Kia ora
Welcome to the August edition of the HealthTech Activator (HTA) monthly wrap.
This month we’ve been spotlighting two essentials for healthtech growth: preparing for international markets and building confidence with ISO 13485. It’s also been a time of national recognition, with HTA-associated companies and sector peers celebrating New Zealand’s innovation awards.
With Callaghan Innovation’s proposed disestablishment in mid-2026, the HTA will continue operating as usual and transition to the newly announced NZ Institute for Advanced Technology. This move ensures uninterrupted support for New Zealand healthtech innovators, with continued expertise in reimbursement, clinical and market validation, regulatory strategy, and capital planning.
For companies already engaged with HTA, it remains business as usual. For those considering support, now is the perfect time to connect.
Bringing health technologies to market takes persistence, expert guidance, and the right resources. HTA remains fully operational and committed to helping innovators develop safe, effective, and commercially viable solutions.
Going Global and Raising Capital
For many MedTech ventures, the next big step is moving beyond New Zealand’s borders, expanding into international markets and securing capital offshore to scale and make things happen. The HTA’s Market Validation framework supports companies on this journey by combining global database searches, capability-building workshops, and one-on-one advice from Business Innovation Advisors to show where technologies fit in complex overseas markets.
Today, raising capital requires stronger preparation and clearer value propositions. In our latest Capital Education blog, published on 20 August, investors from Bridgewest and Movac note that funding rounds are taking longer, and due diligence is tougher, but high-quality healthtech ventures are still finding success.
Their advice? Be capital-efficient, validate product–market fit early, listen to feedback, and stay close to your customers. While the bar has risen, opportunities are growing, and HTA can help you make the most of them.
We ran a successful Know Your Customer, Know Your Market workshop on 20 August to help companies sharpen customer and market insights, and next up is our Commercial Planning workshop to support ventures preparing for global growth and capital raising.
Talk to HTA about your global journey →
Recognition for HTA Companies
August was a milestone month for HTA-associated ventures. Wellumio was named a KiwiNet finalist for its Axana® portable stroke imaging device, while Luminoma Diagnostics, led by Dr Michel Nieuwoudt, was recognised for its light-based skin cancer tool delivering results in seconds. Both show how HTA support can help innovators build momentum.
Awards Across the Ecosystem
The KiwiNet Awards also recognised breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy and protein engineering, highlighting the strength of New Zealand’s research pipeline. Meanwhile, the NZ Primary Healthcare Awards celebrated innovation in general practice, and the NZ CIO Awards honoured Whakarongorau Aotearoa’s Stasha Rmandic for her leadership in virtual care.
These successes show what’s possible when strong ideas meet the right support. Get in touch to see how HTA can help your journey.
QMS Corner: ISO 13485 Learning Series
Quality systems are the foundation for international success. That’s why, in partnership with the Johner Institute New Zealand, we’ve launched a dedicated ISO 13485 Learning Series.
In August, we released Understanding QMS Requirements Under ISO 13485:2016, a practical guide to documentation, role clarity, and procedural controls. This follows A Practical Guide for Small Medical Device Companies (22 July) and ISO 13485 – Introduction, General Understanding and the Role of Training in the Medical Technology Sector Regulatory Pathway (1 July).
The series continues on 7 October with our first live webinar, Introduction to ISO 13485, exploring how to engage leaders, inspire teams, and simplify compliance. See more below!
Register now →
