The Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx) commenced this week and provides health start-ups with access to a world class digital hospital to validate and test their products.
Ampisafe, a product invented by Mildura nurse Annette Nunn, helps prevent needle stick injuries in healthcare workers. Each year over 18,000 needle stick injuries to nurses and healthcare workers are reported in Australia. Annette says she is very excited to be accepted into the program.
“It’s exciting news for us and I feel like we are heading in the right direction. As part of BHx, Ampisafe is hoping to hold clinical trials and to validate our product within the Bendigo Health and wider healthcare industry,” says Annette.
Ampisafe’s acceptance into BHx follows on from their involvement with La Trobe’s Accelerator Program in 2018, now known as La Trobe Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (LTI&E). LI&E now offer a new set of programs that support innovation and entrepreneurship, such as the recent COVID-19 Industry Response Program and Breakfast at Noon speaker series. Later this year the program will take applications for their Global Markets Accelerator as well.
“The La Trobe Accelerator Program's belief in Ampisafe has given us the right tools to move forward. The most beneficial so far has been the work that was done on pitching. I still get nervous every single time, but I now feel confident that I know my product and the key points needed to be made to an audience. Also the assistance in developing our business plan, which I have found to be of value in so many situations,” Annette says.
Annette says the current COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to become even more aware of of the risks associated with complacency in the everyday medical environment. This has also made people more open to changing their daily routine and adopting new products like Ampisafe.
“ COVID-19 may help Ampisafe be accepted into the healthcare industry, as social distancing is becoming more and more important. Ampisafe is able to aid and support social distancing in the medical environment.”
