BBFH 2025 Winners
Published On: October 24, 2025Categories: Entrepreneurial, Medical Device, Product Design

OptoSleep takes out the major prize at the MTAA MedTech Conference, accelerating the translation of breakthrough health technology to market 

IDE Group has announced OptoSleep as the Grand Prize Winner of the 2025 Building Better Futures for Health (BBFH) Challenge final event held during the MTAA MedTech Conference in Sydney. BBFH, now in its ninth year, fast-tracks promising early-stage MedTech ventures with technical development, industry insight, and strategic guidance, delivered in collaboration with the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) through its MedTech Compass initiative. 

OptoSleep impressed the expert judging panel for its potential to deliver meaningful clinical impact. OptoSleep is addressing the significant global challenge of obstructive sleep apnoea by creating a smart oral appliance that delivers light stimulation to throat muscles to trigger contraction and maintain airway openness during sleep, while also integrating an algorithm to automate patient-specific appliance design for 3D printing, refining sensor analysis and stimulation algorithms, and incorporating machine learning for efficacy monitoring and performance validation within the device hardware, providing a highly personalised and non-invasive therapeutic solution.  In addition to the major prize of $30,000 in IDE Group services, OptoSleep will gain entry to MedTech Compass, MTAA’s membership initiative that supports ventures across regulation, reimbursement, investment readiness, and market access, complementing IDE Group’s hands-on expertise in design, development, and product strategy. 

The $10,000 People’s Choice Award, decided by delegates at the MTAA MedTech Conference, was awarded to Pulsatile Innovations. The company is developing PulseTile, a single-use sensing device designed to be applied to the neck of a person in suspected cardiac arrest, which enables rescuers to rapidly detect the presence or absence of a pulse and determine whether life-saving interventions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation are required, thus enhancing decision-making and improving outcomes in critical emergency situations. 

George Sidis, Managing Director of IDE Group says “This year’s finalists showcased bold MedTech ideas with the potential to improve lives. OptoSleep stood out for its sharp focus on clinical need and enormous potential clinical impact.. With IDE Group’s support and MTAA’s MedTech Compass behind them, they’re positioned to move faster de-risking development, building investability, and accelerating access for patients and clinicians.”  

  • Mamatech, founded in 2025 by two women’s health physiotherapists, is an early-stage Western Australian medtech startup developing Mamawand, the world’s first personal handheld consumer-grade therapeutic ultrasound device for breastfeeding women., Mamawand is specifically designed to treat inflammatory conditions of the lactating breast such as mastitis, blocked ducts, and engorgement, providing an accessible and effective at-home solution that empowers women and improves postnatal care.  

  • Meablex is transforming prosthetic technology through the development of a sensorised quick-fit prosthetic socket integrated with its novel AI-powered MyoLog sensing system. The systemovercomes the limitations of traditional electromyography-based control, which is often prone to noise, perspiration, muscle fatigue, and poor electrode placement, factors that contribute to high rejection rates, particularly among children, while simultaneously eliminating the need for frequent and costly custom sockets as users grow, thus improving accessibility, comfort, and long-term usability.  

The BBFH Challenge is an initiative established by IDE Group to bridge the gap between research excellence and scalable deployment, helping MedTech ventures reach patients, attract investment, and achieve commercial success. Finalists receive tailored support from IDE Group's multidisciplinary teams of engineers, designers, and clinicians, and membership to MTAA's MedTech Compass for strategic capability building. 

Contact for Media Inquires:

Kirsty Amland
Marketing Director
IDE Group
Phone: +61 2 9647 2660
Address: 701-703 Paramatta Rd,
Leichhardt, NSW 2040. Australia
Email: partnering@ide.group

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