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Our History

Leading healthcare technology innovation since 1973 in Australia

For more than 70 years, we have led the way with purpose-driven healthcare technology. That history compels us to relentlessly pursue therapies that change lives.

Our Global Horizon: Where Our Journey Began

Earl Bakken, a graduate student in electrical engineering, and his brother-in-law Palmer Hermundslie, an enterprising engineer, started a repair business focused on medical electronics. They named it Medtronic.  The pair were driven by passion and a deep purpose to use their scientific and entrepreneurial skills to help others. As the work increased, they added a handful of employees, who called themselves “the garage gang,” a reference to their spartan office in two boxcars used as a garage at the Hermundslie family’s Minneapolis home.

The power went out in Minneapolis on Halloween in 1957, endangering the lives of open-heart surgery patients who were often attached to a pacemaker. Existing pacemakers were bulky boxes wheeled around on carts and plugged into electrical outlets. Concerned for his patients, a University of Minnesota heart surgeon asked Bakken if he could create a battery-operated pacemaker. Within four weeks, Bakken did just that, and the revolutionary device began saving lives. Hermundslie, an accomplished pilot, flew all over the United States delivering pacemakers to customers. Soon, the “wearable” Medtronic pacemaker was being shipped around the world. One year later, Medtronic produced the first implantable pacemaker. 

Igniting our Journey in ANZ

Medtronic Australia Pty Ltd was incorporated on 20 Aug 1973 in New South Wales, and operated as Medtronic Biomedical Pty Limited from 1973 to 1983.

Launch of InterStim™ Therapy. The first Sacral Neuromodulation implant was launched in Australia, paving the way for patients around the world to experience full bladder and bowel control.

Launch of the first remote monitoring system in the medical device industry, enabling secure data transfer from select patient devices to authorised doctors via the Internet.

Medtronic launches Tri-Staple™ technology, with an innovative design of varied staple heights and a stepped cartridge face, making a remarkable impact to the stapling market.

Kerrin Rennie Award for Reveal LINQ™. A miniature insertable heart monitor (about the size of a paperclip).

PRIDE Employee Resource Group, ANZ Chapter was established. Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. ANZ now has 9 ERGs:

  • Medtronic Women’s Network (MWN)
  • Men Advocating Equity
  • Project Hope
  • Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
  • PRIDE Network
  • Club Medtronic
  • Philanthropy
  • ABLED (Awareness Benefiting Leadership & Employees about Disabilities)
  • Medtronic Young Professionals.

MiniMed™ 780G system launched with meal detection technology that provides automatic adjustments and corrections to sugar levels every 5 minutes.

First Hugo™ surgical Robot installed in Australia.