The Innovation Showcase brings Canberra’s innovation ecosystem together in one afternoon. Photo: CBRIN.
If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens behind the scenes of Canberra’s startup movement, you’re about to get the keys to the workshop.
The Canberra Innovation Network (CBRIN) has revamped its annual Innovation Showcase based on attendee feedback. This year’s event features an interactive trade show where dozens of local vendors will display their inventions, giving attendees hands-on access to the diverse businesses driving the region’s ecosystem.
“Everyone really enjoyed hearing interesting stories from speakers, but we were missing an opportunity to give them a real look at how the ecosystem works, and to be inspired by all the cool stuff that’s being made in Canberra,” CBRIN’s Ben Garrett says.
The event gives you a taste of how CBRIN drives innovation in Canberra, from the 50-plus workshops they run throughout the year to experienced CEOs and founders sharing their journeys. It sums up what CBRIN does in an afternoon, so you don’t need a full day away from work.
Among the standout lineup of innovators will be Dentroid co-founders Omar Zuaiter and Alaa Habeb, there to demonstrate prototypes of their groundbreaking dental technology and join the panel discussions.
“What’s unusual about Dentroid is that it was founded by a dentist and an engineer. We’re not a spinout of a university, and we didn’t come from a huge tech background, but we joined forces to solve some of the enduring problems of dentistry — such as needle phobia and anxiety around the equipment. We set out to make it a more humane experience,” Omar says.
“One thing I noticed as a dentist is that the patient experience is not designed with human factors in mind. The tools are effective but not patient-friendly.
“My co-founder was questioning why technological advances weren’t geared towards improving the patient experience. This was the spark that ignited our journey.”
After immersing themselves in deep research and securing early patents, the pair found the space where their startup would thrive — the Canberra Innovation Network.
“They literally took our hands, taught us everything about how to build a startup, and off we went,” he says.
Founded in 2017, Dentroid still operates its head office out of CBRIN’s scale-up hub. Now a mature startup developing a pipeline of photonic and robotic tools designed for needle-free dental procedures, the company recently inked a landmark deal with a global dental giant worth more than $30 million.
Photo: CBRIN.
Photo: CBRIN.
Photo: CBRIN.
Photo: CBRIN.
Photo: CBRIN.
Photo: CBRIN.
When COVID hit just as their concept was gaining momentum, Dentroid adapted. Rather than hitting the brakes, they leveraged the pandemic’s momentum to forge strategic relationships with universities and advisors – a strategy that paid massive dividends.
This collaborative growth will be the core theme of Dentroid’s Innovation Showcase panel discussion.
“We were very efficient in pooling resources, and one way we were able to do it was by forging partnerships, investing in them, and taking advantage of all the synergies these partnerships show,” Omar says.
“The most notable example was Laurence Walsh, a semi-retired emeritus professor from the University of Queensland. He ended up becoming one of our closest advisors and the inventor of the Neurolite, our first product to the market.
“People sometimes think that the more partners you have, the more complexities you introduce, which is partly true, but they often underestimate that there are synergies and new horizons to be opened.
For Omar, participating in the showcase is a chance to pay that early support forward to the next wave of founders.
“CBRIN itself was formed by an alliance of seemingly unrelated companies, entities and universities. In the end, it was really the answer for many startups like ours,” Omar says.
“I want people to walk away thinking about how to form partnerships and keeping an open mind towards collaborating, whether with a co-founder, a partner or an academic.”
That spirit aligns seamlessly with CBRIN’s broader mission: turning the event into a catalyst for fresh connections while spotlighting world-class innovation built right in Canberra’s backyard.
“Ideally, it’s great for people already in our ecosystem to make connections and meet that next person who might change their business,” Ben says.
“Overall, there is some amazing stuff and products being worked on in Canberra that you don’t always see. This is your one opportunity to see it all in one place, hear from people who’ve done amazing stuff, and see how they are giving back to the community.”
The CBRIN Innovation Showcase takes place on Wednesday, 4 November, from 2 pm to 6:30 pm at UNSW Canberra City.