News, stories & opinions for the world’s healthtech innovators.

PI hosts the design community with expert insights on designing personalized healthcare

Planet Innovation last week hosted a rare opportunity for the design community to go behind the scenes into the world of designing innovative, personalised healthcare products.

Point-of-care manufacturing for cell and gene therapies – the debate is heating up

Cell and gene therapies show great promise as cancer treatments. However, patient access, both geographically and financially, is a major challenge to widespread adoption. In order to provide therapies to more patients that desperately need them, the industry is exploring a range of options including point-of-care (POC) manufacturing.

Governor of Victoria visits Planet Innovation’s Manufacturing Facility in California

The Governor of Victoria, HE Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC visited PI's manufacturing facility in Irvine and discussed PI’s strategy to provide its clients with a seamless experience from development though to manufacturing.

Why creating a successful cell and gene therapy manufacturing tool is about so much more than core tech

Developing an instrument that automates the cell and gene therapy workflow is no easy task. Your core tech, while critical, is only one part of the overall development, there is so much more that determines the success of your product. Brian Hanrahan shares 4 key tips for creating a successful cell therapy manufacturing tool.

PI wins Best Workplace Flexibility Program Award

Planet Innovation's flexible work offering has been recognized at the 2022 Australian HR Awards, with the company taking home the Best Workplace Flexibility Program Award.

What will drive innovation in the diagnostics industry in coming years, and how has the pandemic changed the game?

At the recent 2022 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Chicago, Illinois, I moderated an insightful panel with three industry experts: John Hart, President and CEO of ASP Health; Jay Srinivasan, Chief Strategy Officer at Truvian Sciences and Stuart Elliott, CEO and co-founder of Planet Innovation.  

Manufacturing-led innovation – the flywheel effect that drives ongoing product development

At PI, we use a feedback loop – using the market-informed insights gained from manufacturing to then inform the design of an improved product, an adjacent complementary product or even an innovative, second-generation product.

How your medtech manufacturer can help you drive product innovation

Planet Innovation’s unique ‘strategic investor’ approach proves a winner

Planet Innovation is redefining what it means to be a strategic investor by providing investee companies with not just funding, but access to its people, facilities and networks.

How PI is giving staff the freedom to match their work style to their lifestyle

At PI, we believe that work is ‘what we do’ not ‘where we go’. That's why we've introduced new Ways of Working that empower our people to choose where, when and how they work to produce their best outcomes.

Stuart Elliott’s 3 Laws of Commercialization

Inventing a great product is pointless if nobody buys it. In my years in the medtech industry, I’ve discovered there are three fundamental laws of commercialization that you need to consider early in the product development process if you are to be successful.

Podcast: Sam Lanyon on the future of advanced manufacturing, digital health and point-of-care diagnostics

Sam Lanyon speaks to the Talking HealthTech podcast about the future of advanced manufacturing and digital health, especially in light of COVID-19.

Why unique technology is overrated in innovation

When it comes to innovation, I believe that ‘uniqueness’ is misunderstood and often overrated. Let me explain why.

American Chamber of Commerce asks PI for the secrets of how to build an innovative company

Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce event, our Co-CEO and Co-founder Stuart Elliott offered insight into three fundamentals that organizations need to get right if they are serious about innovation.

Lights, camera, action! PI hosts TV show on design innovation

Planet Innovation’s Melbourne office was taken over by camera crews when we hosted the judging sessions for TV show Australia By Design: Innovations.

PI and ANDHealth secure funding for Digital Health Innovators Program

Planet Innovation and ANDHealth have secured LaunchVic funding to deliver a unique joint program ‘B.R.I.G.H.T Future For Digital Health Innovators’ over the next two years.

5 reasons why aspiring entrepreneurs should join Planet Innovation

Thinking of launching a tech start-up? Here are five reasons why you should come and work for PI first.

PI to commercialize pioneering technology that mimics blood flow to detect patients at risk of heart attack or stroke

An RMIT University researcher working with PI on technology that can test patients for bleeding or clotting disorders has been awarded more than $650,000 in NHMRC funding.

PI judges Most Innovative Companies list

Planet Innovation has joined the judging panel for The Australian Financial Review’s Most Innovative Companies list after dominating the awards for the past six years.

Market-Focus key to PI winning Australia’s ‘Best Innovation Program’

Planet Innovation’s market-centric approach to innovation has again been recognized as the Best Innovation Program in Australia by the AFR.

Key ingredients for innovation

There’s rarely just one thing responsible for innovation. It is a combination of ingredients that deliver innovative thinking and behaviour. See if your company has these four ingredients in its mix.

PI wins Most Innovative Company Award for the third time

The Australian Financial Review has awarded Planet Innovation four innovation awards, including Australia’s Most Innovative Company.

Two ways every CEO can increase innovation

As CEO of a company that is challenged every day to deliver innovative solutions, I see two main areas where every CEO can help increase their company’s level of innovation.

Planet Innovation again named Australia’s Most Innovative Company

Planet Innovation has been named Australia’s Most Innovative Company for the second time in three years.

World first imaging incubator uses unconventional approach to monitor embryos

Genea Biomedx has created an incubation instrument with time lapse photography, which allows scientists and potential parents to watch their embryos grow in their first crucial few days.

Planet Innovation ranks in Australia’s top 10 Most Innovative Company list for 3rd straight year

After debuting on the list in 2012 in eighth place and topping the list in 2013, Planet Innovation is thrilled to once again be named among the top 10 most innovative Australian companies, this year ranking at number three.

Why products fail

In my experience, there are common themes that link the failure of new products, and I am often asked by anxious entrepreneurs for my top tips on preventing their products from becoming landfill and, by corollary, how they can make their products successful.

6 principles that deliver commercially successful products

The product development journey can be exciting but harrowing for even the most experienced company let alone the first time innovator. Here are a six principles that successful companies follow.

How Genea changed the world of IVF through automation

Despite 30 years of IVF practice the process of freezing human embryos, known as vitrification, has remained extremely manual and susceptible to errors and inconsistencies by embryologists. In 2009, Genea Biomedx teamed up with Planet Innovation to solve this challenge by automating IVF vitrification and finally making the process consistent and standardised for labs around the world.

Dumb problems demand attention

With rising energy prices, and a move towards time-of-use tariffs, PI’s innovation team thought that what was needed was an intelligent hot water system for consumers that was a one-size fits all, stand-alone solution to simplify installation for plumbers.

The secret behind the consumable ‘pod’ that pioneered IVF automation

PI Executive Director Eduardo Vom reveals the details to the microfluidic pod that was developed for the Gavi instrument to enable automated IVF vitrification for the first time in the world.