Seventeen candidates have been selected across five categories in the WA Innovator of the Year Awards 2023, with winners sharing a prize pool of over $200,000 to be announced in November.
The manufacturers of the first prosthetic eardrum, a same-day antibiotic susceptibility test, and autonomous solar cleaning robotics are all vying for first place in this year’s awards, the government revealed in a media statement.
The five categories include Rio Tinto Growth Innovator of the Year (post-revenue), Rio Tinto Emerging Innovator of the Year (pre-revenue), Business News ‘Great for the State’ Platinum Award, Wesfarmers Wellbeing Platinum Award, and Woodside Energy Award for Energy Innovation.
Each finalist will receive pitching, mentorship, digital and social media strategy training, as well as legal, intellectual property, and accounting support.
In the previous year, medtech company Neurotologix was named WA Innovator of the Year for developing a remote patient monitoring gadget for dizziness and vertigo.
Three months after winning, Neurotologix was awarded a $780,000 Federal Government Accelerating Commercialisation grant.
Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy Stephen Dawson congratulates all finalists in the WA Innovator of the Year awards, saying “It is fantastic to see local companies coming up with solutions that will appeal to the global market.”
“Winners this year will share in a prize pool worth $220,000, which is an $80,000 increase from last year,” the minister said.
He added, “The WA Innovator of the Year awards continue to showcase the State’s innovation talent and each nominee should be very proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Winners for this year will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 21.
The awards are sponsored by Rio Tinto, Business News, Wesfarmers, Woodside Energy, Griffith Hack, Nexia Australia, Wrays, CERI, Biodesign Australia, Murfett Legal, Moore Australia and PwC.
The WA Innovator of the Year has showcased innovative and entrepreneurial individuals, businesses and creative minds since 2006.
The program acknowledges and rewards exceptional innovators and entrepreneurs in Western Australia who have developed an outstanding innovative product, technology or service, which is at the emerging innovation or growth phase of development.
For the full list of finalists, you may visit this link.
