Image credit: Smileyscope, breakthroughvictoria.com

Every year, World Children's Day falls on 20 November. It’s a day dedicated to fostering global unity, raising awareness about children's issues and enhancing their welfare.  

With this global initiative in mind, we highlight some local innovations that Breakthrough Victoria has recently invested in: 

Image credit: Navi Medical Technologies 

Navi Medical Technologies is a Melbourne-based startup dedicated to revolutionising medic/al care for critically ill newborns and children.  

Currently, nearly half of life-saving procedures involving central venous catheters for these young patients result in misplacements, a potentially life-threatening outcome. Clinicians rely on post-procedure x-rays to confirm catheter locations, leading to delays and complications. 

Navi’s technology is non-invasive and goes onto the end of an existing catheter, showing in real-time whether its placement is correct. It is currently undergoing a second clinical trial at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne and it promises to transform paediatric care. 

In addition to Breakthrough Victoria’s investment, Navi has received state government support via the Technology Adoption and Innovation Program, Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund,AMMC MedTech Manufacturing Capability Program) and through LaunchVic’s capability building programs. 

Image credit: Smileyscope 

Smileyscope is a Victorian company pioneering virtual reality technology designed to alleviate pain, stress, and anxiety during common medical procedures like blood tests, vaccinations and imaging.  

By transporting patients into soothing virtual environments, Smileyscope replaces the anxiety of medical settings with serene landscapes, including underwater worlds teeming with colourful fish. 

This virtual reality experience has proven to reduce a child's pain by up to 60% and decrease the need for restraint during needle procedures by 48%. Moreover, Smileyscope's lightweight headsets cater to children as young as four years old. 

Smileyscope’s technology is the first virtual reality device that has been approved for pain relief. It has also received awards (including a Good Design Award and the Victorian Premier’s Design Award), and investment through the Victorian Government’s Alice Anderson Fund, which is delivered by LaunchVic to increase investment in women-led startups. 

About Breakthrough Victoria  

Above: Grant Dooley, CEO, Breakthrough Victoria, and Evelyn Chan and Paul Leong, Co-founders, Smileyscope with Jerome Wielens, Breakthrough Victoria and the Smileyscope team. 

Breakthrough Victoria invests in innovation, ideas and entrepreneurs to bring breakthrough technologies to market that will help transform people’s lives. Breakthrough Victoria has five priority sectors for investment: health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, agrifood and clean economy. Head to breakthroughvictoria.com to learn more.

Why do we mark International Days and National Weeks? 

The United Nations has marked specific days and weeks of the year as advocacy tools to create awareness about issues, as well as achievements of humanity. 

The DIF team showcase events and stories of Victorian innovators and changemakers who use digital technologies to make a difference. These days or weeks provide an opportunity to build an inclusive and prosperous digital economy. 

Safer Internet Day falls on Tuesday, 6 February 2024. This global initiative raises awareness of online safety issues. Let us know if you are hosting an event or want to share a story on how you are creating safe online spaces as a tech company or volunteering your time to help your community.