The Kids Research Institute Australia is pleased to share in $490,000 in State Government funding designed to provide vital support to WA’s innovation sector in the wake of COVID-19.
The Institute is one of five funding recipients and, in partnership with digital health consortium ANDHealth, will use its $100,000 grant to provide tailored support – including free workshops and mentoring programs – to start-ups and SMEs working in the growing digital health space.
Announced by Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly, the funding is part of the X-TEND WA program – an initiative under the McGowan Government’s New Industries Fund, established in 2017 to support and accelerate new and emerging businesses in WA.
Mr Kelly said an earlier round of the funding had been welcomed by the sector and had provided valuable support to WA innovators at a time when they needed it the most.
"The further allocation of funding to the X-TEND WA program will help to continue that momentum, and support our new and emerging industries in the current economic environment through education and mentoring,” Mr Kelly said.
"With this additional support, more start-ups and SMEs will be better positioned to deal with the impacts of the pandemic, capitalise on future growth, and ultimately create new jobs."
The Kids has been working with ANDHealth since 2019 to provide programs which address the unique needs and challenges faced by digital health companies.
Head of Research and Innovation at The Kids Research Institute Australia, Adjunct Professor Paul Watt, said the newly announced X-TEND WA funding would allow the Institute to further grow this work.
“We’re pleased to be able to extend our partnership with ANDHealth and continue to support digital health SMEs and start-ups in WA to navigate their way through the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Professor Watt said.
“At The Kids, we’re excited about the potential of digital health to address many of the health issues facing children and their families. In addition, we’re eager to build mutually beneficial relationships with industry to improve the impact of our research while fostering our burgeoning local life sciences sector.
“Thanks to support from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the New Industries Fund, our program will provide tailored support to WA digital health companies so they are well placed, not just to survive, but to thrive, in the post-pandemic world.”
ANDHealth founder and CEO Bronwyn Le Grice said: “Western Australia has a thriving emerging digital health sector, but we have proved that companies need access to specialised expertise in order to succeed.
“Since 2017, we have engaged with more than 300 digital health companies around Australia. Our unique, not-for-profit, multidisciplinary model has made a significant impact, and we have earned overwhelmingly positive feedback from innovators, entrepreneurs and industry professionals who have attended our programs.”