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Latest News

Bionics Institute feature on Ticker News

Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs, and CTO Professor James Fallon appeared on Ticker News – a fast-growing business/tech news service streaming 24/7 and available on-demand through smart devices. 

Robert and James shared how Australia needs to invest in infrastructure, support skills development and embrace an appetite for risk to become a global med tech leader.

Robert detailed the process of how an idea goes from concept to reality saying, “it’s a long process, you need to have very good research.

“Once you get to the research phase, then it needs to be moved up the chain. You need to think about how you manufacture it, how to develop it, how you test it, it takes a lot of money and it takes a lot of time.

“For one of our companies, it was nine years of research before we could get to the commercialisation stage”.

Professor James Fallon said a culture of ‘failing safely’ needs to be adopted within Australia to accelerate innovation and learning.

“The real key is that we’ve got to be brave enough to fail,” Fallon detailed. “As with any innovation, there’s a risk of failing. I think we tend to be too conservative.

“We want to get devices into trial quickly – see if they work, and if and if they do, fantastic and if they don’t, we turn around and we go again, bringing that experience back from industry in academia.”

Watch the video broadcast here

Learn more about the Bionics Institute 2023 Innovation Lecture.

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Latest News

Victorian Government to accelerate Bionics Institute’s new hearing test for babies, EarGenie, to commercialisation.

Bionic Institute’s novel hearing diagnostic system, EarGenie®, moves closer to commercialisation with a new government grant of $500,000.

The Bionics Institute’s new hearing diagnostic system for babies, EarGenie, is one step closer to being available in clinics, with the announcement of a $500,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund (VMRAF).

The Minister for Health, The Hon Mary-Ann Thomas announced the grant funding at the Bionics Institute, which will fund further clinical trials for this revolutionary technology.

Current newborn hearing tests do not provide information about discrimination between sounds meaning it is challenging for audiologists to determine whether a baby may require a hearing aid or be referred for a cochlear implant.

EarGenie uses near-infrared light to measure the brain’s response to sound in infants allowing audiologists, for the first time, to confidently select the best treatment.

Professor Colette McKay, who leads the Bionics Institute’s EarGenie research team, says that the current newborn hearing test can indicate the severity of hearing loss, but there are still significant delays in getting the right hearing treatment for infants which can affect their communication skills in the future.

“Currently, these babies have to wait until they are 9 months old before audiologists can determine if their treatment is helping them develop language.

“If the treatment isn’t right in the first months of life, they never catch up with their peers and suffer permanent communication deficit delay.”

Video source: Channel 9 News

Blake Fuller, the father of 7-month-old twins Henry and Ada, was keen for his children to take part in the trial, despite his children having normal hearing.

“I know that hearing my voice since birth has been so important for my children, not just for understanding the world, but to hear the vital sounds they need to learn to speak.

“It’s great to see technology like EarGenie being developed so that babies born with hearing impairment can get the treatment they need as early as possible and have a better quality of life.”

The Bionics Institute is seeking infants under the age of 24 months to participate in the clinical trial so the technology can be developed for use in clinics as quickly as possible.

For more information, go to: Participate in Infant Hearing Research – Bionics Institute

Want to get involved?

To continue with our research and development, we need to test EarGenie on infants younger than 24 months old, both with and without hearing impairment in our East Melbourne testing centre.

If your child is under 24 months of age, please consider participating in this vital study. We are looking for babies who are hard of hearing (any type) as well as those without hearing impairment.

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Support Us

Your gift today will help provide opportunities for aspiring researchers to help pioneer medical breakthroughs for you and your loved ones

You’ll be supporting hardworking and dedicated researchers

 Our researchers share your passions for finding cures and treatments for conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hearing loss and much more.

 

 

You’ll help superstars of the future like Ajmal

Seeing family and friends struggle with hearing loss in his home country of Sri Lanka inspired Ajmal Azees to use his Electronic Engineering degree to explore ways to adapt existing medical devices and help improve the lives of people living with hearing loss.

But even after graduating with a first-class degree, the financial burden of post-graduate education made it impossible for Ajmal to continue his research without support.

Thanks to a student PhD scholarship, Ajmal has been able to to dedicate his time and efforts to hearing research and is using his skills to use a combination of light and electrical stimulation to improve the cochlear implant.

The everyday impact? Cochlear implant users will be better able to distinguish specific sounds.

Your kindness and generosity are an investment in the hard working research stars of the future. You can help pioneer the life-changing medical breakthroughs that you and your loved ones urgently need.

You’ll be supporting researchers like Ella

Ella Trang was recently awarded a PhD Scholarship to undertake research that will improve understanding of how implants interact with tissues in the body, such as the inner ear, to help researchers at the Bionics Institute speed up treatment developments.

A biomedical science graduate, Ella has worked at the Bionics Institute for several years and runs our Histology Laboratory. Asked why she hasn’t undertaken a PhD previously, she says it’s just not feasible to ask people to study and work really hard to make a difference without giving them financial support.

“I have worked with many PhD students over the years and donations of any level are really appreciated to relieve some of the financial burden. It’s one less thing students have to worry about while they focus on their research and finding innovative ways to diagnose and treat disease.”

Help us to change the future of medicine

In our Student Support Webinar: Changing the Future of Medicine, you’ll hear from research leaders about their experiences as a PhD or Masters student to their current positions, and from students who have just started on their exciting post-graduate research journeys.

Speakers

Dr Sheridan Laing, Bionics Institute’s Research Program Manager will explain the vital role students play within the Bionics Institute’s research teams, and the contribution they make to solving the world’s most challenging medical conditions with innovative technology.

The webinar also includes a panel session featuring Dr Julia Wunderlich, Bionics Institute’s Senior Clinical Research Fellow and Ajmal Azees, a biomedical engineering PhD student within the Bionics Institute’s Optogenetics team.

Did you know that in a survey of medical researchers*:

83% had considered leaving active research for another career
53% are supported by grants, without which they would be unemployed

That’s why your generosity towards scholarships for researchers is so vital.
Without it, they can’t survive the double burden of cost of living and the dedication required to achieve life-changing medical breakthroughs.

  * 2016 Australian Society for Medical Research Workforce Survey

Dr Dean Freestone – CEO, Seer Medical

Dean Freestone has come a long way from his days as a hardworking PhD researcher at the Bionics Institute 15 years ago.

Today, Dean is the CEO and Co-Founder of Seer Medical. Through the company, he has turned his research into usable technology which gives people with epilepsy control of their condition and health.

Dean candidly admits he would have ended up in another sector or industry without a scholarship.

“I’ve never heard of anyone being able to do PhD research without getting a scholarship. If you can afford to give, then you should know that your donation is being matched in blood, sweat and tears at the other end.”
– Dr Dean Freestone

Professor Nick Opie – Inventor of the life-changing StentrodeTM

Professor Nick Opie is a long-time friend of the Bionics Institute,
having collaborated on bionic eye research during
his own PhD studies.

Today, Professor Opie is the inventor of the life changing stentrode, that will allow even those with the most debilitating paralysis to control a computer with
their mind.

Professor Opie said that “your generosity could potentially open the pool up to people who might otherwise not have the financial security to do a PhD.

“It’d be a shame to miss out on training up the next generation, just because they couldn’t afford it… there are some incredibly smart people who can’t meet
the cost of living while doing a PhD.”

Your generosity could open the pool up to people who might otherwise not have the financial security of doing a PhD. It’d be a shame to miss out on training up the next generation, just because they couldn’t afford it…there are some incredibly smart people who can’t meet the cost of living while doing a PhD.” Professor Nick Opie, Inventor of the life-changing Stentrode & Bionics Institute Collaborator

Help fund pioneering research

Want to support the research stars of the future?

Early-stage research for life-changing devices & treatments like this is made possible by donations from our supporters.

Your support today could help pioneer the life-changing medical breakthroughs we urgently need!

 

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Bionics Institute 2023 Innovation Lecture

Building Australia Through Innovation

Join us at the second Bionics Institute Innovation Lecture on Wednesday 17 May 2023 at 5.45pm

After the success of the inaugural event, the 2023 Innovation Lecture will be invitation-only.

The focus of this year’s event is to bring med tech leaders together to explore how Australia can accurately measure innovation, boost the med tech ecosystem and strengthen connections.

Networking drinks following the lecture will provide guests with the opportunity to forge partnerships and develop links with like-minded people.

Register your interest in receiving an invitation to attend this free event and hear from our industry panel and keynote speakers:

Dr Andreas Fouras, CEO of ASX listed med tech company 4DMedical

Kylie Walker, CEO of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE)

Event details

Date: Wednesday 17 May 2023
Time: 5.15pm arrival for 5.45pm start
Networking drinks: 7.45 – 9.30pm
Venue: RACV City Club, 501 Bourke St, Melbourne
Cost: Attendance is free
RSVP: Register your interest in receiving an invitation

Who is attending?

Through the Innovation Lecture series, the Bionics Institute aims to develop a shared understanding of what it will take to build Australia through innovation between:

– Med tech thought leaders
– Start-up founders and entrepreneurs
– Government agencies and peak bodies
– Impact investors, fund managers and VCs
– Healthcare and tertiary education leaders
– Trusts, foundations and philanthropists
– Business media.

Sponsorship opportunities

Position your brand as an innovation leader and forge wide-reaching connections across the med tech ecosystem.

Talk to our team about the range of brand acknowledgement, promotional and hospitality benefits available to sponsors in 2023 by emailing: [email protected]

Your brand could be seen by up to 300 event guests; 1000 Med Tech Talks podcast listeners, and thousands of people viewing this page.

Keynote speaker: Dr Andreas Fouras, CEO of 4DMedical

4DMedical was incorporated in 2012 to acquire the imaging platform XV Technology from Monash University, where it was originally conceived and developed by Andreas and his former research group.

4DMedical aims to change the outcome for patients with lung disease by revolutionising respiratory and ventilation analysis using this technology, which is the first FDA approved respiratory imaging system using algorithms to convert x-ray image sequences into four-dimensional data to enhance clinical management.

In May 2020, 4DMedical obtained FDA approval for its XV technology and in August 2020 completed an initial public offering (IPO) on the ASX, raising $56 million. The global market for respiratory diagnostics is currently estimated to exceed $US30 billion per annum.

After completing his PhD in engineering, Andreas rose to the position of Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Director of the Laboratory for Dynamic Imaging at Monash University. Andreas is now the founding CEO of 4DMedical, based in Melbourne and Los Angeles.

Keynote speaker: Kylie Walker, CEO of ATSE

 

Kylie is the CEO of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), where she works with expert Fellows to lead crucial national conversations and strategy towards a thriving, healthy and connected Australia supported by technology.

Kylie specialises in connecting technologists, engineers and scientists with governments, business, media and society – skills built over many years in senior federal communication and advocacy roles in the science, technology and health sectors.

As the immediate past CEO of Science & Technology Australia, Kylie led campaigns to increase investment in Australian research and development, and created the acclaimed Superstars of STEM program, championing Australian women in science technology, engineering and mathematics.

Kylie is also a visiting Fellow at the Australian Centre for the Public Awareness of Science. She was Chair of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO and in 2019, she was named in the 100 Women of Influence list by the Australian Financial Review for her work on improving equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM.

Panellist: Dr Jill Freyne, Deputy Chief Scientist, CSIRO

A highly experienced leader in digital health service delivery, Jill is recognised in Australia and internationally for her work in transformative health technology solutions.

She is passionate about improving equity and accessibility in the healthcare industry and has extensive experience in leading teams to devise sustainable health innovations.

Jill joined CSIRO in 2013 and has held a number of leadership roles in digital health research, working extensively with government and industry partners. She received her PhD in Computer Science from University College Dublin in Ireland and has held positions at the Clarity Center for Sensor Web technologies and IBM Research, USA.

Panellist: Christine Williams, Former GM, Innovation Metrics Review

Christine Williams is an experienced leader, economist, data scientist, risk manager, and company director. She has worked in innovation, as a research and development manager, and in the startup sector. She is currently a director of St John Ambulance Australia Ltd, a member of the University of Canberra Council, Chairperson of the Energy Safe Victoria Technical Advisory Committee, an Australian Institute of Company Directors ACT Division Council member, and works at Deloitte.

Her previous roles included being General Manager of the Innovation Metrics Review in the second half of 2018 and throughout 2019, heading the team reporting to Dr Alan Finkel (then Australia’s Chief Scientist), and Mark Cully (then Chief Economics of the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources).

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Support Us

Your support will help us develop much-needed treatments for Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis and hearing loss.

Donate now

Together, we can get life-changing medical treatments into doctor’s clinics as fast as possible

Your gift will help fast-track the development of diagnostic tools and revolutionary treatments to:

– Help people with rheumatoid arthritis live a life free of pain and disability.

– Fight memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s disease so that they remember their loved ones for longer.

– Provide the joy of sound to those facing the challenge of hearing impairment.

If our research is successful, you’ll help millions of people around the world – from the tiniest babies to the oldest members of society.

 

About our research

The Bionics Institute leads the world in the development of technology to solve challenging medical conditions.

Our world-class scientists, engineers and clinicians work together to create new therapies and diagnostic tools in four main areas:

Brain research

Hearing and vision research

Autoimmune and chronic conditions

Incubator research

Help end the pain of rheumatoid arthritis

Karen has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for 22 years and says she will be first in line to test the Bionics Institute’s new rheumatoid arthritis treatment when it goes into clinical trials.

She says: “The medication makes the the pain bearable most of the time, but when I have a flare up it’s a struggle to do anything.

“Some days my joints are burning hot, stiff and swollen. I find it very hard to walk. I can’t put my car key into the ignition.”

The treatment comprises a tiny device that stimulates the vagus nerve with electricity to reboot the body’s built-in healing system.

With your help, fast-tracking the development of this drug-free treatment will bring relief to sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and their families.

Help pioneer an Alzheimer’s treatment

Cheryl knows the heartbreak of watching her mum deteriorate from Alzheimer’s disease. The debilitating memory loss. The frustration of the same questions repeated over and over. Forgetting to eat, leading to malnutrition.

Chances are, you know someone with Alzheimer’s. Or someone who is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, like Cheryl.

That’s why we’re asking you to donate to help our researchers develop a new brain stimulation treatment for Alzheimer’s.

The non-invasive treatment, called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) applies magnetic pulses to change activity in the key regions of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s.

Bringing hope to people with hearing loss

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Support us

Your gift today will help us develop much-needed treatments for Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis and hearing loss.

Donate now

Together, we can get life-changing medical treatments into doctor’s clinics as fast as possible

Your gift will help fast-track the development of diagnostic tools and revolutionary treatments to:

– Help people with rheumatoid arthritis live a life free of pain and disability.

– Fight memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s disease so that they remember their loved ones for longer.

– Provide the joy of sound to those facing the challenge of hearing impairment.

If our research is successful, you’ll help millions of people around the world – from the tiniest babies to the oldest members of society.

 

About our research

The Bionics Institute leads the world in the development of technology to solve challenging medical conditions.

Our world-class scientists, engineers and clinicians work together to create new therapies and diagnostic tools in four main areas:

Brain research

Hearing and vision research

Autoimmune and chronic conditions

Incubator research

Help end the pain of rheumatoid arthritis

Karen has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for 22 years and says she will be first in line to test the Bionics Institute’s new rheumatoid arthritis treatment when it goes into clinical trials.

She says: “The medication makes the the pain bearable most of the time, but when I have a flare up it’s a struggle to do anything.

“Some days my joints are burning hot, stiff and swollen. I find it very hard to walk. I can’t put my car key into the ignition.”

The treatment comprises a tiny device that stimulates the vagus nerve with electricity to reboot the body’s built-in healing system.

With your help, fast-tracking the development of this drug-free treatment will bring relief to sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and their families.

Help pioneer an Alzheimer’s treatment

Cheryl knows the heartbreak of watching her mum deteriorate from Alzheimer’s disease. The debilitating memory loss. The frustration of the same questions repeated over and over. Forgetting to eat, leading to malnutrition.

Chances are, you know someone with Alzheimer’s. Or someone who is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, like Cheryl.

That’s why we’re asking you to donate to help our researchers develop a new brain stimulation treatment for Alzheimer’s.

The non-invasive treatment, called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) applies magnetic pulses to change activity in the key regions of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s.

Bringing hope to people with hearing loss

Our researchers are working on a world-first drug treatment for hearing loss. This groundbreaking research uses nanotechnology to deliver drugs into the inner ear with the aim of repairing damaged cells.

Hearing loss affects nearly half a billion people woldwide yet there’s currently no drug treatments available for hearing loss. The only options for people with impaired hearing are cochlear implants or hearing aids, which don’t treat the hearing loss.

Your support will help our researchers to further develop the technology and move towards a clinical trial.

 

About our team

The world-class scientists, engineers and clinicians at the Bionics Institute are working on medical devices and therapies to make a positive impact on the lives of people living with challenging medical conditions.

Learn more about the four main areas of our research:

Brain research

Hearing and vision research

Autoimmune and chronic conditions

Incubator research

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Latest News

A word from our CEO – Autumn 2023

Emeritus Professor Field Rickards started his research career as a PhD student with Bionics Institute founder and bionic ear pioneer, Laureate Professor Graeme Clark AC.

He went on to pursue a stellar career in audiology research, later becoming Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne.

It is very fitting that he presents the Field Rickards Awards for Leadership and Impact each year to our stellar staff and students. Congratulations to the awardees Dr Tommy Peng, Stephen Lee, Dr Sally Herring, Lisa Dyball and our Tinnitus team on their achievements in 2022!

As this story illustrates, students are both integral to the success of the Bionics Institute and are the superstars of the future. That’s why we have introduced the Innovate for Life Student Scholarships to attract biomedical, engineering and neuroscience students to undertake a Masters by Research or PhD at the Bionics Institute.

As you can imagine, many young people are unable to commit to postgraduate study because they simply can’t afford it. A scholarship can be the difference between the brightest students using their skills to find solutions to challenging medical conditions or deciding to follow a different path.

In this newsletter, you will meet some PhD students who are now senior researchers at the Bionics Institute, plus some research stars of the future who joined us for a summer internship to work on research into hearing, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. To find out how you can support the next generation of Bionics Institute researchers, come along to our free webinar in April.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated to our Alzheimer’s Christmas Appeal.

“Your support will help us get a clinical trial into a promising new treatment for this debilitating disease started as soon as possible.”

Mr Robert Klupacs
CEO

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Latest News

Bright futures ahead for our early career researchers

We have a number of PhD students who have gone on to become research leaders at the Bionics Institute.

Learn more about some of these early career researchers who are developing new solutions for challenging conditions, including hearing loss, rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson’s disease

Dr Tomoko Hyakumura

Dr Tomoko Hyakumura completed her PhD in 2018 and is now working as a Research Fellow developing a vagus nerve stimulation treatment for Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

She says: “Working at the Bionics Institute is inspiring. I am excited about the research projects I work on, and grateful to be working with the teams of talented and dedicated people.”

Dr Darren Mao

Dr Darren Mao completed his PhD in 2020 and is now working as a Development Engineer in the Translational Hearing team.

He says: “As a former PhD student at the Bionics Institute, I learnt to be an effective researcher and had an opportunity to be very hands-on with my work. Now I am continuing to use these skills at the Bionics Institute to develop EarGenie®, aiming to optimise treatments for infants with hearing loss.”

 

Dr San San Xu

Dr San San Xu completed her PhD in 2020 and is now undertaking a Fellowship
in the UK.

She says: “It gave me the opportunity to work on projects that were highly relevant and translatable to clinical practice in a supportive and collaborative environment. I am now working in a postdoctoral role as a Research Fellow and neurologist in the deep brain stimulation unit at the UCL Institute for Neurology at Queen Square, London.”

 

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Latest News

Students studying STEM subjects at universities across Oceania were selected to join this year’s prestigious AMGEN Scholarship Program at the University of Melbourne and seven chose to undertake a summer internship at the Bionics Institute.

Here’s a round-up of the projects they worked on during their eight weeks with our researchers, where they gained an insight into a potential career path to become our future superstars.

Ethan and Associate Professor Andrew Wise

Ethan was supervised by Associate Professor Andrew Wise, leader of our Hearing Therapeutics team, to assist with research into nanotechnology to develop a world-first drug treatment for hearing loss.

Arjuna is pictured with hearing researcher Dr Darren Mao

Arjuna was supervised by Senior Data Scientist Dr Gautam Balasubramanian, supporting our researchers in developing a new hearing test for babies, EarGenie®, that aims to give babies the best chance to hear and speak clearly.

Eyla is pictured with hearing reseacher Dr Julia Wunderlich

Eyla was supervised by Dr Tommy Peng to assist with research into why some cochlear implant recipients are unable to understand speech as well as others.

Harjas and Dr David Hill.

Harjas was supervised by Dr Dave Hill and Dr Oscar Murphy to gain a unique insight into the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to fight memory loss in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Helen is pictured with team member Jerico Matarazzo.

Helen was supervised by Research Fellow Dr Tomoko Hyakumura to work on a project to investigate the potential to use abdominal vagus nerve stimulation to treat neurological conditions.

Melanie and Associate Professor Rachael Richardson

Melanie was supervised by Associate Professor Rachael Richardson, leader of the Optogenetics team, to assist with research into using a combination of electricity and light stimulation to alleviate chronic pain.

Tom and Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian.

Tom was supervised by Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian to investigate the use of hardware to apply non-invasive electrical stimulation to the feet, a mode of therapy being researched to treat walking difficulties for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Why study at the Bionics Institute?

We lead the world in the research and development of innovative medical devices and therapies.

Our multidisciplinary team comprises world-class scientists, engineers and researchers. Together we transform the lives of people with a range of conditions, including hearing impairment, Crohnʼs disease, Parkinsonʼs disease, epilepsy, stroke, arthritis and diabetes.

Study with us.

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Latest News

Bionics Institute White Paper: Building Australia Through Innovation

“Innovation is not a moment in time…It takes years of work and discipline and bringing ideas together and turning them into reality.”

David Thodey AO, Board Director

Innovation is fundamental to the Australian economy

We have a long history of entrepreneurship in Australia, yet we are falling behind in the global innovation race.

Australia is ranked 25 out of 132 economies for innovation system performance, behind New Zealand, Ireland, Norway, Malta, Estonia and many others in the Global Innovation Index 2022 Report. We are ranked 19th in the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) 2022 World Competitiveness Rankings.

However, Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs is optimistic that Australia can – and will – be a leader for med tech innovation because Australia has the fundamentals in place.

We have the fundamentals in place but need to invest in infrastructure, support skills development and embrace an appetite for risk so that our brilliant researchers, scientists, engineers and clinicians can generate and test their new ideas.

Our White Paper, titled: Building Australia Through Innovation, synthesises stories, theories and recommendations to spark conversation and prompt our country’s policy makers and leaders to take action so Australia can realise it’s full R&D potential.

Four ways to supercharge innovation in Australia

The White Paper covers the state of innovation in Australia; innovation challenges; bridging the innovation gap; and recommends four ways to supercharge innovation with some stellar examples from successful startups and peak bodies:

1. Co-location: Precincts and hubs

“You get an unfair advantage from co-location,” says Dr Erol Harvey, the Bionics Institute’s Head of Development and Research Translation and CEO of the ACMD. “It’s all around personal interactions. Being part of a community in a precinct, those conversations in coffee shops can lead to amazing things.”

2. Skills development and funding

ATSE CEO Kylie Walker says: “With manufacturing infrastructure and investment, a focus on lifelong learning and skills development, a steady and longer-term approach to investing in research and its translation, Australia can and will build a thriving and tech-forward manufacturing sector, alongside a world-class knowledge economy.”

3. Storytelling and persistence

Synchron CEO Associate Professor Tom Oxley says: “If you’re researching something and you think that you’ve seen an outcome of the research that could change the way that things are done, and you don’t quite know what to do with it or whether it’s real, you have to go out and talk about it. You have to put yourself out there.”

4. Leveraging mentorship and partnerships

“Big companies learn a huge amount from startups,” says the Bionics Institute’s Robert Klupacs. “We can move much faster than they can. Big companies have great expertise, but often they’re tied down by their own rigid bureaucracy.”

Acknowledgements

The Bionics Institute would like to thank the following people for their contribution to this White Paper:

Mr David Thodey AO

Mr Robert Klupacs FTSE

Ms Kylie Walker

Dr Jill Freyne

Dr Erol Harvey FTSE

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