CHICC Expert Workshop | Non-Dilutive Funding: Extending your R&D Runway

In the competitive world of innovation, securing funding can be the key to success. This expert workshop will provide an in-depth analysis of non-dilutive funding mechanisms available to your digital health business, including the R&D tax incentives (RDTI) and government grant strategies.

Join R&D tax partner Kate Mahady (FB Rice), non-dilutive funding strategist Stuart Haines (Haines Consulting Group) and fund program leader Alex Barty (ANDHealth) as they discuss how to effectively navigate the Australian grants and tax incentives landscape, simplifying the process and identifying the right financial support to fuel your business innovation and growth.

We will also unpack the potential knock-on effects of the proposed future changes in this year's Federal Budget and outline how Australian innovators can effectively compete for the capital that remains available.

Don’t miss this crucial session, designed to help you move beyond asking “what grants are available?” and instead build a smarter funding strategy to de-risk your business.

What we’ll cover:

• Positioning RDTI as your #1 strategic capital lever – not just a year-end compliance exercise

• Proposed changes to the RDTI program and how this might affect your R&D funding

• How to effectively substantiate an RDTI claim, prepare for a stronger submission and avoid compliance pitfalls

• Alternative funding pathways, including MRFF; CRC-P; state-based programs; and industry collaborations

• Aligning grant applications to technical, clinical and commercial milestones to de-risk your path to market

• What makes a grant application compelling – and why others fall short.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026

Time: 10:00am – 12:45pm (including morning break)

Venue: ACMD Building, The Discovery Studio, Level 7, 27 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, VIC 3065

Session format: In-person only with presentations, practical advice and interactive Q&A 

Registration*: Free to attend, but registration essential

*Registrations close 9:00am Tuesday 13 October 2026

Who should attend?

• Healthtech innovators (including medtech, digital and connected health), founders and CXOs

• CFOs, commercial leads & business strategists

• Medtech, digital and connected health professionals.

This CHICC workshop is powered by ANDHealth and supported by the Victorian Government.

MEET OUR EXPERTS

Kate Mahady, Partner, FB Rice

Kate Mahady is a partner and leads our R&D tax consulting team in Melbourne.

She has over 20 years' experience in research and development tax incentive consulting, including with the 'Big 4' accounting firms, and has strong experience in advising a broad range of technology-based companies from start-ups to large multinationals.

Kate is dedicated to assisting Australian companies navigate the complex R&D tax landscape to provide maximised, supportable claims to enable them to fund further research and development projects.

Stuart Haines, Founder and CEO, Haines Consulting Group

Stuart Haines is the founder and CEO of Haines Consulting Group and Haines Media, which specialise in business strategy, growth, non-dilutive funding (government grants), and new venture developments. Stuart’s companies were developed from his passion for working with innovative Australian entrepreneurs and helping them to grow their business ventures both Nationally and Internationally.

Holding a Master of Business from RMIT University and having worked overseas in Asia and America and holding multiple board positions. Stuart is a renowned business strategist, a leading expert in non-dilutive funding and a respected keynote speaker, commentator, and has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers. With a proven record in global business management and business development at a senior executive level, he has led complex transformation, growth and organisational change.

Stuart demonstrates high-level analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with an innovative and pragmatic mindset, to develop practical solutions for his clients. He partners with business owners and works with them to formulate strategic business strategies with an emphasis on delivering results.

Stuart is actively involved in the continued growth of Haines Consulting Group, its international expansion, and other special projects with clients.

Alex Barty, Director, Non-Dilutive Investments Programs & Portfolio, ANDHealth

Alex Barty is a highly experienced commercialisation professional and fund program leader specialising in early-stage digital and connected health technologies. He has a strong track record delivering complex, government-funded investment programs and designing investment readiness and commercial strategy methodologies that accelerate the commercialisation of both deep technologies and consumer-facing products.

As Director, Non-Dilutive Investment Programs & Portfolio at ANDHealth, Alex leads the end-to-end delivery of the $33M+ Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF)-BioMedTech incubator (BMTI)-funded ANDHealth+ program, overseeing cohort selection, due diligence frameworks, investment governance, milestone reviews, and hands-on commercialisation support. He also co-manages the $50M CUREator+ and $50M CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline programs in partnership with Brandon BioCatalyst, representing ANDHealth across program operations and portfolio strategy.

He previously led the successful close-out of ANDHealth’s inaugural MRFF Early Stage Translation and Commercialisation (ESTAC)-funded ANDHealth+ program, deploying $15M across 21 companies to de-risk technologies and strengthen investment and market readiness, demonstrating his ability to manage high-complexity, multi-stakeholder initiatives to completion.

Alex has a longstanding relationship with the University of Sydney, where he supported commercial strategy, global partnering, and grant development across oncology and neurology platforms, and later served as inaugural General Manager of medtech spinout ChemoTrak, with SA-based seed investors Innovyz to position the company for follow-on investment and scale-up readiness. He remains a Research Affiliate.

Important note for attendees:

To encourage inclusive and open dialogue, this event operates under Chatham House Rule. We kindly ask that you do not film or record this session, including the use of AI notetakers.

Please be advised that photographs and videos may be taken by ANDHealth staff. By attending this event, you agree to being filmed or photographed, and acknowledge that these may be used for marketing or promotional purposes.

As a condition of complimentary registration, all guests attending this event will be asked to complete a short post-event survey. Your feedback supports continuous improvement and helps shape the direction of future industry activities.