Finalists in Focus on Health Challenge announced

The finalists in the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Focus on Health Challenge range from software solutions to medical devices and wound care therapies, and include virtual reality training systems, hospital management software, anticoagulant management and monitoring, a wound care tissue supplement, a bacterial water checking device and an asthma support programme.

NZTE's operations group director, Hans Frauenlob, says that the competition is all about fast-tracking New Zealand innovations into the United States health industry, the largest health market in the world. More than US$2 trillion is spent every year on healthcare in the US.

The finalists will have the chance to be connected to a network of influential health and business professionals in the US and New Zealand.

“Time and time again we see New Zealand companies head to the United States, and many of them simply don’t make the kind traction they hoped for. The US is a large, and difficult market - the health sector particularly so with many layers of rules and regulations to get through,” Mr Frauenlob says.

Frauenlob says all the finalists have robust business plans and management teams in place, and their products and services have strong potential in the US.

The finalists are:

• B2P Micro-Bioinformatics Technology from B2P Testing — bacterial water and food testing technology
• CapPlan from Emendo — capacity and operational management software solution
• Endoform Infection Control from Mesynthes Ltd — wound care and soft tissue reconstruction supplement
• Engineering Assisted Surgery Limited, a team entry — MRI scanning and implant solution
• Flexible Bronchoscopy Simulator from Airway Ltd — virtual reality air ways simulator
• GASP from Comprehensive Health — Asthma support programme
• Low cost, multiplex immunodiagnostic test platform from Pictor Ltd — immunodiagnostic testing platform
• SIMTICS Healthcare from Go Virtual Medical Ltd — e-learning with virtual reality simulator
• The Future of Warfarin Management from INR Online Ltd — web based anticoagulant management system
• Volpara Quantitative Breast Screening from Matakina — computer aided detection tools for x-ray screening.

More than 100 entries were received, from which 20 semi-finalists were selected to pitch their products to an international panel of judges including John Halamka, Dean for Technology at Harvard Medical School, and Jay Srini, named one of the most influential people in technology by CIO Magazine in the US.

Over the next six months the 10 finalists will take part in a "market readiness" programme designed to prepare them to present to potential buyers, customers, investors and partners during a roadshow in the US next year.

Three overall winners will be announced midway through 2010.