Australia’s Brain and Mental Health Innovators Unite for BrainTech 2026

Slatterys is delighted to be enabling cross-sector collaboration of brain and mental health innovators to improve brain health at the second annual BrainTech event. We could not do this without the generosity and involvement of the investors, entrepreneurs and researchers that are leading the way. Guided by advisors led by Adam Caplan and Andrew Maxwell, BrainTech 2026 will explore where the real opportunities lie for Australia in a rapidly expanding global neuroscience market.

Why it matters

Brain disorders are now the leading cause of ill health and disability globally. One in three Australians will be affected by a neurological or mental health condition in their lifetime. Australia ranks in the global top ten for neuroscience research output, with world-class clinical trial infrastructure, deep surgical expertise, and patient cohorts built over decades.

The challenge, and the opportunity, is turning that scientific strength into solutions that reach people at scale. BrainTech 2026 brings together the people building that bridge between discovery, clinical care and commercialisation.

At BrainTech 2026 we’ll look at what it takes to scale braintech across a population, the role philanthropy plays in making that possible, and why the breakthroughs that matter most will come from people willing to work across disciplines – bringing breadth and depth together in ways that neither research nor industry can achieve alone.

Standout Speakers

This year’s program features an exceptional lineup:

• Dr Elise Jenkins – Co-founder and CTO, Coherence Neuro; pioneering implantable neurotechnology for cancer treatment and tracking
• Prof Nicholas Opie – CEO of Ultra Bionics, Founding Director of Synchron, and Head of the Vascular Bionics Laboratory at the University of Melbourne
• Prof Cassandra Szoeke – Lead of the Women’s Healthy Ageing Program at Monash, internationally acclaimed neurologist and author
• Adam Caplan – Founder and General Partner, Jumpspace Ventures, one of the world’s leading neurotech venture investors
• Prof David Grayden – Clifford Chair of Neural Engineering at the University of Melbourne; co-founder of the BioDesign Innovation program
• Andrew Morokoff – Neurosurgeon and Associate Professor, University of Melbourne; lead surgeon for first-in-human trials of NeuroVista, Synchron, Epiminder and Coherence Neuro
• Prof Mark Cook AO – Sir John Eccles Chair of Medicine and Director of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne; internationally recognised neurologist and co-founder of Epiminder
• Peter Johnstone – CEO, Clem Jones Foundation; steward of one of Australia’s most significant philanthropic commitments to brain health and neurological disease research
• Dr Mary Beth Brinson – CEO, Wavewise Analytics; formerly VP of Global Clinical Affairs at Cochlear
• Donna Hutchison National Director of Service Growth · St Vincent’s Health Australia

Website: braintechaustralia.com.au