News and stories

Toku Eyes have developed MyKidneyAI, a platform that detects CKD using AI to interpret retinal images taken during routine eye exams. This non-invasive approach dramatically reduces patient discomfort and encourages earlier testing. This more affordable and community-focused approach contributes toward equitable healthcare delivery globally.

Brandon Capital has the funds, experience and expertise to support life science companies from proof-of-concept through to commercialisation.

Avasa’s arterial coupler makes microvascular surgery quicker and safer empowering surgeons to securely and efficiently link microvascular arteries in under 10 minutes.

The world of implantable medical devices is a fascinating and evolving market that has traditionally been full of passive devices (such as hip joints) and active stimulatory devices (such as pacemakers). Kitea Health, recipients of the Ārohia Innovation Trailblazer Grant, are leading the advancement of this area with their implantable pressure sensor devices that allow proactive management of chronic disease. The micro devices provide real time, accurate monitoring information to clinicians, so they can provide treatment early.

Millions of adults and children globally suffer from chronic gastric symptoms that profoundly affect their quality of life. Diagnosis often takes a number of years, prolonging patient suffering and resulting in wasted resources and inefficiencies in the healthcare system. With the help of the Ārohia Trailblazer Innovation Grant, Alimetry Care, the organisation’s latest device and service, is set to become the world’s first accurate monitoring wearable for home use, providing remote care for people suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms.

The treatment of acute stroke is a race against time that requires swift access to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging - a hospital-based diagnostic technology that currently only 10% of the global population can access. With the help of the Ārohia Innovation Trailblazer grant, Wellumio is creating a future where anybody, anywhere, suspected of a stroke can receive a pre-hospital diagnosis and begin life-changing treatments within the golden hour.

At a glance Previously focussed on animal probiotics, a meeting with Callaghan Innovation at Fieldays® opened the way for BioBrew to move into human health supplements.

At a glance Saflex Pumps had already developed chemical dispensing equipment for the dairy industry.

At a glance Biotech startup Amaroq Therapeutics is developing therapies to fight some of the most hard-to-treat and prevalent cancers.

At a glance Helico is aiming to produce therapeutic compounds from plants and, ultimately, ‘edible medicine’, with the technology potentially increasing accessibility and affordability of essential medicines.

At a glance After being granted New Zealand’s first GMP licence, Helius Therapeutics got the green light to manufacture medical cannabis products in a bid to bring the first locally-made products to market.

Callaghan Innovation has launched a HealthTech Activator (HTA) to support commercialisation in New Zealand’s healthtech sector, which generated an estimated $2.85 billion revenue last financial year, with many healthtech companies achieving record growth since COVID-19 struck.