Med tech showcase hit with Māori and Pacific youth

They came from far and wide - school vans emblazoned with college logos from across Tāmaki Makaurau - for the inaugural MedTech Explorer Showcase at the Fale in Māngere.

New Zealand's medical technology innovation hub, Medtech-iQ Aotearoa held its inaugural showcase on 28 August with several partners helping deliver the event: Moana Connect, Pacific-i and Pūtahi Manawa.

Māori and Pacific secondary students, curious about cutting-edge healthcare technology, poured in with teachers, exploring the interactive showcase that featured life-saving medical devices, AI-powered diagnostics, wearable health tech, digital solutions and more.

“Amazing,” is how Dr Diana Siew, Strategic Relationship Manager at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland’s, Bioengineering Institute, described the event, that drew over 300 attendees. Researchers, innovators, educators and students came together in the heart of south Auckland.

“It was amazing. The students were so engaging - they asked great questions and saw for themselves how technology is shaping healthcare,” said Dr Siew.

Siew co-leads the national Te Titoki Mataora | MedTech Research Translator programme, the foundation of Medtech-iQ Aotearoa. Her vision is to grow New Zealand’s capability in medical technologies with a strong focus on health equity.

She says it was exciting seeing firsthand youth get inspired while interacting with clinicians and research institutes gathered for the event.

“We not only highlighted pathways into tertiary education but also demonstrated what’s possible in high-value careers - supporting Pacific community health and encouraging youth to imagine their own tech businesses.”

Holding the event in Māngere was a deliberate move to bring experts and technology directly to Māori and Pacific communities.

“We wanted to meet people where they are, and we believe that’s what the showcase achieved.”

The event offered students a dynamic, up-close look at programmes of study from a range of universities, demonstrating career pathways that sought to have positive impacts on the lives of Māori and Pacific communities.

Soteria Ieremia, co-lead Pacific for Te Titoki Mataora | MedTech Research, and a sponsor and collaborator through her roles in Pacific-i and Pūtahi Manawa, was thrilled with the turnout.

“It was great to see the number of schools that participated, and the clinicians and experts who came together here in Māngere. We wanted to create a lasting impression - and judging by the many conversations we had with Pacific youth, they’re now seeing what’s possible and can hopefully see themselves in this industry.

“We talked about our Pacific people being natural innovators - the ability to navigate the Moana with technology over millennia is proof of that. It was inspiring to see so many young people genuinely excited about their own potential and the possibilities that medical technology holds for them.”