Mediventors

LION’S DEN CONFERENCE

On Wednesday the 2nd of March, some of the most innovative minds in biomedical engineering gathered to celebrate the conclusion of the first MerSETA Virovent Innovation Skills Challenge. This challenge saw participants from various institutions across the country collaborate toward one common goal: to develop skills for medical device innovation in South Africa.

The challenge ended with a MediVentors Lions’ Den Event. The competition was inspired by the television series “Shark Tank.” The event provided the platform for the MediVentors to engage with other role-players in the MedTech space by presenting innovative ideas. This served to convince the industry to support their industrialisation proposal and, among other things, make funding available for product realisation.

The jury constituted various stakeholders in the MedTech innovation value chain, with a total prize value of R110 000 being awarded across the board following the Lion’s Den pitching event. The Lions’ Den Event also included two pannellist discussions namely: Innovation conversion: The skills and learner perspective and Industrialization: Putting the pieces of the chain together.

The competition is made up of the following stages:

STAGE 1:

All students submit their Project Proposal document

STAGE 2:

Evaluation of documents on the basis set criteria;

STAGE 3:

Selection of finalists (2 – 3 students / teams per university) to move on to the final stage; decision to be to be taken by committee after submission

STAGE 4:

Preparation of documents incl. videos for live presentation at the E- or Hybrid-conference planned on 2 March 2022

STAGE 5:

Selection of winners and presentation of prizes.