MSWA and Founders Factory have announced the first cohort of startups selected for the MS & Neurological Care Accelerator, a world-first program dedicated to advancing technologies that improve outcomes for people living with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions.
Based in Perth, Western Australia, the accelerator is designed to speed the path from innovation to patient adoption by connecting emerging healthcare ventures directly with MSWA’s clinical network and community of thousands of people living with neurological conditions. The program focuses on helping startups validate, pilot, and deploy technologies in real-world care environments.
The initiative addresses a growing global need as neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, Huntington’s disease, motor neurone disease, and acquired brain injury continue to affect millions of people worldwide. By creating faster pathways for testing and implementation, the accelerator aims to help promising technologies reach patients sooner.
The five startups selected for the inaugural cohort are:
- upLYFT (London), a movement intelligence platform that transforms textiles into health and performance monitoring tools.
- Neurosonic (San Francisco), which aims to prevent strokes by detecting and monitoring carotid artery blockage through blood-flow sound analysis and proprietary data.
- Fluent (Melbourne), developer of a subscalp brain-computer interface focused on speech decoding.
- Clarity Technologies (San Francisco and Paris), which provides sensory stimulation therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis.
- ReVimo (Boston), creator of a portable robotic self-transfer device that helps individuals with mobility impairments safely perform everyday self-care tasks.
The selected ventures span technologies including brain-computer interfaces, artificial intelligence, robotics, wearables, and health monitoring systems. Together, they represent new approaches to neurological care management and patient empowerment.
According to MSWA, the accelerator is intended to close a significant gap in healthtech investment and commercialization, ensuring that innovations targeting neurological conditions can be evaluated and adopted more rapidly.
MSWA CEO Melanie Kiely said the selected founders will have the opportunity to engage directly with clients and witness firsthand the impact their technologies could have on people living with neurological conditions.
The accelerator is endorsed by Western Australia Premier Roger Cook, who highlighted the state’s leadership in neurological care and emphasized the importance of supporting emerging healthcare innovators.
The program will operate out of Perth and aims to position Western Australia as a hub for neurological healthcare innovation while fostering collaboration between entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians, and patients.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re welcoming some of the world’s brightest innovators to Perth this week, giving them the opportunity to meet our Clients firsthand and see the real-world impact their ideas can achieve.
By bringing their talent and ambition here, we’re fast-tracking innovations that might otherwise take years to reach the people that need them most, creating real-world trials right here in Australia.
This world-first initiative is the only programme of its kind dedicated to accelerating technologies specifically for MS and other neurological conditions. For MSWA, it sees our strategy in action, translating cutting-edge research into tangible outcomes for our Clients and the broader neurological community.”
Melanie Kiely, CEO, MSWA
“My government is ensuring all Western Australians can access the healthcare they need, when they need it.
WA leads the nation for prevention and care in the neurological community, and these startups are great examples of what our State does best.
By providing these startups with direct support, MSWA and Founders Factory are helping WA remain a nation leader in the field while supporting the wellbeing of all Western Australians.”
Roger Cook, Premier of Western Australia
“The Cook Government is proud to support the partnership between MSWA and Founders Factory, which is helping translate world-class medical research into real outcomes for people living with neurological conditions.
By supporting early-stage companies to test and scale their ideas, we are helping bring new technologies into real-world settings for patients sooner.”
Stephen Dawson, Minister for Science, Innovation & Medical Research, Government of Western Australia
“Neurological care is one of the biggest global health challenges. Yet, it is the one of the least currently served by technology or investors, despite entrepreneurial talent coming up with great innovations, as evident by those selected for this programme. By mobilising founders around this space, we’re creating a launchpad for breakthrough impact.”
Rohan Silva, Chair of Western Australia, Founders Factory
