An AI-powered medical system to provide life-saving early warning for serious complications in pregnancy and childbirth is one of four ground-breaking medical technology devices that received $7.4 million in Minns Labor Government funding at an event at NSW Parliament last night.
Medical device business Baymatob will use the funding to finalise development of 'Oli', its world first AI-powered maternal-foetal health platform that saves lives by providing early warning for serious, treatable complications in pregnancy and labour, such as postpartum haemorrhage, stillbirth, and uterine rupture.
Postpartum haemorrhage is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in Australia and the leading cause of preventable maternal death worldwide.
Trials are underway at Royal North Shore Hospital and The Royal Hospital for Women, and in the United States for the Oli-PPH Early Warning System.
The other three Medical Device Fund recipients are:
- Roam Technologies for an ultra-portable oxygen concentrator for patients with chronic respiratory diseases
- Amazing Gut for a wireless home-use biofeedback device used to improve bowel function
- Kraken Coding for a software platform that enables healthcare providers to speed up decision-making related to clinical treatment and prioritisation.
The Medical Devices Fund enables the entrepreneurs to accelerate development and use of their devices to improve patient care within the NSW Health system.
Recipients will use the funding for product development, scaleup, testing, IP protections, regulatory submissions, commercial readiness and clinical trials.
The devices undergo a robust review process with clinical and commercial experts to ensure they have the potential to solve a real-world health problem.
Since the first round of the Medical Devices Fund in 2012, more than $102 million has been awarded to 56 promising medical technologies, leading to more than 260 clinical trials, 47 market entries and 1.88 million medical devices units sold into the global market, directly contributing to better patient outcomes.
More information can be found here: https://www.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/medical-devices-fund/
Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:
"I am delighted to announce the recipients of the latest Medical Devices Fund round. I was fascinated to meet the innovators behind the devices and listen to the difference these groundbreaking inventions could make to the care and treatment of patients in NSW.
"Supporting our innovators and their technologies through the NSW Medical Devices Fund is just one of the ways we are seeing enhanced interventions leading to better health outcomes for the people of NSW.
"Many innovators are passionate about keeping their technologies in Australia and this fund is vital, both for developing medical technology in NSW and supporting our local talent.
"By supporting these organisations we ensure our patients, our health system and our economy benefit."
NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said:
"NSW Health is proud to support the development of innovative medical devices and technologies that have the potential to improve care and health outcomes for people across NSW.
"I look forward to seeing these promising technologies progress as we continue to invest in the teams behind them, helping to translate research and innovation into real-world benefits for patients.
"I'd like to acknowledge and thank the researchers, clinicians and health system partners whose collaboration is critical to supporting the successful transition of medical devices into clinical use across the NSW public health system and beyond."
Baymatob CEO Tara Croft said:
"Our Oli innovation aims to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for all mothers and babies by predicting complications before they occur, so that they can be prevented.
"Oli's first focus is preventing post-partum haemorrhage, a serious and common complication of childbirth. In NSW, around one in every five women will experience a post-partum haemorrhage and globally, a mother dies from post-partum haemorrhage every seven minutes - yet up to 93 percent of these deaths are preventable with earlier recognition and faster clinical response.
"This is exactly where Oli can make a difference, supporting clinicians to identify risks sooner and intervene earlier to save lives.
"The Medical Devices Fund enables us to accelerate clinical trials and deep-tech innovation. This will help us make safer, more effective maternal health solutions available to all mothers and babies.
"It is especially encouraging to see NSW champion maternal health innovation, an area where the impact on mothers and babies can be truly outsized. It reflects not only the progress of our work, but the collective ambition of this state to lead in health and medical innovation."
Further information about recipients:
Baymatob is developing Oli, the first AI-powered maternal-foetal health platform providing potentially life-saving early warning for serious, treatable complications in pregnancy and labour, such as post-partum haemorrhage (PPH), stillbirth, and uterine rupture.
Amazing Gut has designed a wireless home-use biofeedback device used to facilitate exercises for improved control of bowel function in patients.
Kraken Coding has developed a platform that directly influences clinical decision-making related to treatment and prioritisation. Clinical Branches replaces static medical guidelines with interactive, patient-specific decision pathways. It asks clinicians a series of structured clinical questions and, based on their answers, instantly generates a concise, tailored summary of what to do, at the bedside, when it's needed.
Roam Technologies has created an ultra-portable oxygen concentrator for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Weighing under 2 kg and adapting to each user's breathing pattern, JUNO replaces bulky stationary units such as large oxygen tanks and clinically inadequate portable devices, enabling mobility, independence, and cost-effective care. The device bridges the gap between clinical oxygen therapy and the necessities of real-world use.
