NZ Focus on Health

The semifinalists for the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise NZ Focus on Health competition were announced this week.   These 21 ventures will pitch to the five US and two kiwi judges for a spot on the ten-strong finalist’s list.  All ten finalists will work on their business plans then participate in a US roadtrip in mid 2010 where they will be introduced to influential players in the US health industry.

Here are the finalists.  Good luck, we’ll be following this initiative closely, as this is exactly the sort of encouragement New Zealand innovators need from the NZ government to assist in taking their innovations to the world.

Here’s the list of semi-finalists: 

B2P Micro-bioinformatics Technology – Bacterial water check

Bronchoscopy Simulator – Virtual reality air ways simulator

CapPlan by Emendo – Operational management solution

Comprehensive Health – Asthma support programme

DIET – Breast Cancer Detection – Non invasive breast cancer screening

Douglas Pharmaceuticals – Clozapine Suspension – Treatment for Schizophrenia

Encircle – Preventative treatment for venous insufficiency

Endoform Infection Control – Wound care and soft tissue reconstruction

Engineering Assisted Surgery Limited – MRI scanning

Go Virtual Medical Ltd / SIMTICS Healthcare – E-learning with virtual reality simulator

Healthcare of New Zealand – Web based anticoagulant management system

Kadazan Project – Medication error reduction solution

Low Cost Multiplex Immunodiagnositc Test Platform – Immunodiagnostic testing platform

MIS416 – A Potential Therapeutic Agent For Multiple Sclerosis – Multiple sclerosis therapeutics

Nexus6 Smartinhaler Products for the United States Market – Chronic respiratory preventative treatment

Point of Care Breath – Based real time diagnostics platform – Mobile patient data device

Spineangel – Consumer back pain prevention and reduction device, using biomechanical biofeedback

X-Lite Oral Cancer Screening Device – Multi function hand held dental tool

It will be interesting to see which of these is chosen to be intensively mentored and taken to the US to peddle their wares.  We’ll be watching this closely!  Ten points to the NZ government and NZTE for making this happen, and here’s hoping that this initiative is replicated across other industries in the not too distant future!

Fraser Hurrell is one of three directors of Elevate CA Limited, Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors in Whangarei, New Zealand.