The Victorian Connected Health Innovation and Commercialisation Centre (CHICC) has opened in Melbourne's CBD to help local health technology manufacturers develop their digital or connected products. The $2.4 million initiative, led by digital health commercialisation specialist ANDHealth and supported by the Andrews Labor government, will provide up to 500 Victorians with skills training, access to an international expert-in-residence program, concierge services to connect with investors, community networks to test digital health solutions and an accelerator program funded last year by LaunchVic, the government's startup agency.
The CHICC is expected to boost the growth of local digital health companies such as Macuject and Atmo Biosciences. Macuject's clinical support software aims to help develop more effective treatments for macular degeneration, a common cause of preventable blindness affecting four per cent of people over 50. Atmo Biosciences' ingestible Atmo Gas Capsule can detect gases from known locations in the human gut and wirelessly transmit data to help medical professionals diagnose functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Victoria's health technology sector is a world leader, generating $2.5 billion in exports and supporting more than 30,000 jobs.