ACADI HealthTech Innovation Challenge

What is the challenge?

The ACADI Health Tech Innovation Challenge offers students and researchers the opportunity to pitch for seed funding for a Health Technology innovation in the field of diabetes and its possible complications.

Pitch an innovation that prevents, diagnoses, monitors and/or treats diabetes and its possible complications in one of ACADI’s three clinical priority areas:

  • Diabetic kidney disease
  • Peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot syndrome
  • Short-term complications of hypoglycaemia and/or hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) and diabetic ketoacidosis

Why apply for the challenge?

  • Have your pitch heard by a panel of expert judges in business and diabetes research.
  • Compete for two prizes of $30,000 and $10,000 available for a 12-month period to be put towards the development of the project.
  • Refine your project pitch – shortlisted candidates receive pitch training from an expert.

What do we mean by health tech?

ACADI’s definition of health tech refers to technology that is used to prevent, diagnose, monitor, or treat diabetes and its possible complications. Health tech categories relevant to the Challenge are:

  • Medical devices, including software as a medical device;
  • Diagnostics;
  • Assistive technology;
  • Hospital accessories, systems improvements, and surgical instruments/tools;
  • Digital health including mobile health; and
  • Technology that supports drug discovery and development, and pharmaceutical manufacturing

Who can apply for the challenge?

  • Applicants can apply from any discipline and at any career level, including students.
  • Teams are to be made of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 people.
  • Lead Investigators must be from an ACADI Core Partner or Other Partner organisation.
  • Other team members can come from any other organisations.
  • We highly recommend that the team includes an industry partner.

Review the funding guidelines

Review the funding guidelines for eligibility criteria and further information on the format of the event. Download the Health Tech Innovation Challenge Guidelines 2023.

Key Dates 2023

Monday 21 August 2023
10:00am

Applications open

Wednesday 4 October 2023
4:00pm

Applications close

October

Shortlisting of teams

Friday 20 October 2023

Announcement of the finalists

Wednesday 25 October 2023
1-3pm

Online pitch training

Monday 13 November 2023
4-6pm

In-person pitch event at Melbourne Connect

Apply now

Apply online via SmartyGrants at https://acadi.smartygrants.com.au/htic2023

To be eligible for the Challenge, all documents below must be submitted:

  • A completed application form.
  • A signed Letter of Support from the Lead Investigator’s organisation executive or leadership team should be uploaded. It should state that the Lead Investigator will bear full responsibility for the conduct of the project.

Contacts

Please kindly ensure you have consulted the Health Tech Funding Guidelines 2023 before submitting a query.

acadi-grants@unimelb.edu.au