Backing Herself: How a Startup Loan Helped This Founder Keep Moving

A loan wasn’t in the founders’ playbook.
But when funding took longer to land, Hayley Saddington, founder of two healthtech startups, needed a quick, flexible solution to keep momentum going. Westpac’s Startup Loan gave her just that. It wasn’t just a financial boost; it helped her hold the team together and keep the mission on track.  

From the Wheatbelt of Western Australia to the frontlines of innovative healthtech, Hayley is on a mission to transform how people prepare for and recover from surgery, by putting patients at the centre of the healthcare experience.  

And when momentum mattered most, she found the backing to keep her team - and her tech - moving forward... the Westpac founders loan.

From Farm Girl to Medtech Trailblazer  

Hayley’s journey into medtech is deeply personal. It began with a serious farming accident involving her dad, a moment that exposed the gaps in Australia’s rural healthcare system. Driven to make a difference, she went on to study physiotherapy. And before she even graduated, she’d designed a medical device she believed could change lives.  

That device became the foundation of Halo Medical, her first venture, which she scaled into 23 countries. After working with robotics in orthopaedic surgery, Hayley noticed a recurring gap: public patients were waiting months to see a specialist, only to receive generic advice and little support. “It really stuck with me, I thought, we can do better.”  

Now with Peak Medical, Hayley is doing exactly that. Her team is building a medical-grade platform that digitises the pre and post-operative physio experience, offering AI-supported rehabilitation at home. The software not only helps patients manage pain and prepare physically, it also addresses mental readiness, like fear and anxiety before surgery.  

“We’ve just launched with a national hospital here in Australia. Next, we’re expanding into India, the need is huge, and the healthcare system is ready for this kind of solution.”  

When funding slows, momentum shouldn’t  

Like many startups, Peak Medical has been actively raising capital to scale. But when the seed funding took longer than expected, Hayley needed another stream.  

“We had a shortfall, and I couldn’t afford to lose my team or delay the product. So, I looked for other options that wouldn’t force me to give up more equity.” That’s when she connected with the Westpac team, following an introduction at a UNSW Founders International Women’s Day breakfast.  

“It happened really organically. I sent an email the next day, and everything moved quickly. They understood what we were building and why it mattered.”  

Westpac’s Startup Loan is designed for Australian founders in their first two years of business, offering between $10,000- $50,000 in unsecured funding (meaning they won't ask you to provide specific asset security, such as property, to secure your loan). It’s a tool to help startups maintain momentum, especially when navigating complex capital raises or cash flow gaps. For Hayley, it made all the difference.  

💡 Explore how Westpac’s Startup Loan can help you grow without giving up equity. Learn more →  


Rethinking funding myths  

For Hayley, the experience also challenged some long-held assumptions.  

“There’s a general bias around taking on debt, that equity is always ‘better’. But at early stages, giving away more of your company too soon can hurt your cap table long-term.” 

And while many founders claim, “there’s not enough funding in Australia,” Hayley has a different view. “There is capital, you need to focus on building and showing strong traction, even in health and medtech where traction takes years to develop due to the highly regulated environment. Traction can be built through early partnerships and aligned trial partners and building relationships early is key. Keep your investor list warm. Show momentum. And look beyond just one type of funding.”  
 
She’s also candid about the gender gap in pitching rooms. “Women often walk in with less swagger, not less capability, just less visible confidence. I’ve had to learn how to pitch with conviction, in my own way. It’s not about pretending to be someone else. It’s about backing yourself.” 
 
Her advice to other women founders? “Validate your idea early. Surround yourself with the right support. And don’t let funding myths hold you back - especially when options like Westpac’s loan are designed with founders like us in mind.”  

What’s next for Peak Medical?  

With their first hospital partnership underway, Hayley and her team are now preparing for global growth. The company is expanding into India, where half of their team is already based, and preparing a regulatory submission that could allow AI-powered physio to deliver clinical advice, without human intervention.  

“No one has done this yet, not even the billion-dollar companies. It’s a world-first and I know we are the team to do so.”