Medical Devices Fund
A competitive technology development and commercialisation program.
Applications for the Medical Devices Fund round 11 are now open. Applications close on Monday 3 April 2023.
The Medical Devices Fund aims to provide support to individuals, companies, public and private hospitals, medical research institutes, universities and the medical devices industry, to take local innovation to market.
It also seeks to increase the uptake of NSW medical devices by the health system where they are cost effective and contribute to improved patient outcomes.
Since the first round in 2013, recipients of the NSW Medical Devices Fund have been awarded more than $78 million for 43 technologies. The fund invests in the development and commercialisation of medical devices and related technologies in NSW, with some past recipients later gaining high-profile investors.
To ensure you receive the latest news and notifications regarding these and other programs, please subscribe to our mailing list.
Click here to find out more about the 2022 Medical Devices Fund award recipients
About round 11 of the Fund
Applications for round 11 of the Medical Devices Fund open on Monday 16 January 2023 and will close on Monday 3 April 2023 at 5pm.
If you have submitted an application and haven’t received a confirmation of receipt email by Friday 7 April, please contact us urgently via email: MOH-OHMRGrants@health.nsw.gov.au, or call 02 9391 9228.
An online information session was held on Monday 27 February 2023, providing an overview of the Medical Devices Fund and the application process. Members of the Expert Panel and past recipients were online and answered questions about what a successful application looks like. The slides from the session are below.
-
- Medical Devices Fund online information session slides - 27 February 2023
PDF - 2 MB
Before you apply
Application guidelines
Information about eligibility, selection criteria, assessment process and other guidelines are outlined below in the application kit and guidelines.
-
Medical Devices Fund Application Kit and Guidelines
PDF - 293 KB
Applications are called for once a year, and there is a two stage application process. To be eligible to be invited to submit a full application, applicants must first submit a preliminary application.
- Preliminary Application – this is an early screening document of no more than 8 pages that allows the Medical Devices Fund Expert Panel to determine eligibility, review the opportunity and assess the quality of the application.
- Full Application – the Medical Devices Fund Expert Panel will determine if a Preliminary Application will proceed to a Full Application. This is a more detailed document of 15-20 pages that covers all aspects of the opportunity. This stage is by invitation only.
Videos to help with your application
These videos will help you with your application.
Watch the video of the Medical Devices Fund online information session held on 27 February 2023
Watch the following video to understand the Medical Devices Fund eligibility criteria.
Watch the following video to understand what evidence and/or trial information you need to provide.
Watch the following video to understand what you need to address from an IP perspective.
Watch the following video to understand what you need to address in your regulatory plan.
Watch the following video to understand the importance of having a reimbursement strategy.
Watch the following video to understand the importance of building a well-rounded team.
Watch the following video to understand the Medical Devices Fund Business Canvas Model as part of your application.
Apply now
In the 2023-24 financial year the Medical Devices Fund has over $8 million available.
Applications for round 11 open on 16 January 2023 and will close on 3 April 2024.
-
- MDF Preliminary Application
DOCX - 890 KB
-
Business Model Canvas (blank)
DOCX - 139 KB
-
- MDF 2023/2024 Application Kit and Guidelines
PDF - 293 KB
Please submit one copy of the application electronically via email: MOH-OHMRGrants@health.nsw.gov.au
Principles of the Fund
The following principles apply to the Medical Devices Fund:
- The project must be capable of potentially:
- improving patient care and/or health wellbeing
- generating, economic, social and/or environmental benefits to NSW.
- Funding will be open, competitive and merit-based, while maintaining commercial-in-confidence requirements.
- Funding can be used for purposes including:
- proof-of-concept, prototyping and piloting studies
- manufacturing samples for product trials
- conducting market and product assessments
- engaging a consultant to locate other national and international trials and research relevant to the product under development
- and conducting clinical assessments.
- The fund will support a cross-section of products across a range of applications throughout the medical device product life-cycle (technical device concept demonstrated to marketing).
- The fund will not support activities which are deemed to be research.
- The Medical Devices Fund Expert Panel will have sufficient flexibility to tailor funding support according to what it believes is required to assist the development and commercialisation of a medical device.
Terms of reference
Background
The Medical Devices Fund will help encourage and support investment in the development and commercialisation of medical devices in NSW, to accelerate the development of medical devices by removing barriers to commercialisation, and to leverage other funding. The innovations supported by the Fund will be rigorously and transparently assessed by an Expert Panel and have the potential to impact on health outcomes, be cost effective, and be of economic benefit to NSW. The Expert Panel will have sufficient flexibility to tailor funding support according to what it believes is required to assist the development and commercialisation of a medical device.
Purpose
The Medical Devices Fund will help encourage and support investment in the development and commercialisation of medical devices in NSW. In doing this it will:
- building on existing state and federal programs and initiatives
- encourage linkages between NSW device companies, research hubs, commercialisation offices and domestic and offshore investors in medical devices
- streamline clinical assessments and trials of innovative medical devices to assist greater uptake of NSW innovations by the NSW health system, and drive sales and exports to other markets
- build on the previous investment in the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF) as a source of expert advice and significant investment
- align with Commercialisation Australia processes
- foster collaboration with NSW Trade and Investment, for commercialisation expertise, technical assistance and complementary programs.
- identify and support teams or individuals who are likely to be successful.
The Medical Devices Fund Expert Panel will review applications for investment in the development and commercialisation life-cycle of medical devices and make funding recommendations with a view to creating outcomes which are of health and economic benefit to NSW.
Approval of the Expert Panel’s recommendations for grants will be in line with existing delegations for Deputy Secretary, Secretary and Minister for Health and Medical Research.
Reporting and accountability
The Expert Panel reports to the Minister for Health and Medical Research through the Secretary or their delegate.
Membership
Membership to the Expert Panel will be by appointment by the Minister for Health and Medical Research. It will include individuals who are distinguished experts, who collectively have skills, experience and expertise in; scientific research, medical devices commercialisation, financial management and consumer advocacy. The number of members will be at the discretion of the Minister. The Minister will appoint the Chair of the Expert Panel
If further expertise is required to assist with the assessment of an application, it will be sourced by the panel on a case-by-case basis. This will include advice from Medical Research Commercialisation Fund and NSW Trade and Investment.
Tenure
Appointment of Expert Panel members and Chair will be up to 3 years with the option to extend for a further period of up to 3 years, at the discretion of Minister for Health and Medical Research, but the appointment must not exceed 6 years in total.
Code of conduct
All members will abide by and display behaviour consistent with NSW Health Code of Conduct.
Conflicts of interest
Members must declare conflict of interest matters in regard to applications. Management of conflict of interest will be undertaken by the Chair and the Office for Health and Medical Research (Secretariat).
Confidentiality
All members will treat meeting proceedings, discussions and recommendations and all documents tendered as commercial-in-confidence.
Employment checks
Appointment is conditional on a satisfactory outcome of a National Criminal Record check and a NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Lobby Register check. (Employment Screening Policy PD2008_029)
Remuneration
The Expert Panel will be remunerated sitting fees: Chair at $342 full day or $171 half day and Member $207 full day or $104 half day as per the Department of Premier’s and Cabinet Guidelines for NSW Boards and Committee members: Appointments and Remuneration. This excludes minor out of pocket expenses as per Ministry of Health policy directive.
Secretariat
The Office for Health and Medical Research will provide all the administrative support for the Medical Devices Fund processes and the Expert Panel.
About the Expert Panel
Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte (Chair)
Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte is the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer. He is known for his pioneering work on probabilistic methods for robotics and is an expert in autonomous robots. Professor Durrant-Whyte previously held a senior research post at the University of Sydney (as director of the Centre for Translational Data Science) and before that was the head of National ICT Australia, which is now embedded in the CSIRO as Data61. He was also named NSW scientist of the year in 2010.
Professor Gemma Figtree
Professor Figtree is a Professor in Medicine at the University of Sydney and is an interventional cardiologist at Royal North Shore Hospital. She works in the field of oxidative signalling and translational cardiovascular research. Professor Figtree is committed to improving the care for patients who have heart attacks and discoveries in her laboratory have been published in leading journals. Professor Figtree is supported by a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship and a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship.
Dr John Parker
Dr Parker is the Founder and CEO of Saluda Medical. Dr Parker founded the Implant Systems team at NICTA that developed the closed loop feedback technology. He has over 20 years of experience in medical devices, including 13 years at Cochlear Limited, where he served in the role of Chief Technology Officer / executive member of the board of directors.
Mark Phelps
Mr Phelps is the Head of Business Development- Mergers and acquisitions, Investments, Partnerships at Cochlear Limited. This role is responsible for developing and coordinating strategic growth initiatives to improve the end-to-end customer experience across major markets; working with clinical partners, country GM’s and functional heads to coordinate the development and execution of new clinical care models based on connectivity and digitisation of data flows.
Kelly Constable
Ms Constable is a senior business executive offering 20 years of life science experience, including eight recent years leading the commercialisation of breakthrough digital/mobile applications in the healthcare arena. She has a proven track record driving innovation within a top global biotech organization, including formation of two entrepreneurial digital start-ups. Demonstrated ability to “own” the full concept-to-launch development process for digital solutions to empower healthcare stakeholders, improve patient outcomes, increase market access, and reduce bottom-line healthcare delivery costs.
Dr Laura Faulconer
Dr Laura Faulconer is a CXO, investor and director. She has 12 years’ experience navigating the complexities of taking IP-rich technologies to market. From founder to investor, COO and Associate Professor teaching entrepreneurship, she is passionate about supporting interesting opportunities that either see the world through a unique lens or bend but not break the laws of physics.
A/Prof Payal Mukherjee
A/Prof Payal Mukherjee is an adult and paediatric Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon with special skills in advanced ear surgery. Following her ENT training in Sydney, she attained further sub-specialty post-fellowship training in otology, Cochlear implantation and lateral skull base surgery in Oxford and London. As well as treating general ENT diseases such as glue ears, tonsillitis, snoring and rhinosinusitis, her areas of expertise include hearing and balance disorders such as Meniere’s disease and Otosclerosis.
A/Prof Mukherjee is also a senior lecturer of surgery at The University of Sydney and the ENT lead for research at the RPA Institute of Academic Surgery. She is an executive member of the NSW regional committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons; and is a committee member of a research group called the Meniere’s research fund, of the Sydney Medical School.
Frequently asked questions
-
{% for k,child in item %}
{% if auto_col == 'auto' %}
{% if k == 0 %}
-
Submitting your application
-
If the file size of the attachments is too big, is it ok to send a series of emails?
Yes, that is fine, please make sure you title the number of emails clearly e.g., email 1/3, 2/3, 3/3.
Is there a preferred format for the email Subject Title?
Yes, this should follow the same format as outlined on the preliminary application form: ‘MDF2023_organisationname_preliminary application’
Do you accept hand delivery of a video on USB to the Office of Health and Medical Research?
We prefer the video to be submitted electronically. If this is not at all possible then we recommend mailed USB’s. If you would like to hand deliver a USB, please let the OHMR know and an expected date and time you will be delivering it.
-
{% for k,child in item %}
{% if auto_col == 'auto' %}
{% if k == 0 %}
-
About the application
-
Can the referees be part of the project team?
We recommend that referees are external to the project team.
What do I need to include in clinical and technical feasibility attachments?
You will need to include information on the technical proof of concept, assessment of risk classification including risk management and monitoring. All laboratory, preclinical and any early clinical studies and outcomes should also be submitted. There is a short video on our website which explains this in further detail. Please scroll through the videos underneath the ‘Before you apply' section.
Can the funds be used for Patent costs?
Yes, funding can include patent costs.
For start-ups who are short on capital, what is the expected percentage of contribution towards capital costs of progressing their project milestones?
There is no requirement for matched funding.
Are start-ups at the pre-revenue stage at a disadvantage because they have relatively minimal financial documentation? How might they still present a competitive application?
The majority of applications are at the pre-revenue stage so this will not disadvantage your application. We suggest you submit as much financial information as possible. Sales revenue and financial details should be included if relevant.
Do the pictures of early prototype devices have to match those of the intended end product if design changes are underway?
Submit photos of the prototype currently. This does not have to be the end design in changes are underway.
What is meant by "key geographical target markets" in the application form under Section 2, Question 5? What evidence should we provide?
How and where do you intend to protect your intellectual property? Evidence would include any patents filed or other forms of intellectual property protection that have been filed or granted.
CEO/Vice Chancellor/Director’s Declaration states that "this application may be circulated to third parties as required by the secretariat or the MDF Expert Panel." Can you please clarify who these third parties may be? Will the complete application be circulated to third parties or only the lay description of the device (non-commercial in confidence), and summary of the project?
As part of the MDF review process, third party experts may be engaged. Before any applicant is shared with any third parties, confidentiality form and a statement of interest and affiliations must be completed.
-
{% for k,child in item %}
{% if auto_col == 'auto' %}
{% if k == 0 %}
-
Eligibility criteria
-
Is AI (artificial intelligence) for detecting early epidemics can be considered for this funding? Do IVDs, for example blood tests, which address the limitations of conventional tools to detect/diagnose diseases qualify to apply for the grant?
In order to be eligible for the Fund, the technology must meet the definition of a medical device in the MDF guidelines, this definition is based on the TGA definition of a medical device. The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, as amended, defines a medical device as: (a) any instrument, apparatus, appliance, software, implant, reagent, material, or other article (whether used alone or in combination, and including the software necessary for its proper application) intended, by the person under whose name it is or is to be supplied, to be used for human beings for the purpose of one or more of the following: i. diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, prediction, prognosis, treatment, or alleviation of disease; ii. diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, alleviation of or compensation for an injury or handicap; iii. investigation, replacement, or modification of the anatomy or of a physiological or pathological process or state; iv. control or support of conception, and that does not achieve its principal intended action in or on the human body by pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic means, but which may be assisted in its function by such means; v. in vitro examination of a specimen derived from the human body for a specific medical purpose (b) an accessory to such an instrument, apparatus, appliance, software, implant, reagents, material, or other article.
Projects throughout the medical device product life-cycle will be considered from a minimum Technology Readiness Level 3 (Technical proof of concept demonstration). Note that evidence must be provided to support the Technology Readiness Level.
Are patient organisations/charities eligible to make an application under the medical devices fund or is funding only available to hospitals, medical research centres etc.
The MDF has funded companies, local health districts and universities to date. Charities and patient organisations would need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis and the MDF would have to be comfortable that the organisation is the right model for commercialisation and that there is an appropriate plan to commercialise.
Can an applicant be a non-for-profit hospital?
Yes – this can fall under ‘public and private hospitals’ in section 2.1 in the application kit and guidelines
Can the applicant apply with a provisional patent?
Yes – As long as the IP pathway is clearly outlined in the application.
-
{% for k,child in item %}
{% if auto_col == 'auto' %}
{% if k == 0 %}
-
Funding and repayment
-
Is it best to ask for a smaller amount (e.g., to complete two milestones) or larger amount (e.g., to complete all four milestones)?
This is up to the applicant. The Expert Panel will assess if the milestones and the timelines are realistic and achievable.
If you are successful, the Expert Panel will have sufficient flexibility to tailor funding support according to what it believes is required to assist the development and commercialisation of a medical device.
Given that the fund has a finite amount to distribute, do we reduce our chance of success, by asking for a larger amount?
No, the amount of funding requested will not impact the funding recommendation made by the Expert Panel.
However, the funding requested must be justified throughout the application.
Is the Funding Amount Requested negotiable, up or down, during the Full Application Stage?
If you are invited to submit a full application, you may amend the funding requested from the Preliminary Application to the Full Application.
Can you please provide clarification on repayment to the MoH i.e., once the recipient earns a profit through the commercialisation of the device?
Unless there is a company restructure, upon commercial success of a project, repayment of the grant is triggered. Commercial success of the project is defined as cumulative EBITDA of over $500,000. Repayment of the grant is calculated at 30% of cumulate EBITDA after the success trigger until the grant is repaid.
About previous recipients
Watch the 2021 Medical Devices Fund recipients tell their stories below, or read about them in the news section of this website.
Search the directory for project summaries by topic areas of interest, find and follow the latest health and medical innovations or search for the brochures of previous Medical Devices Fund recipients.
Technologies benefitting from the Medical Devices Fund
Impact showcase - technologies benefitting from the Medical Devices Fund
View current technologies benefitting from the Medical Devices Fund and track the progress of health solutions.
Updated 4 weeks ago