Medtech startup Nuroflux, which has developed a device to track brain activity and blood flow after a stroke, was chosen as the best of seven category winners of the inaugural Fishburners Tech for Good Awards.
Held at the startup hub Fishburners Sydney, the awards honored startups using technology to solve the world’s most pressing environmental, economic and social challenges.
More than 250 startups took part in the awards spanning seven categories, with the winners giving a 90-second pitch to determine the overall excellence award won by Nuroflux, in addition to a People’s Choice award, won by NeedleCalm and chosen by the more than 200 guests at the awards .
Nuroflux co-founder and CEO Sam van Bohemen was inspired by personal experience to found his startup with Dr David Cardoso,,He thanked Fishburners, the sponsors and the judges for making it possible.
“We are humbled to have had the opportunity to share what we do at Nuroflux and even more humbled to have won the Better Health and Wellbeing Award and the Overall Excellence Award,” he said.
“It was very inspiring to learn about the amazing startups that want to make the world a better place, we wish them all the best.”
The winners of the Tech for Good Awards to be:
Fishburners Social Impact Award: Humanitix
Climate action price: FloodMapp
Better Health and Wellbeing Award: Nuroflux
Tech for Good Female Founder Awardsponsored by Microsoft for Startups: NeedleCalm
Sustainability awardsponsored by BDO: RecycleSmart
Sustainable Product Award, sponsored by Amazon: Compassion Creamery
The Diversity and Inclusion Awardsponsored by Optus: homeable
Overall excellent value: Nuroflux
Audience Award: NeedleCalm
The awards stemmed from the launch of the Tech for Good Hub at Fishburners, in which 30 founders of sustainable startups participated in a 9-month scholarship program.
Alan Jones, interim CEO of Fishburners, said Tech for Good is founded on the idea that the best way for companies to future-proof themselves is by working to solve – not contribute to – global problems affecting people and the planet. to influence.
“Startups don’t exist in a bubble. The businesses we hope to build to fulfill our entrepreneurial ambitions depend on the viability of the society, economy and natural ecosystem in which we exist,” he said.
“The big, persistent issues outlined in the SDGs are also the most valuable opportunities for startups to address. We are excited to raise awareness and support the growth of a group of great Aussie startups making real progress against the SDG goals in our inaugural Tech For Good Awards.
“We would like to thank our wonderful sponsors Investment NSW, Amazon, Optus, BDO and Microsoft for supporting this initiative in its very first year.”
Adam McCurdie, founder and CEO of Humanitix, winner of the Social Impact Award, said there are a plethora of pressing social problems that the for-profit sector isn’t committing enough resources to solve.
“Humanitix is already making incredible strides in transforming the $3.7 billion global ticketing industry, but this is just the beginning for us,” he said.
“There are hundreds of profitable industries that can be disrupted using scalable technology to provide a valuable offering while reinvesting profits into social causes. We invite entrepreneurs everywhere to join us on a purposeful path, to create a world where all businesses, structures and systems work to serve the interests of our planet and everyone (and everything!) who shares it.
“But it takes a village to start a startup. So we’re grateful for the support we’ve received from Fishburners – from using the Humanitix platform for all Fishburner events to providing opportunities to inspire, engage and educate the public about our unique philanthropic model at Pitch Nights and other events.”
Juliette Murphy, co-founder and CEO of Climate Action Award winner FloodMapp, said her startup’s real-time flood information enables emergency managers to understand the impact on specific people, property and critical infrastructure — before, during, and after. floods.
“This allows them to coordinate targeted evacuations and rescues in fast water and direct traffic around flooded roads,” she said.
“If all emergency managers and communities had access to FloodMapp, we could save thousands of lives, prevent billions of dollars in damage and accelerate flood recovery overall.”
The Tech for Good Awards are supported by Investment NSW as the title sponsor, with individual award sponsors including Amazon, Optus, BDO and Microsoft. Each category winner received a cash prize of $5,000.
Fishburners CEO Alan Jones (left) with the judges and winners of the Tech for Good awards