WA Innovator of The Year finalists named

Sixteen finalists for the WA Innovator of The Year program have been announced, with six recipients to share in a prize pool of $140,000.

Finalists include innovators developing anti-antimicrobial resistant bacteria technology, a smart walking stick for Parkinson’s disease sufferers, and a novel blood pump for open heart surgery.

“It’s vitally important that we not only acknowledge and celebrate WA’s most promising innovators, but also provide the support and the network to assist them bring their innovation to fruition,” said innovation minister Stephen Dawson in a statement on Wednesday

“The 2022 WA Innovator of the Year program is integral to this process by showcasing the industry’s best ideas and steering them on a pathway for further success.”

The annual competition has been running since 2006, with participants receiving legal, IP and accountancy advice, as well as a professional photography and video package.

The event is funded through the WA government’s New Industries Fund, and sponsors include Rio Tinto, Woodside Energy, Business News and Wesfarmers.

Last year’s winner was Vision Pharma (90 per cent owned by ASX-listed PYC Therapeutics), a developer of MRNA therapeutics for treating retinitis pigmentosa type 2.

A list of category finalists is reproduced below. Category winners will be announced in December.

Picture: Vision Pharma’s team (image credit wa.gov.au)

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Rio Tinto Emerging Finalists

Company: Ex Planta Pty Ltd

Description: Unlocking the power of synthetic biology – Isoflavonoids 2.0

Company: Neurotologix Pty Ltd

Description: Remote patient monitoring for dizziness and vertigo

Company: Protective Pty Ltd

Description: Broken Neutral Protection Device

Company: Speed Signature

Description: Describing running gait characteristics

Company: Walk to Beat Pty Ltd

Description: Smart Walking Stick for Parkinson’s sufferers

Company: Xsights Digital Pty Ltd

Description: XIoT Health Tag for livestock health and welfare monitoring

Rio Tinto Growth Finalists

Company: Assuro

Description: Bank guarantees and bonds made easy

Company: Heat Trap Solutions Pty Ltd

Description: Safety shower continuous recirculation technology

Company: Pixelcase Group Pty Ltd

Description: Aero Ranger – AI for vehicle management

Company: Sentient Hubs

Description: Dynamic Master Planning Platform

Company: Vedi (formally known as VetDB)

Description: Powering veterinary care through trustworthy data and seamless technology

Company: Vitruvian

Description: Vitruvian Trainer+ Smart Home Gym

Wesfarmers Wellbeing Award Finalists

Company: Lixa Pty Ltd

Description: Neo X, a platform technology mitigating antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections

Company: Neurotologix Pty Ltd

Description: Remote patient monitoring for dizziness and vertigo

Company: Triphasic Cardiac Pump Pty Ltd

Description: Triphasic blood pump for open heart surgery

Company: Walk to Beat Pty Ltd

Description: Smart Walking Stick for Parkinson’s sufferers

Business News Great for the State Award Finalists

Company: Assuro

Description: Bank guarantees and bonds made easy

Company: Sentient Hubs

Description: Dynamic Master Planning Platform

Company: Vedi (formally known as VetDB)

Description: Powering veterinary care through trustworthy data and seamless technology

Company: Xsights Digital Pty Ltd

Description: XIoT Health Tag for Livestock health and welfare monitoring

Woodside Energy Award Finalists

Company: Axiom Sensing

Description: Autonomous Soil Gas Monitoring Unit for Energy Transition Industries

Company: FoundAt Pty Ltd

Description: FoundAt Augmented Reality Based Data Management

Company: Protective Pty Ltd

Description: Broken Neutral Protection Device

Company: Sentient Hubs

Description: Dynamic Master Planning Platform