Welcoming the TRAM Air cohort for 2024
The TRAM Air program supports the best of the University of Melbourne's research community to build and scale impactful, investable ventures.
This year we are joined by six research-based ventures that are working towards scale and furthering their commercialisation success. Our cohort comprises a diverse range of founders who are dedicated to translating their research into real-world solutions. Among them are four female-led teams, reflecting the growing prominence of female leadership in research commercialisation and significant steps toward gender diversity in entrepreneurship.
Four of our teams are from University of Melbourne faculties, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, whilst three join us from institutes within the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, including The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health (The Florey), Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute).
Purpose and support
We recognise that sustainable and viable businesses are built by passionate individuals who drive progress. TRAM Air is designed to empower our founders. We achieve this through:
- Mentorship: our founders benefit from the guidance of mentors with domain expertise, both experienced business executives and later-stage founders. These mentors provide invaluable insights and help our founders navigate their entrepreneurial journeys. Our esteemed mentor group is led again this year by Andrew Nash, our Entrepreneur in Residence, who has travelled to Melbourne from the US to welcome our cohort.
- Investment community: we work with the Air teams to prepare them for meetings with investors, followed by scheduled individual and group meetings with the investor community.
- Program duration: TRAM Air runs for six months, from May to October, allowing dedicated time for growth and development.
Guiding TRAM Air
TRAM Air benefits from the exceptional leadership of our program manager, Masha Pelipas. With a strong history of supporting research driven startups both in Australia and internationally, our teams are in capable hands under Masha’s guidance.
“This year's TRAM Air cohort is truly fantastic. It boasts a remarkable diversity of industries, founder backgrounds and tackled challenges. Once again, our founders are solving some of the world’s most pressing issues, form retinal regeneration to prevent blindness and novel diagnostics for chronic conditions, to innovative treatments for dementia and clinical devices to improve the accuracy of life-saving procedures. The entire TRAM community is excited to welcome new these new teams and support them in accelerating their ambitious goals over the next 6 months”.
Delivered by MEC at Melbourne Connect
The Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC) hosts TRAM Air sessions every Thursday at our home in Melbourne Connect. This central location fosters collaboration, idea exchange and networking among participants and with participants from other TRAM programs. TRAM is located in the same building as the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) and Melbourne InnovatEd, giving Air participants outstanding access to likeminded thinkers in the University of Melbourne’s entrepreneurial community.
Please join us in welcoming the TRAM Air cohort for 2024:
Venture | Founders | Faculty / Institute | Description |
Vis-CAT | Christine Nearchou | Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences | Vis-CAT has developed the first-ever digital screening tool designed for testing visual cognition in young children. This tool aims to improve learning outcomes by promptly identifying visual processing issues in children, eliminating the risk of delayed diagnosis. |
FeBi Technologies | Nicole Jenkins Gawain McColl David Simpson Liam Hall | The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health (The Florey) University of Melbourne (Faculty of Science)
| FeBI Technologies is at the forefront of developing quantum sensing technology. The unique system is designed to prevent missed and misdiagnosed iron disorders, which affect over 2 billion people globally. FeBI aims to enhance patient care for those with chronic health conditions. |
VoltMind | Michael Liu Vincenzo Bassi Nando Ochoa | Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology | VoltMind combines AI and engineering to create software solutions for the electricity sector. Their mission is to help industries navigate the challenges of energy transition effectively. By empowering households and businesses, VoltMind contributes to the path toward achieving net-zero emissions. |
Mirugen | Raymond Wong | Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) | Mirugen, a spin-off from the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), focuses on gene therapy. Their goal is to stimulate retinal regeneration and treat blindness. This approach holds promise for restoring vision and transforming lives. |
Misti | Anushi Rajapaksa | Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity | Misti’s nebuliser stands out as a first-in-class, low-cost, and validated rapid lung delivery system. It delivers life-saving therapeutics swiftly and effectively, addressing both current and emerging infectious respiratory diseases in children and older adults. |
Meizon Innovation | Liz Ferentinos (Co-Founder) Albert Frauman (Co-Founder) Wah Chin Boon (inventor) | The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health (The Florey) | Meizon Innovation is dedicated to developing new treatments for autism and dementia. These common yet severe diseases currently have limited treatment options. Meizon’s research aims to improve the quality of life for affected individuals. |
The TRAM Air Program culminates in the TRAM Air Investor Breakfast attended by venture capital investors, angel investors, high net worth individuals, family offices and industry leaders. Our founders will present their ventures, share progress and seek investment opportunities.