Challenger Pitch for Health returns in May 2027 with a dedicated focus on women’s health. Researchers, founders, clinicians and investors will come together to turn promising ideas into clinical and commercial impact — co-hosted by Proto Axiom and St Vincent’s Curran Foundation.
Why pitch
Challenger Pitch for Health connects Australian research with the people, expertise and capital needed to develop it. The 2027 women’s health focus creates a dedicated opportunity to advance an area that has long been under-researched and under-invested.
Proto Axiom’s active portfolio spans 11 biotech companies, including 3 clinical-stage companies, sourced from the same institutions that send researchers to Challenger Pitch for Health each year.
Non-dilutive grants help researchers advance their next development milestone. No equity is exchanged for the prize itself.
Winners gain working access to Proto Axiom's clinical, regulatory, IP, finance and governance team — the same team supporting the portfolio.
Where the science fits, finalists enter a structured conversation with Proto Axiom about company formation and first round.
Intros to Proto Axiom's investor and clinical network — TIME Ventures, Catalio Capital, Reliance Life Sciences and a 33-strong private investor base.
New for 2027
A dedicated women’s health programme alongside our national life sciences pitch event, connecting research with clinical expertise, investment and commercialisation pathways.
Founders, investors, clinicians and leaders will come together for a fireside conversation and dedicated networking before the main event.
Live pitches and discussions with clinicians, investors and industry leaders, including a new Women’s Health Prize, the Open Prize and St Vincent’s Pitch for Health stream.
Two streams · one stage
Proto Axiom and St Vincent’s Curran Foundation bring their pitch programmes together on one stage, connecting Australian research with clinical expertise, investors and commercialisation support.
The Proto Axiom stream includes an Open Prize and a new Women’s Health Prize for 2027, replacing the previous Challenger Prize. We welcome interest from researchers, clinicians and early-stage founders working to turn Australian science into clinical and commercial outcomes. Full prize criteria will be announced with applications.
Run in partnership with St Vincent's Curran Foundation. Open to teams from St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute — programs aligned with the Foundation's discovery and innovation priorities.
The path to pitch day
Challenger Pitch for Health returns in May 2027. Application and shortlist dates will be announced here and shared with the Proto Axiom Connect community.
Eligibility & criteria
The Proto Axiom stream welcomes Australian researchers, clinicians and early-stage founders. The new Women’s Health Prize creates a dedicated opportunity for women’s health innovation. Full 2027 prize criteria will be published with applications; St Vincent’s stream has institution-specific eligibility.
2026 cohort
Challenger Pitch for Health 2026 was held in Sydney in March 2026 — co-hosted by Proto Axiom and St Vincent's Curran Foundation, Australia's largest medical pitch day. Four programs were recognised across the two streams, and 14 finalists pitched live to more than 250 researchers, clinicians, investors and industry representatives.
Bowel Disorder Treatment at Home: a home-based system that brings a proven therapy from the clinic into the home, helping people manage chronic bowel conditions.
A first-in-class therapy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction — a common and fast-growing condition with no treatment that can slow or stop the underlying disease.
A simple, fast and accurate DNA blood test for advanced prostate cancer to detect treatment failure early and enable personalised treatment.
Solving the unmet need for a diagnostic test for rare but devastating genetic diseases — simplifying an accurate lab test into a quick procedure using a small blood sample.
Explore more research and translation outcomes at the Women’s Health Foundry.
Our co-hosts
Bringing together company-building expertise, clinical research and philanthropy to help Australian health innovation reach patients.
Take the next step
Join Proto Axiom Connect to be the first to know when the 2027 application form opens — plus program updates, finalist briefings and event invites before they go public. No spam, never shared.
FAQ
Find answers about the event, applications and prizes. For anything else, contact the team.