A growing number of business leaders are choosing to give back through their companies—joining forces to drive innovation and breakthroughs in medical research at the Bionics Institute.
The Institute is proud to receive regular monthly donations from a collective of generous companies. Together, these contributions are helping to transform lives through cutting-edge medical discoveries.
One such supporter is Jackson Barrett, Director of boutique law firm Barrett and Co Legal, which specialises in property, healthcare, business, and estate law.
“Barrett and Co Legal are proud supporters of the Bionics Institute,” says Jackson.
“We’re pleased to play a part in advancing its important research.”
Another contributor is Esha Frykberg, Director of Market Street Finance, a firm specialising in commercial loans, home loans, and SMSF loans for business owners and property investors.
It’s powerful knowing that our regular contributions are part of a larger wave of support, Esha
“We’re proud to stand alongside other companies making a real difference.”
Also giving monthly is Dot Advisory, led by Director Warrick Maddocks. Dot Advisory is an accounting and business advisory firm in Melbourne. They specialise in supporting entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises across all stages of business development.
“I encourage any business owner, director or team member who wants to support medical research to consider joining us in backing the Bionics Institute,” Warrick says.
I encourage any business owner, director or team member who wants to support medical research to consider joining us in backing the Bionics Institute, Warrick
The Bionics Institute is grateful to all its corporate partners for their ongoing generosity and commitment to research that is changing lives.
If you’re interested in finding out how your company can get involved, please contact Sam McLarty at [email protected] to register your interest.
Lean more about how your company can get involved: https://www.bionicsinstitute.org/corporate-giving-information/
You might be interested in…
Researchers at the Bionics Institute have published a paper in the journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface demonstrating that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) at abdominal level activates the brain and shows promise as a therapy for a range of neurological conditions, including mental health disorders, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
Dr Tomoko Hyakumura, who led the research, says that stimulation of the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain to the gut and controls many functions in the body, is a clinically available treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy and depression.
Dr Hyakumura says: “Studies show that activation of a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus is essential for the therapeutic effect of VNS for neurological conditions.
“However, currently VNS is applied at neck level which cause side effects on the heart and lungs, which means that stimulation intensity needs to be reduced with evidence suggesting that this could reduce efficacy of the treatment.”
In response to this, the Bionics Institute has developed a groundbreaking vagus nerve stimulation device that is implanted at abdominal level, and the paper demonstrates that use of our abdominal VNS device in animal studies activates a central brain region called the locus coeruleus, to deliver sufficient therapy without causing side effects to the heart and lungs.
Dr Hyakumura says: “This research shows that abdominal VNS could provide an effective therapy for brain disorders such as drug-resistant epilepsy and depression.
“Our next step is to show efficacy of this device for treatment of these disorders, with the aim of moving towards a clinical trial.”
Dr Hyakumura’s research is conducted within the Bionics Institute’s Vagus Nerve Stimulation Centre of Excellence, led by A/Prof Sophie Payne. Researchers in A/Prof Payne’s team will be investigating the viability of abdominal vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for a wide range of conditions including gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, mental health conditions, and even cancer.
A/Prof Sophie Payne says the VNS device under investigation for epilepsy, is currently in clinical trial for Crohn’s disease and soon to enter clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis.
“We have a shortlist of over 20 conditions that could potentially be treated using abdominal vagus nerve stimulation and we will be undertaking research as soon as the necessary funding is secured.”
Read the paper here.
To find out more, about the VNS Centre of Excellence, watch this short video:
You might be interested in…
Support Us
Help us find answers to even the most complex conditions, like cerebellar ataxias.
We’re researching new ways that can help improve the lives of people like Dianne.
Dianne’s Story
Dianne used to be a hairdresser. She used to drive. She used to care for her grandchildren.
But as the years have passed, simple everyday tasks have become impossible.
“I don’t like the person I’ve had to become.”
Cerebellar ataxias are a set of cruel degenerative neurological conditions, one of which has slowly stolen Dianne’s independence, her confidence, and the life she once knew.
Associate Professor David Szmulewicz and his team at the Bionics Institute are developing revolutionary wearable sensor technology to measure and track the progression of cerebellar ataxia.
These devices could change everything because there is no clinical way to do this.
Cerebellar ataxia symptoms often resemble those of being drunk, because both affect the cerebellum
Help fund pioneering research
What is cerebellar ataxia?
Cerebellar ataxias are degenerative diseases that affect the same part of the brain as alcohol.
You become increasingly out of control of your speech, balance, vision and ability to swallow.
There’s no way to accurately measure it, slow its progression, or treat it – without research.
Our solution
Associate Professor David Szmulewicz and his team are developing wearable sensors powered by artificial intelligence. These sensors will provide real-time data on movement and coordination, allowing doctors to track cerebellar ataxia progression accurately.
Will you please help to discover new ways to measure and treat currently untreatable conditions like cerebellar ataxia?
What can you do?
– You can break down barriers to diagnosis and care
– You can help develop respectful and equal medical care
– You can enable more tailored and timely interventions to slow progression and improve her quality of life
“If Dianne were to gain access to this technology and know how her cerebellar ataxia is progressing, it could make a huge difference in her daily life.
For starters, it would provide her with objective, measurable data about her condition, helping her and her healthcare providers better understand how her ataxia is evolving, and remove confounding factors that can contribute to misleading impressions of true disease progress and manifestations.”
– Associate Professor David Szmulewicz
Cerebellar ataxia does discriminate
In East Arnhem Land communities, it is estimated that the most common form of this condition can occur up to 180 times more frequently than worldwide.
Cerebellar ataxias disproportionately affect Indigenous Australians living in remote communities.
“My father walked strangely before he died 100 years ago. Now, people are getting sick younger and younger”
– Gayangwa, Angurugu on Groote Eylandt Elder
Want to support the future of research like this?
Research for life-changing devices & treatments like this is made possible by donations from our supporters.
Your support today could help progress new treatments for the future.
Find out how you can support research innovation here.
FDA authorises Epiminder medical device for epilepsy developed in collaboration with the Bionics Institute
We are proud to share that Epiminder’s Minder® device for epilepsy, pioneered by world-renowned neurologist Professor Mark Cook and developed in collaboration with the Bionics Institute, Cochlear Ltd, the University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital, has reached the major milestone of FDA authorisation.
The US FDA has granted authorisation for Minder® under its De Novo pathway creating a new classification of device, allowing for marketing and sale of the device in the US for patients with drug resistant epilepsy.
Minder® is an implantable device for continuous monitoring of brain activity brain developed to address one of the most persistent challenges in epilepsy care: the lack of accurate, long-term data on seizure activity.
Rohan Hoare CEO of Epiminder, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Melbourne with offices in the US, says that by extending the monitoring window of an EEG from days using current technologies to months or even years with Minder, can deliver unprecedented access to a high-fidelity stream of continuous EEG data to health care professionals and their patients.
He said: “The FDA’s clearance of Minder is a significant milestone for Epiminder and more importantly for the 52 million people around the world who have epilepsy.
“As the first and only implantable continuous EEG monitor approved in US, Minder can provide health care professionals and their patients with more accurate and timely diagnoses, enhanced therapeutic drug monitoring, and can better inform decisions on non-drug treatments like surgery.
“Looking ahead, Epiminder plans to develop a suite of integrated software solutions that will extend the clinical impact of the Minder device, for example by providing patients with advance notice of seizures through AI-enabled forecasting.”
Epiminder intends to formally launch Minder® in the US during H2 2025 undertaking a phased commercial roll out into leading epilepsy centres as part of a program to demonstrate the clinical utility of the system.
You can read more about the device on the Epiminder website: https://epiminder.com/minder-system
You might be interested in…
“Long-term investment is key to harnessing Australia’s research and development strengths and further developing our healthcare sector as a global innovation hub.”
Debby Blakey, HESTA CEO
Talking about investment in innovation is critical for the future of Australia’s economy
Over the past three years, the Bionics Institute has been leading the conversation about how we can build Australia through innovation.
Why did we need to talk about this? Because we believe that Australia has so much to gain if we turn to innovation as an essential pillar of our economy.
We started with the launch of our Med Tech Talks podcast, where we interview leaders, investors, researchers and entrepreneurs to explore how we can improve the translation of innovation into commercialisation to change the lives of people living with challenging medical conditions.
The podcast launch was closely followed by our first Innovation Lecture, which has become a highly anticipated annual event convening med tech thought leaders to discuss different aspects of innovation.
Our first White Paper in 2023 drew on the conversations and insights provided by our keynote speakers and podcast guests to elucidate the four ways we can supercharge innovation through: Co-location; skills development and funding; storytelling and persistence; and leveraging mentorship and partnerships.
In this White Paper we are shining a light on investment into innovation: how to source investment; how our investment landscape differs to the United States; how to optimise investment; and finally, how to survive the Valley of Death.
Four critical innovation investment conversation points
Take a look through our White Paper to learn more about:
- Funding Australian innovation to change patients’ lives
- The lure of international markets – particularly the US – and the impact this has on talent retention.
- Keeping innovation onshore so that Australia reaps the benefits
- Navigating the Valley of Death, a challenge every start up must traverse.
1. Funding Australian innovation
In the Foreword to the White Paper, Hesta CEO Debby Blakey explores how investing in Australian healthcare innovation makes good financial sense, creating long-term value for businesses and investors while strengthening the nation’s economy for future generations.
“Australia has the opportunity to create an ecosystem where innovation thrives, and researchers and businesses can access the resources they need to turn discoveries into market-ready, commercial solutions. This will help create a strong pipeline of investment opportunities with the appropriate risk-return profile investors seek to deliver strong long-term investment performance,” Blakey says.
This is backed by ANDHealth’s Bronwyn Le Grice, who says: “The only way to impact millions and millions of patients is through commercialisation.”
She sees the future of Australian innovation building with access to non-dilutive funding from schemes such as the MRFF for medical research.
Co-Founder of Kali Healthcare, A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot says: “The commercialisation landscape in Victoria has changed substantially since we started this as a research project in 2018. In that time, I’ve seen a shift in the Victorian start-up ecosystem – it seems that there is a lot more funding especially in the pre-seed stage.”
2. The Lure of the USA
The White Paper also explores why med tech entrepreneurs are drawn to the United States.
“There’s a cultural fear of failure in Australia that is somewhat destructive for the med tech environment,” says Dr Jeremy Buzzard, co-founder of Induction Bio. “In the United States the motto is: fail fast, fail often and take multiple shots at goal.”
Dr Fouras, founding CEO of 4D Medical bluntly laments the “missing zeroes” in funding in Australia, saying “it’s costing this economy, this country … tens and hundreds of billions of dollars – in my opinion $50 million solutions are not how you solve $100 billion problems”.
To attract much needed capital from US investors he relocated with his wife and five children to Los Angeles in 2016. He still describes his company as driving Australian-led change for lung health. Of his 140 employees in 2023, 18 were in the US.
He says that Australia is challenged by the small size and scope of our VC sector and the disparity of tax incentives. “I could talk about policies that really discourage people from investing in things outside of, for example, real estate in Australia but I don’t want to turn this into a discussion about negative gearing,” Dr Fouras said.
3. Keeping innovation onshore
And the White Paper goes on to highlight what we need to do to keep innovation on shore.
Dr Andreas Fouras, founding CEO and CTO of ASX listed company 4DMedical said that for Australia to achieve its potential to harness innovation and incentivise top companies to stay onshore, the processes around funding need to be innovative, too.
“We can do better and we owe it to the people coming through to make it easier – if we do that, they will reward us 10 times over.”
Stephen and Angela Tomisich, co-founders of Trajan Scientific and Medical, listed on the ASX in 2021, spent four years in the US learning to embrace risk.
Mr Tomisich believes there needs to be a shift in the Australian innovation ecosystem to support developing sovereign capability and keeping it onshore.
“Australia doesn’t have an innovation problem, but we do have a momentum problem,” he says.
“If you take a country like Finland, manufacturing is 15 per cent of their GDP. Australia’s was 15 per cent in 1990, it’s now 5 per cent. Unless we fix that fundamental profile of our economy you don’t get momentum – instead you have start-stop activities.
The stop comes either because the innovation failed or because a multinational liked what they saw and took it offshore. Off that innovation goes and then you have to start all over again.”
4. Navigating the Valley of Death
The tech sector’s infamous Valley of Death is the challenge that virtually every startup must traverse.
Sometimes the dream-ending trek between innovation and profit, is an essential part of the startup ecosystem, says Dr Emma Ball, a biotechnology expert with 25 years’ experience.
She says: “When I’m looking at an investment opportunity, I often refer back to the Six Ts, which I learnt about through investor Professor Pedram Mokrian, who works with Stanford University and the Wade Institute in Melbourne.”
The Six Ts, explained in the White Paper, are:
- Team
- Total addressable market
- Technology
- Traction
- Trends
- Terms.
“There’s a high natural attrition rate in startups and that’s not a bad thing,” says Dr Ball.
“The key is to fail early and fail fast. Learn, iterate and move on. Resources are finite. Every dollar you spend or activity you undertake represents something that isn’t being done instead. So, the quicker you can terminate a project, or an unviable activity means that you can turn your attention and investment dollars to something else more worthy. Embrace the Valley of Death!”
Acknowledgements
The Bionics Institute would like to thank the following people for their contribution to this White Paper:
Dr Emma Ball
Associate Professor Fiona Brownfoot
Dr Chrus Burns
Dr Jeremy Buzzard
Mr Robert Klupacs FTSE
Dr Andreas Fouras
Dig Howitt
Bronwyn Le Grice
Sonya Sawtell-Rickson
Stephen Tomisich
Professor Andrew Wilks
Dr Chris Smith
You might be interested in…
Bionics Institute researchers have been awarded a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant of more than $3.1M over five years to advance research into a debilitating group of disorders known as cerebellar ataxias.
The research is led by neurologist A/Prof David Szmulewicz who says there is an exponential rise in the number of people living in remote communities affected by these diseases, but many remain undiagnosed and untreated due to lack of access to specialist care.
He says: “The most common type of ataxia affects Indigenous people in Australia up to 12,000 times more commonly than the global average. Sadly, most die prematurely from a range of complications including malnourishment, falls, and severe pneumonia related to swallowing difficulties.”
The overall aim of the research is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the diseases and their progression facilitating insights for remote diagnosis, identifying people at risk, disease management and treatment trial readiness.
A/Prof Szmulewicz will work closely with the Bionics Institute Engineering team led by Dr Alex Thompson to develop a suite of diagnostic tools and algorithms to provide insights into the severity and progression of symptoms.
Alex says: “It’s an exciting project to be working on and brings to the fore a skillset of wearable medical device and algorithm development my team at the Bionics Institute is uniquely positioned to deliver.”
For more information about this research go to: https://www.bionicsinstitute.org/our-research/brain-research/measuring-neurological-disorders-of-movement/
You might be interested in…
The first Concept Logistics Charity Golf Day held in support of the Bionics Institute on 31 March 2025 was a great success.
Golfers from across Melbourne enjoyed a nine-hole Ambrose game followed by networking and BBQ buffet at the stunning Box Hil Golf Course.
We would like to thank our major sponsors Concept Logistics, Canaccord Genuity, Brolec and Schetzer Papaleo for their generous support.
Winners for gold, silver and bronze received vouchers from The House of Golf and the Closest to the Pin winners received a trophy from Edgewise Insurance.
There was some fierce bidding at the auction for prizes donated by Kieser, The Brand Workshop and The House of Golf, which raised vital funds to support medical device research at the Bionics Institute. And balls were kindly provided by the Australian Women’s Golf Network (AWGN).
After golf, guests received some pearls of wisdom on leadership from former Collingwood Premiership Captain Nick Maxwell, who stressed the importance of leading in corporate social responsibility because it is good for business.
Many of our corporate supporters joined us on the day and we’re delighted to showcase their support here, where you can find more information about how a partnership with the Bionics Institute could change lives and benefit your company.
You might be interested in…
On 25 March 2025, we held the second Bionics Institute Preview Event showcasing our vagus nerve stimulation research, kindly hosted by NAB and officially opened by the Victorian Minister for Health, The Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas.
Bionics Institute Chief Technology Officer, Prof James Fallon, described our researchers’ journey from the call by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in 2014 for new ways to treat Crohn’s disease, and how their funding combined with Australian funding led to the development of our groundbreaking vagus nerve stimulation device.
Prof Fallon updated the audience of Bionics Institute supporters, collaborators and Board members on the progress of research into use of the vagus nerve stimulation device as a treatment for Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and epilepsy, and announced the establishment of a Vagus Nerve Stimulation Centre of Excellence at the Bionics Institute.
Watch the video below to find out more about this exciting initiative, which will enable our researchers to investigate the viability of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for a wide range of conditions including other gastrointestinal disorders, neurological disorders, mental health conditions, and even cancer.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Centre of Excellence at the Bionics Institute
Gastroenterologist and Director of the Austin Hospital IBD Service Prof Peter De Cruz is leading the clinical trial into vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment of Crohn’s disease. He gave a fascinating presentation about why a new treatment for Crohn’s disease is so important, and gave an update on how the clinical trial is progressing following implantation of the device in the first patient in 2023.
Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs summed up the impact of researchers, clinicians and Bionics Institute supporters combining to change the future of medicine.
At the Bionics Institute, we have some of the very best researchers in the world, the cutting-edge technology, and the determination to change lives. We believe the future of medicine isn’t just about drugs. It’s about harnessing the power of the human body using nerve stimulation techniques. Robert Klupacs
You might be interested in…
On March 4, you will have the opportunity to play an even bigger role in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, with donations you make MATCHED by a caring group of Bionics Institute supporters.
By giving generously on Alzheimer’s Research Giving Day, you will be doubling your impact towards life-changing research that gives hope to so many people who are living with the devastating effects of the disease around the world.
Our new Ambassador: Vance Joy!
While you may know him from his hit song Riptide — which has been streamed more than 2 billion times on Spotify — you may not know that Vance is passionate about finding a way to combat memory loss and the worst effects of Alzheimer’s disease. With your help, he is hoping we raise enough money this Giving Day to progress our pioneering research into the disease.
I’m proud to support the Bionics Institute in their research into brain stimulation treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to combat memory loss. If you’re able to support, please donate to their Giving Day on March 4. Vance Joy
Your support can make a huge difference to people like Daryl
Daryl was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2021 at just 58 years old.
Following his diagnosis and progression of the disease, Daryl has had to give up his life-long career teaching primary school children, and like many people with Alzheimer’s, he and his family have had to rapidly adjust to a new way of life to ensure he has the support he needs.
For his wife Cathy, and their family, the impact has been profound. Cathy, who manages the local bookstore, has shouldered the primary caregiving role, while their daughter and her husband have moved back home to help.
“You have to have a lot of patience dealing with Alzheimer’s and it can be like putting your regular life on hold to make everything work around the disease,” Cathy says.
“We have a pretty good system of visuals in the house, and every day we try and make a bit of a plan of what’s going to happen. We just have to make sure that we’re super organised.”
Cathy and Daryl are both grateful to have taken part in the Bionics Institute’s Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) trial, which has brought a glimmer of hope.
The whole experience was really positive for us. We felt valued and always comfortable and supported and well looked after. I’m really hoping it progresses and as many people as possible can get it. Cathy, Daryl’s wife and carer
You might be interested in…
For eight years, our Girls in STEM Mentoring Program has inspired high school students to consider STEM careers by connecting them with leading female professionals.
We are thrilled to announce that in 2025, the program will be administered by veski as:
The veski Bionics Institute Girls in STEM Mentoring Program
veski shares our vision for giving more young people the experiences needed early on in their academic life to support them to be future STEM leaders.
As an organisation which brings together bright minds and resources to support scientific and innovation excellence, Veski is a life-long partner for those pursuing a career in STEM and offers fellowships and runs initiatives to build a strong STEM community.
We know the program is in safe hands for 2025 and beyond.
Learn more about the veski Bionics Institute Girls in STEM Mentoring Program:
