Professor Steve Chadban is one of The Big Idea’s great success stories.  

Awarded winner of our District’s innovation and commercialisation challenge in 2019, Professor Chadban received seed funding to build a comfortable and functional chair for dialysis patients, who can spend up to 15 hours a week sitting through treatments.  

“Seed funding is crucial. It is a core enabler that transforms an idea into a project that can be developed into a new healthcare solution,” RPA Director of Renal Medicine Professor Chadban said.  

“It creates an opportunity to leverage funds from elsewhere, shows external support and validation for the idea that builds confidence in the team, and the win provides recurrent exposure opportunities, which can help drive the team forward.”

The Big Idea is an annual event that drives innovative thinking and patient-focused solutions backed up by seed funding to pursue winning ideas.  

Since winning the Big Idea in 2019, Professor Chadban has continued to develop the design of the Deluxe Medical Chair and increased its scope to support dialysis, chemotherapy, infusion and patients undergoing long-term treatment.    

With a refined design, the team have confirmed a first production run of 25 chairs that will be trialled at the RPA Satellite Dialysis Unit from September 2023. A further 60 chairs will be installed across the District by the end of the year.  

When the Big Idea returns to the Sydney Innovation and Research Symposium on Friday 21 July, clinicians, academics and researchers will have just a few minutes to pitch early-stage ideas, devices, technology, or systems with the potential to transform patient care.  

This year, the judging panel includes Chief Executive Dr Teresa Anderson, University of Sydney Professor of Cardiovascular Bioengineering Professor Steven Wise, Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor Medicine and Health Professor Robin Ward, and Sydney Research Executive Director and SIPfHER Executive Director Adjunct Associate Professor Vicki Taylor.  

Winners of the challenge will receive $65,000 pre-seed funding plus $25,000 in professional support services from IDE Group to support their concept’s development.  

The People's Choice Award winner will receive $20,000 pre-seed funding plus $5,000 in professional support services from IDE Group.  

Sydney Local Health District, the University of Sydney, IDE Group and Cicada Innovations proudly support the Big Idea.  

“The Big Idea is our chance to support innovative ideas developed by those who aim to address an existing gap, a clinical need or a complex health challenge,” Professor Vicki Taylor said.  

“There are few opportunities that provide funding for early-stage concepts.   

“With the funding and the recognition that comes from the Big Idea, winners have the potential to grow their idea further than what they could have imagined.”  

You can book tickets for The Big Idea at the Sydney Innovation and Research Symposium on Friday 21 July.