We are proud to share that Robert Klupacs, Chief Executive Officer of the Bionics Institute, has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 InnovationAus Innovation Leadership Awards.
These awards recognise leadership excellence in Australia’s innovation ecosystem — celebrating people who can bridge vision and execution, and who inspire teams across disciplines to turn ideas into impact.
Distinguished peer finalists
Robert is one of three finalists in the Innovation Leadership Award category. The other two are:
- Professor Andrew Dzurak (founder & CEO, Diraq) InnovationAus.com
- David Lewis (founder & Managing Director, Mentor List Group) InnovationAus.com
According to InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod,
“Innovation is a team game, but there is always an outstanding leader at the helm, driving the project and ensuring its success. Congratulations to each of our finalists in the Innovation Leadership Award category.” InnovationAus.com
Robert’s nomination recognises his unique model for accelerating Australian innovation: a blended approach combining philanthropy, impact investment, and commercial intellectual property licensing.
His nomination statement emphasises that his enduring contribution lies in reshaping thinking within the medical research sector: that commercialisation is not a sideline, but a central path to sustainability, societal benefit, and translational impact.
Dual recognition: Epiminder’s finalist status
Our pride is further amplified by the fact that Epiminder Pty Ltd, founded by Professor Mark Cook AO and developed through collaborative work at the Bionics Institute, is also a finalist in the Health Tech category, for its Minder device. This recognises the strength of our innovation pipeline and partnerships across academia, hospitals, and industry.
The winners of the 2025 InnovationAus Awards will be announced on 27 November.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Robert, the Epiminder team, and all fellow finalists. Their leadership and ingenuity are driving the future of medical technology in Australia, and we are honoured to be part of that journey.
