awards, events and more

Events​

• 21 April 2026 - Crafting Career Pathways for STEM Women, APR.Intern (Melbourne)
• 21 April 2026 - Virtual Global Expert Program: Jennifer Head, WA Hub-Perth & Biodesign (Online)
• 22 April 2026 - WAGES Commercialisation Grant Development Workshop, MTPConnect (Perth)
• 29 April – 1 May 2026 - BIO KOREA Conference, (Seoul)
• 4 May 2026 - Swiss Biotech Day (Basel)
• 7 May 2026 - AMMA Medtech Showcase 2026, MTPConnect & BioMelbourne Network (Melbourne)
• 10-13 May 2026 - BIO Middle East, (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
• 19–26 May 2026 - AusMedtech 2026, AusBiotech (Perth)
• 8–18 June 2026 - HLTH Europe & ANDHealth Delegation to UK & EU Markets, ANDHealth (UK & Amsterdam)
• 18–19 June 2026 - MTPConnect Pre-BIO Site Visit Program, MTPConnect (San Diego)
• 21 June 2026 - American Australian Association - MTPConnect BIO2026 Dinner (San Diego)
• 22–25 June 2026 - BIO Conference, (San Diego) 
• 23 June 2026 - Women in Life Sciences Breakfast, MTPConnect (San Diego)
• 16-19 July 2026 - BIO ASIA Taiwan Conference (Taipei)
• 18–21 October 2026 - The MedTech Conference (AdvaMed) (Boston)
• 20 - 23 Oct 2026 - AusBiotech International Conference, AusBiotech (Gold Coast) 
• 11–18 November 2026 - HLTH Conference & US Delegation, ANDHealth (San Francisco & Las Vegas)
• 2–3 March 2027 - MTAA MedTech Conference 2027, MTAA (Sydney)

To see what events are coming up in 2026, visit our news webpage and events webpage.
 

Case Study Showcase | Safer Childbirth: How VitalTrace is revolutionising foetal monitoring to keep mothers and babies safe

Childbirth remains one of the most high-risk medical events for both mother and child. During active labour, numerous factors can lead to foetal hypoxia-ischaemia, a condition where the foetus has an inadequate supply of blood or oxygen. Approximately 1,110 Australian babies are born each year with preventable foetal hypoxia1. Early detection is critical, as it can prevent lifelong, incurable disabilities such as developmental delay, epilepsy, vision and hearing impairment, and cerebral palsy (CP). Perth-based SME VitalTrace is developing DevliAssure, a continuous lactate sensor to address this critical unmet need.

In 2023, VitalTrace was awarded funding through MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program to further advance its technology through clinical testing, along with mentoring and support from program partner, Cicada Innovations.. Read on...