This high-profile panel event showcases The University of Melbourne’s dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, highlighting various support pathways available for University-affiliated research, ideas and innovations. Bringing together leaders of University commercialisation, venture investment and entrepreneurship with startup founders navigating their own entrepreneurial journeys, the panel discussion will look to explore some of the newer funding and other support mechanisms now available to startup founders that are contributing to positioning Melbourne as a global innovation hub.
The Melbourne Advantage: Entrepreneurial Support Pathways panel will explore the University’s commercialisation and entrepreneurship pathways and support structures, including the Genesis Pre Seed Fund as well as initiatives supported by the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre. Attendees will hear stories from founders sharing their challenges, breakthroughs and lessons learned. The session will also provide insights into equity structures, funding mechanisms available to University-connected startups, and emerging startup support opportunities within Melbourne’s evolving innovation landscape.
Event Speakers
Michael Poisel – Executive Director, Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre.
Michael brings over two decades of global expertise in university commercialisation, most recently as founding Executive Director of Penn Center for Innovation Ventures at the University of Pennsylvania. During his 16-year tenure, he participated in founding over 280 companies that raised more than $900 million in funding. With experience spanning private equity at NewSpring Capital, Apax Partners, and GE Capital, plus an engineering background at General Electric, Michael combines deep technical knowledge with proven business acumen in transforming research into high-impact ventures.
Hun Gan – Executive Director, Commercialisation, University of Melbourne/CEO, University of Melbourne Genesis Pre-Seed Fund.
Speaker 1: Hun brings a unique blend of scientific rigour and commercial acumen to early-stage venture funding, with diverse experience as a researcher, VC investment director, and startup CEO. His investment leadership contributed to successes like Audinate (ASX-listed, >$1B market cap) and Chrysos (ASX-listed, $600M market cap). Drawing on experience across Telstra Research, CSIRO, and venture capital, Hun designed the University of Melbourne’s comprehensive funding program, focusing on solving complex problems that create maximum societal impact
Dr Anushi (Kulasiri) Rajapaksa – CEO and Founder of Misti (TRAM Air 2024 cohort)
Dr. Rajapaksa is the Melbourne-based founder and CEO of Misti, a pioneering MedTech company redefining respiratory care through smart inhalers powered by acoustofluidics. Misti delivers hospital-grade therapy in the home and enables inhalation of emerging biologics, including vaccines. With 12 years at the Royal Children’s Hospital, MCRI, and GSK, Anushi brings deep expertise in clinical research, regulatory strategy, and commercialisation. She also founded the charity Think Project to deliver STEM innovations to low-resource settings. Balancing career and motherhood, her work is driven by a mission to protect vulnerable populations and transform the future of healthcare delivery. Her accolades include Young Biomedical Engineer of the Year (2010 by Engineers Australia), Lisa Ring Fellowship (2023), AusMumpreneur Multicultural Business Excellence Award (2023), and the NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2017–2020).
Moderator: Grace Bird – Head of Atmosphere Pre-seed Fund, Main Sequence Ventures.
Grace Bird is the Head of Atmosphere at Main Sequence, bringing a decade of experience in early-stage venture capital, innovation policy, and marketing and communications. In this role, she runs alongside deep-tech founders to help them lay the foundations for scale from the very beginning of the journey.
Before joining Main Sequence, Grace led the early-stage investment team at Breakthrough Victoria, where she spearheaded investments across a broad range of sectors, including cleantech, software, medtech, and semiconductors. Prior to Breakthrough, Grace was a Ministerial Adviser for Innovation in the Victorian Government and an Associate in Australia Post’s corporate venture capital team.
