Inaugural 2021 MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarships announced.

Photo Credit:https://mattirwin.com Ten high-potential health, medical and biotechnology researchers have been selected to each receive a 2021 MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship – supporting them to develop a career that fuses science, research, and entrepreneurship. The researchers and scientists are about to embark on a 3-month scholarship, where they will gain knowledge from leading industry experts, work alongside Asia Pacific’s best emerging entrepreneurs and have access to exclusive industry events. Passionate about innovating to improve and save lives, the scholarship recipients are working in diverse fields spanning obstetrics, neonatal care, assistive reproductive technologies, emergency care, paediatrics, orthopaedic surgery, sexually transmitted infections, personalised precision medicine and more. Scholarship recipients include:

• Martina Barzan – Research Fellow, Griffith University
• Sohyb Basir – Emergency Doctor & GP Trainee, Mater Health
• Chia-Chi Chien – Chief Scientific Officer, Research Fellow, OmniWell Pty Ltd
• Julie Dao – PhD candidate, Monash University
• Alinta Furnell – Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) (Medical Biotechnology & Microbiology), UNSW Sydney
• Ethan Grooby – PhD candidate, Monash University
• Debolina Majumdar – PhD candidate, RMIT University
• Hope Newman – Master of Reproductive Science student, Monash University
• Luke Visscher – Doctor, QLD Health; PhD candidate, QUT
• Ritesh Warty – PhD candidate, Monash University

Scholarship recipients will complete online learning and an intensive sprint alongside Asia Pacific’s best emerging entrepreneurs competing in the MedTech Actuator Origin international pitch competition. Recipients will also watch entrepreneurs pitch in Rapid Fire Rounds and the Gala Finals and will be welcomed into the MedTech Actuator’s Asia-Pacific-wide network that spans the entire commercialisation pipeline. The industry-led intensive sprint and online course will provide scholarship recipients with a strong foundation in commercialisation. Topics will include intellectual property, pitching, startup 101, finance for beginners, business modelling, design thinking, path-to-market, and market analysis. The MedTech Actuator Menzies Scholarship is supported by the Menzies Foundation as part of their Entrepreneurship in Science mission in partnership with the MedTech Actuator.