In an effort to save farmers time and money, and ensure compliance when administering medication to livestock, David Edwards and wife Samira Davoodi created a complete medication delivery platform called automed. automed’s applicator self-adjusts to give the exact level of medication an animal requires (based on their weight) and automatically searches pharmaceutical databases to ensure the correct dosage. It then captures a collection of data via its software platform, including the animal, user, drug type, amount, and expiry date.

Since 2012, automed has grown from strength to strength. Although they started the business in Newcastle, David and Samira moved to Canberra because it was closer to the agricultural community, and offered the business development support they were seeking.

David says that the ACT government has been incredibly responsive, and being in Canberra has opened doors for their export market. He recommends the Canberra Region as an ideal place to start and grow a business due to the networking opportunities.

“Canberra offers a lot that you don’t get from other capital cities. In Canberra, you can develop networks very easily. People here try to help you achieve what you want to achieve, simply by talking to them.” David recommends the Griffin Accelerator program for startups, the Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre for support, and the Canberra Business Chamber for networking.

Samira says that they’ve also found great technical talent as they continue to hire new people and grow the business.

automed is currently expanding into overseas markets, and is already benefiting from the increasing number of overseas flights that now leave directly from Canberra.

For more information, visit automed. You can learn more about living and working in Canberra at www.canberra.com.au and visiting the region at www.visitcanberra.com.au.

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