South Australia is home to a thriving and vibrant bioscience industry and is one of Australia's major bioscience centres.
There are around 100 core bioscience businesses in Adelaide - most of them in biomedical, agricultural or environmental science.
They employ more than 1,700 people and generate about $280 million in revenue.
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Bio Innovation SAAdelaide's bioscience advantagesBioscience research and developmentVenture capital and private equityIndustry groupsBio Innovation SA
Bio Innovation SA (BioSA) was established in 2001 by the South Australian Government to foster the growth of the local bioscience industry. Since then, the number of bioscience companies operating in South Australia has doubled.
BioSA provides grants to companies and public research organisations to promote company development and enable commercialisation of technologies.
The organisation also provides mentoring, advice on business and product development, financial and marketing advice as well as infrastructure development support for the local bioscience industry.
Adelaide's bioscience advantages
Adelaide is one of Australia’s least costly places to set up and do business, and has been rated by KPMG as the most cost-competitive Australian city for bioscience research, clinical trials and product testing. It enjoys a low-cost base for research in comparison with the US and Europe.
South Australia is home to internationally recognised hospitals and research institutes and a dedicated bioscience precinct at Thebarton, close to Adelaide's centre.
South Australia has a proven track record for commercialising university research and development, and for creating and developing spin-off companies - especially in the application of science and technology to medicine and agriculture.
There are five innovation precincts in Adelaide:
- Thebarton bioscience precinct - one of the largest clusters of commercial medical bioscience companies in Australia
- Waite precinct - plant bioscience, viticulture, and land and water management research
- Florey precinct - an intensive concentration of health research and development capabilities
- Mawson precinct - a high-tech commercial, research and teaching hub recognised for excellence in ICT, defence and biomaterials
- Flinders precinct - biotechnology, marine and related research.
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Bioscience research and development
With demand for medical services and agricultural products growing strongly, South Australia offers biotech companies significant opportunities to engage in research and development, licensing, strategic partnerships, manufacturing and services.
The State is home to public and private national research and development centres, as well as Drug Development South Australia - a consortium of leading preclinical and clinical trials service providers.
Adelaide Integrated Bioscience Laboratories (AIB Labs), an initiative of BioSA and South Australia’s three universities, provides access to highly advanced equipment and expertise. The AIB Labs network has grown significantly over the past 10 years, with 17 facilities and more than 60 staff.
South Australia's bioscience industry invests more than US$100 million in research and development spending annually.
For emerging bioscience companies, South Australia offers access to the $35 million South Australian Life Sciences Venture Capital Fund through BioSA's independent fund manager, Terra Rossa Capital.
Other funding initiatives have been developed by BioSA.
The BioSA Business Incubator located within the Thebarton Bioscience Precinct provides start-up biotechnology companies with laboratory and office space and business development services.
Ausbiotech
Bio Innovation SA
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More information
Other websites
Bioscience business directory - Bio Innovation SA
Programs for sustainability - Business Sustainability Alliance