For some people, the sight of a hospital needle is a sign that help is on the way. But for many others, it’s a source of dread. The most common invasive procedure in healthcare - inserting an IV - still fails far too often, leading to multiple painful "stabs," delayed treatment, and patient trauma.
It was this fundamental flaw in the healthcare system that drove Nikhilesh (Nik) Bappoo to found VeinTech.
Since its inception in March 2020, the Perth-based startup has evolved from an idea inspired by his PhD and his emergency physician co-founder into a scalable medtech on the verge of international expansion.
A Journey Shaped by Sacrifice and Purpose
Nik’s journey started in his original home of Mauritius.
His family made the decision to move to Western Australia in 2011 to provide Nik and his sister with better opportunities. This sacrifice deeply shaped Nik’s sense of responsibility and his vision: a world where no life is lost because healthcare was too complex or out of reach.
“I stayed on to build VeinTech. WA is where I became an engineer, a researcher, and a founder,” Nik said. “It’s home in every way that matters”.
Before founding VeinTech, Nik completed a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at UWA and worked as the first employee at another medical device startup, after trying corporate medtech overseas.
These experiences, combined with a realisation that corporate life wasn't for him, fuelled his desire to build something from the ground up that could have a lasting social impact.
The Spark: Solving a Simple, Frustrating Problem
The idea for VeinTech was born during the annual Perth Biodesign program.
There, Nik met emergency physician Dr. Katherine Arenson, who shared her frustration over how often clinicians struggle to find the right vein, particularly in children and the elderly.
While ultrasound technology existed to help, it was often too expensive and complex for anyone but specialists to use. Nik saw a gap not in technology, but in access.
“VeinTech was founded on the belief that any healthcare worker should be able to confidently find and select the right vein, first time, every time,” says Nik.
The goal wasn't to build the most powerful ultrasound system, but the simplest one - a device designed for every clinician, not just the experts - as healthcare continues to face a bottleneck in resource and workforce capability.
Leveraging the WA Ecosystem
Building a medical device is a marathon, not a sprint.
VeinTech was registered just three days before COVID-19 shut WA’s borders. Despite the timing, the local ecosystem provided the "scaffolding" the fledgling business needed to survive.
Early funding came through a State Government innovation voucher of $20,000, which allowed the team to build their first prototype and file a patent.
This was followed by a critical $100,000 grant supported by the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (WALSIH) and MTPConnect. These non-dilutive funds de-risked the technology enough to attract private investors, leading to a $1 million seed raise, which Nik more than doubled in non-dilutive funding.
Nik is a staunch advocate for the WA startup scene, having helped build the community through the WA Biomedical Engineering Society before formal structures such as WALSIH existed. Today, he has transitioned from participant to contributor, mentoring the next generation of founders.
Lessons from the Trenches
The path hasn’t been without hurdles. Medical devices typically take seven or more years to reach market, requiring rigorous quality systems (ISO 13485) and regulatory discipline.
What has Nik learned along the way?
"Obsess over the problem, not the solution,” he said.
He also emphasises the importance of protecting founder well-being.
"Founder heroics don’t scale," he warns, noting that growth often comes with loads of things to get done, so requiring careful delegation of tasks to a team aligned with the right values.
“Innovation is often romanticised, but the reality is it can be lonely,” Nik said.
Nik strongly believes in purpose and uses his ‘Why’ as fuel along the rollercoaster of building a venture.
“If your work genuinely helps people and improves lives, it will sustain you through the difficult moments,” he said.
Looking Ahead: The Global Stage
VeinTech is currently in its most exciting phase yet. With pilot production runs underway and a strategic partnership with a global leader in the IV access space, the company is preparing for its all important FDA (Food and Drug Administration) submission this year.
The plan for the next 12 months is clear: achieve regulatory FDA clearance and officially launch into the market.
Over the next 3 to 5 years, Nik is aiming for "impact at scale," intending to make first-time-right IV access the global standard of care through international expansion or strategic acquisition.
Connect with Nik Bappoo on LinkedIn here, and learn more about VeinTech here.
To learn more about WA’s innovation ecosystem:
- Sign up to become a Meshpoints partner for free here and join 190+ other organisations building a stronger culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in WA
- Explore the WA Innovative Society Index (grants, programs, startups) or Dealroom WA (startups, investors, funding rounds)
- View (and subscribe for free) to the WA Innovation Calendar
Up next in our WA Startup Stories series, we’ll spotlight Dr. Julia Reisser, co-founder of Uluu, a Perth-based biotech turning seaweed into a sustainable alternative to plastic. What began as a response to the devastating impact of plastic pollution has grown into a globally recognised venture, working with leading brands and scaling production to deliver climate-positive materials. Julia’s story highlights how science, purpose and entrepreneurship can come together to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, right here in WA.
