Innovate to Grow: Digital Health and Medical Technology

Innovate to Grow is a free 10-week virtual, self-paced learning program for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This program is designed to help you explore how a research and development (R&D) collaboration can advance your innovative project or idea.

Program details

This program will assist you in:

• Refining your innovation idea and learning how to transform it into an R&D opportunity.
• Accessing tools and information for a comprehensive understanding of R&D collaboration and key considerations at each step.
• Applying this knowledge to advance your technology or R&D concept.
• Gaining industry insights from experts, researchers and your mentor.
• Collaborating with like-minded SMEs and expanding your professional network.

Success story: Medvatic's journey to innovate patient care

George Maclean, Founder of Medvatic, participated in the July 2023 Innovate to Grow: Health and Medical Technology program. The program provided crucial links to researchers, enabling valuable feedback from industry experts.

Participating in the program is the only way you can access world-class research professionals to help you assess the viability of your idea.

— George Maclean, Founder of Medvatic

Program timeline

The program is made up of virtual webinars and self-paced learning as follows:

Preparing for the program (week commencing 4 March 2024, approximately 3-4 hours)

• Participants will be provided with an on-boarding session, and pre-workshop videos and materials to assist in preparing for the program.
• Time commitment is approximately three to four hours.

Week 1: Workshop (Official start date 14 March 2024, approximately 4.5 hours)

• The program's main compulsory component is a half-day workshop covering the program concepts. Participants will hear from CSIRO industry and research experts as well as relevant industry SMEs. Key topics include trends within your industry sector, a panel discussion with collaborating SMEs, and current funding opportunities for R&D.
• Time commitment is approximately 4.5 hours.

Week 2-10: Self-paced innovation program

• Participants will work through the online innovation program at their own pace, supported by a mentor and experienced innovation facilitators to develop and test their research idea and business case.
• Fortnightly webinars for participant networking and guest speakers.
• A final survey at completion.
• Time commitment is approximately 2-3 hours per week.

Key outcomes

• Personalised support to refine your idea: We'll step you through the process of turning your idea into a viable research project.
• Confidential feedback: All submissions through the program portal will receive prompt expert feedback.
• Mentorship: You will be provided with a mentor from CSIRO or a university to assist you with understanding the program deliverables and connecting you to a relevant specialist.
• Build your network: You will build key contacts in your sector, including researchers and other SMEs.

Who can apply

The program is open to SMEs working on innovative technologies or solutions across the following Digital Health and/or Medical Technology sub-sectors.

Digital Health:

• Therapeutics and care
• Health system analytics
• Biomedical informatics and data modelling
• Other subsectors considered

Medical Technology:

• Diagnostics, biosensors, and biomedical devices
• Drug discovery
• Vaccines and biologic therapeutics
• Other subsectors considered

Selection criteria (essential):

• A business classified as small to medium (less than 200 employees)
• A business currently, or in the early stages of, exploring R&D opportunities for their business and have an idea related to Digital Health and / or Medical Technology to work on throughout the program
• An Australian registered and operating business with an ABN and ACN/ICN

Please note: Sole traders and partnerships are currently not eligible for the program. Businesses need to be registered and have their primary place of business within Australia (Australian subsidiary companies of foreign entities are not eligible). Researchers working at universities can apply as a mentor but not as a participant.

Other considerations:

• Any other information provided to support your application
• Have a clear need to develop your knowledge in R&D

Program flyer

• Innovate to Grow: Digital Health and Medical Technology PDF (158 KB)
• Innovate to Grow: Digital Health and Medical Technology – accessible text TXT (4 KB)

CSIRO Innovate to Grow is delivered using Practera’s online ed-tech platform and facilitation services.