Entries for the Australian Technologies Competition close on May 11! Here previous finalist Hayley Saddington, Peak Medical CEO, talks about what inspired her to create a digital health company. Peak Medical provides clinical software interventions that mimic in-clinic physiotherapy care, managing both the long-term and short-term implications of osteoarthritis.
As a founder in the medtech space, my journey has been anything but conventional. It began with a deeply personal experience that would shape the trajectory of my career. My father, a farmer, suffered a serious accident 500 kilometres from the nearest hospital. His lengthy and challenging rehabilitation process opened my eyes to a healthcare system that is often inaccessible when people need it the most.
This realisation led me to create Peak Medical. Our mission is to make healthcare more accessible by leveraging technology to allow people to recover in the comfort of their homes. Delivering a service at home via technology, that is usually reserved for in-clinic visits only.
It wasn’t about building technology for the sake of it – it was about people. Real people, like my father, who deserved a better solution. What started as an idea driven by personal experience has evolved into a global platform that tracks progress, detects pain and offers real-time clinical advice, all while allowing users to safely recover at home. The sustainable part – we deliver at over 17x less cost than traditional health pathways.
Being a medtech entrepreneur has taught me the importance of dismantling silos within the healthcare sector. Early in my career, with my first startup, Halo Medical Devices, I focused on creating innovative and accessible solutions by bridging gaps across disciplines. At Peak Medical, this same collaborative approach has proven essential. By uniting diverse expertise, we’ve combined cutting-edge technology with human-centred design, developing solutions that address people where they are.
Participation in initiatives like the Australian Technologies Competition allowed me to connect with other innovators and leaders in the space, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare and allowing a space to talk about how hard sometimes this journey can be with other founders who are on the same path! The road hasn’t always been smooth, but it’s incredibly rewarding to be part of a movement that’s changing how we think about recovery and, ultimately, the future of healthcare.