Australian Venture Consultants partner and former senior executive Silicon Valley Bank Mr Larry Lopez has been appointed leader of the 2022 Curtin Accelerate program.
Mr Lopez will oversee support for 13 entrepreneurial teams eager to commercialise novel business ideas.
Curtin Accelerate is one of WA's leading intensive startup accelerator programs. The 10-week, free program builds business ideas for commercial success, under the guidance of specialist mentors.
It focuses on sustainable business models and alignment with one or more of United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals which is one of the parameters for inclusion in the program.
More than 50 businesses founded by Curtin researchers, students and alumni have started through Accelerate, gaining investment funding and some winning awards for their innovative products
Curtin University Director Commercialisation Rohan McDougall, explains that in addition to the program, Accelerate participants receive a $5,000 equity-free grant, free registration to WA’s West Tech Fest conference, and exposure to the Extreme Tech Challenge with its associated global community of investors and entrepreneurs.
“The 2022 cohort is our biggest yet, and the most diverse,” he says.
“This year’s startups are working across a mix of markets – from allied health to agriculture – at varying stages of scale. What they have in common is the passion to take their business idea to the world.”
One participating team is Hug Health. Comprising Curtin physiotherapy graduates Daniel Hug and Dr Kevin Wernli, with software developer Nick Muir, the company has developed SummaRise, a documentation App that enables nurses working in residential aged care to efficiently review client falls, aligned with best-practice guidelines.
The team’s vision is to combine machine learning and wearable sensor tech with patient demographics, medical history and falls data to prevent future falls.
“Hug Health came about after witnessing too many occasions where vital treatment was delayed or missed due to inefficiencies in the assessment of falls,” Mr Hug explains.
“By streamlining the process, we’re hoping to give aged-care providers more of their most valuable asset – time – and provide better care to patients.
“With limited startup experience, we engaged in the Accelerate Program to learn more about commercialisation, how to develop a solid direction for our business, and essentially take our business to the next level.”
Find out more about Curtin Accelerate here.
