Driving Health Innovation in South West Sydney: A Look at Our 2025 HealthTech Series
By Mariana Luis Castillo4 min read · April 28, 2025
South West Sydney is buzzing with talent, ideas, and ambition— and we're proud to be helping light the spark for a thriving health innovation ecosystem in the region.
Thanks to support from Investment NSW and the Liverpool Innovation Precinct, we kicked off 2025 with two sold-out workshops at the Liverpool Education and Research Centre.
We are bringing together clinicians, researchers, healthcare professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs to build the skills and mindset needed to drive real-world change through innovation.
These workshops are part of UNSW Founders' broader Medtech Health Innovation Series, which has already delivered five sold-out workshops to date, thanks to the Investment NSW grant supporting the program. Here’s how we are helping turn ambition into action:
Workshop 1:
Innovating for Impact – HealthTech Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking
📅 18 February | Liverpool Education and Research Centre
We started the year strong with a hands-on workshop designed to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking in healthcare.
Dr Joseph Po, Health 10x Program Manager at UNSW Founders, set the stage with an engaging session on HealthTech entrepreneurship. Drawing on his experience as a former cancer researcher and 2x medtech founder, Joseph shared core concepts and real-world case studies — showing participants how clinicians, allied health professionals, and researchers can turn problems into opportunities for innovation.
Next up was Priscilla Tan, Prototypes Manager at UNSW Founders, leading an interactive Design Thinking workshop. Participants learned how to approach problem-solving creatively and systematically, putting patients and users at the heart of every solution.
As emerging technologies reshape healthcare, workshops like these are critical for nurturing the next generation of health entrepreneurs.
Workshop 2:
From Idea to Investment – Taking Your Research to Market
📅 8 April | Liverpool Education and Research Centre
Turning health research into real-world solutions is no easy feat — but it’s essential for driving real change. Our second workshop gave clinicians and researchers the tools to take their ideas beyond the lab and into the market.
Dr. Joseph Po returned to guide participants through the entrepreneurial process, from shaping an idea to securing investment. Attendees got practical advice on developing market-ready solutions, understanding the health and medtech investment landscape, and making the leap from academia to entrepreneurship.
Our expert panel shared real-world experiences and advice:
Professor Kazuaki Negishi leading cardiologist and clinical trialist
Paul Matteucci — biomedical engineer and medtech commercialisation specialist
Dr Ashwani Kumar — physician, researcher and medtech co-founder
They shared candid insights into the highs and hurdles of turning health research into impactful startups.
Key takeaways?
👉 Innovation is about solving real-world problems, not just building flashy tech.
👉 Collaboration across disciplines is essential.
👉 The journey from research to startup is tough, but it’s the only way to drive real change.
The evening wrapped up with networking and lively conversations, setting the scene for future collaborations across South West Sydney’s growing innovation community.
Innovation thrives where community, creativity, and action meet — and nowhere is that clearer than in Southwest Sydney’s growing drive for health and medtech innovation.
We’re committed to continuing to back researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals in this region to turn great ideas into real-world impact. If you're passionate about health innovation and ready to take the next step, check out the Liverpool Innovation Precinct Entrepreneurship Program. You can express your interest and explore all the opportunities we have to help you grow.
Special thanks to Investment NSW and the Liverpool Innovation Precinct for making these initiatives possible.
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