Message from the CEO

Good afternoon,

In a recent opinion piece for BioSpectrum Asia, I flagged how the global economic uncertainty stemming from the ongoing tariff turmoil is making us look to a broader suite of international markets and develop more strategic global partnerships for our life science endeavours.

With this in mind, we have just launched our first life sciences delegation to Saudi Arabia for the Global Health Exhibition (GHE25), taking place from 26–30 October 2025. It’s a rare opportunity to explore and access one of the world’s fastest-growing healthcare markets.

Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector is undergoing a significant transformation as it emerges as a global hub for innovation, investment and digital health under Vision 2030. And underscoring Saudi Arabia’s level of interest in Australia’s ecosystem, Saudi Minister of Health, Fahad Al-Jalajel recently visited Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney to enhance bilateral cooperation. MTPConnect was delighted to participate in the Roundtable in Sydney and we looking forward to building new international connections with Saudi’s life science innovation and healthcare market -- hope you can join us in Riyadh; register by 30 September 2025.

Since 2017 we’ve also been taking an Australian delegation to North America for The MedTech Conference and this year we are heading back to California, the largest life sciences state in the US, where we will be showcasing innovative medtech companies at the Australian Pavilion. It’s a great way for startups and SMEs to exhibit on the Australian Pavilion and to be supported with business events and key introductions. Our Chair, Hon Jaala Pulford, is leading this mission which kicks off in San Diego on 1 October 2025 – register to join us.

This month on the MTPConnect Podcast you will find a new episode recorded in Boston during BIO 2025. I spoke to Brent Owens, co-founder of Ballarat-based Vitrafy Life Sciences, Brent Barnes, CEO and Manager Director of Adelaide-based Clever Culture Systems – startups that have established a foothold in the US and are looking to navigate the new tariff regime and continue to expand. And Professor Chris Molloy, CEO of the UK’s Medicines Discovery Catapult talks about the innovative BIOBridge initiative which is set to better link Australia and UK and grow our respective life sciences sector.  

Back home, we kicked off the fourth cohort of the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur program in Victoria, with NSW to follow next month. Our WA team hosted a sold-out Spotlight event in Perth with the state’s new Chief Scientist, Professor Sharath Sriram.

This week Jaala and I were delighted to welcome more than 30 South Australian CEOs and industry leaders to our annual CEO dinner in Adelaide to discuss the contribution of the healthtech sector to state’s economy. Great to see so many familiar faces and celebrate our successes and resilience. And thanks to our SA team led by Dana Bell for making this event such a success.

We’re also celebrating the one-year milestone of delivering our intermediary program of specialised advisory services and support for medical science start-ups and SMEs participating in the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program. So far, we have helped 44 companies through our intermediary program and held 27 events with 447 IGP clients. A shout out to our Chief Operating Officer Lisa Dubé who leads this valuable program to help innovative Australian life science companies to grow and scale.

We hope you continue to enjoy our regular newsletter and stay connected to opportunities, events and more as we work together to back Australian life science innovation.

Kind regards,

Stuart Dignam
Chief Executive Officer 

MTPConnect & Industry News

Join our Inaugural Trade Mission to the Global Health Expo Saudi Arabia
We invite you to join MTPConnect’s inaugural life sciences delegation to Saudi Arabia for the Global Health Exhibition (GHE25), taking place from 26–30 October 2025. The trade mission includes one day at NEOM (26 October) and attendance at the GHE25 exhibition at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre. This is a true first-mover opportunity.

Join our Trade Mission to The MedTech Conference in San Diego
The MedTech Conference 2025 (5-8 October) is a can’t-miss event. With an extensive 2-day visit and event program (2–3 October) based around San Diego’s medtech ecosystem, you will benefit from our relationships and knowledge for international connections and collaborations. Companies who register for the delegation will automatically qualify as a co-exhibitor on the Australian Pavilion and can showcase their brand and contact information to the global medtech community. Don't miss it. Fees apply. Register now.

Why Startups Join our International Delegations
Stratos MedTech’s CEO Chelsea Cornelius shares insights into why she has registered for the third time for this valuable MTPConnect delegation and Roam Technologies Chief Commercial Officer & Co-Founder Natalie Ho shares her top 2 reasons for taking part in these delegations.

New Editorial in BioSpectrum Asia Tackles Tariff Turmoil
Checkout the opinion piece from our CEO Stuart Dignam published earlier this month, where he raises the point that if there’s anything good to come from the tariff turmoil, it is that countries have rediscovered the importance of collaboration, international partnerships and market diversification to drive innovation. Read on to find out more...

MTPConnect Podcast Taps into the Buzz at BIO Boston
This month, we take you to back to Boston for the BIO Convention held in July. Our CEO Stuart Dignam speaks to Brent Owens, co-founder of Ballarat-based Vitrafy Life Sciences – a company pioneering cryopreservation technology and Brent Barnes, CEO and Manager Director of Adelaide-based Clever Culture Systems - inventor of APAS Independence, an intelligent microbiology culture plate reading technology that is revolutionising pharmaceutical lab work.  Stuart also catches up with Professor Chris Molloy from the UK’s Medicines Discovery Catapult to get his take on BIO and find out more about the BIOBridge initiative and why collaboration is key to solving the world’s health challenges. Listen now! 

Celebrating the Contribution of Healthtech Sector to South Australia
This week MTPConnect Chair, Hon. Jaala Pulford welcomed more than 30 South Australian CEOs and industry leaders to discuss and celebrate the contribution of the healthtech sector to SA’s economy. This year’s theme — Navigating Global Markets: Uncertainty in the US and Opportunities in Emerging Markets — set the stage for thought-provoking discussions on scaling, innovation, and global growth opportunities. A special thank you to our speakers for sharing valuable insights on access to capital, rapid decision-making, and the importance of talent attraction, pitch readiness, and bold storytelling.

SA Insights: Powering Innovation - South Australia’s CRC Leadership
Join MTPConnect’s Adelaide Intermediary Program for a showcase of the three newly announced Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) with strong South Australian involvement. South Australia has a proud history of leading nationally significant CRCs and translating research into successful spinouts and commercial outcomes. Join a tour of Flinders University's Health and Medical Research Building. Hosted by Dr Judy Halliday, Department of State Development. On 18 September 2025, from 5pm. Register for the tour and/or networking event! 

ASHRA Partnering Summit - Innovation to Impact
Join ASHRA for their 4th ASHRA Partnering Summit, co-hosted with MTPConnect. This year’s theme, Innovation to Impact, will showcase the outcomes of the four-year ASHRA program - highlighting the breadth of ASHRA’s research translation, featuring flagship project presentations, and bringing together researchers, clinicians and industry partners. On 8 October at the Victorian Heart Hospital, Clayton. Book your place.

Celebrating One Year Supporting Industry Growth Program's Medical Science Clients
We recently celebrated 12 months delivering support as an Industry Partner Organisation for the Industry Growth Program. During that time we have delivered 27 events with 447 IGP clients and helped 44 companies through this intermediary program. Helping Australian life science startups and SMEs to grow and scale!

Kicking Off New Victorian AUSCEP Cohort
This week, we kicked off Pitstop One for the new Victorian participants of the Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program, launching our fourth cohort. The jam-packed day consisted of two interactive panel sessions with clinician entrepreneurs and sector leaders, and facilitated by ASME’s Dr Brandon Carp, Masha Pelipas, and their new CEO, Matt Hallam. The event wrapped with that ever-important networking session as the sun set over Melbourne. 

Startup Muster Survey
Are you running a startup, or supporting startups in Australia? If you are an educator, investors, accelerator, incubator, coworking space, service provider, government, precinct or any other organisation supporting startups - please contribute your data to the largest survey of Australia's startup ecosystem. Survey closes 15 September 2025.

WA Hub Spotlights WA’s Chief Scientist
This month’s Spotlight event from the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (WALSIH) featured WA’s newly appointed Chief Scientist, Professor Sharath Sriram, in conversation with MTPConnect's Dr Tracey Wilkinson. Professor Sriram shared his vision for strengthening WA’s science and innovation ecosystem – emphasising global ambition, breaking down silos between academia, industry and government, and fostering courage in risk-taking as part of growth.  He also highlighted the importance of science communication, policy engagement, and building stronger pathways for translation and commercialisation. Thanks to everyone who attended this sold-out event in Perth.

WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub Services
WA companies! If you are looking for strategic funding advice to support your applications or de-mystify the funding landscape, book a meeting with the WA Hub.

Clever Culture Systems (CCS) has successfully completed validation of the APAS® Contact Plate (55mm) Analysis Module, making APAS Independence a complete solution for environmental monitoring plate reading in pharmaceutical.

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Congratulations to WA-borne Diag-Nose Medical, a recipient of CRC-P funding for their project, 'Advancing RhinoMAP, a precision medicine platform for respiratory disorders'. Through Round 17, all up 21 projects were funded, including new health, medical, biotechbiotech innovations.

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The Australian Government's Industry Growth Program announced $28.7 million grant allocation to projects including SDIP Innovations for their implant system that manufactures bone filers for orthopaedic surgeries, and Tetratherix for a polymer production facility. 
 

Sector Opportunities

• NCRIS Synthetic Biology Voucher Scheme – Applications now open!  The voucher scheme is designed to support cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research using synthetic biology infrastructure across Australia's national research network. Whether you are a researcher, a startup, or an SME, this is your opportunity to bring transformative projects to life with expert capabilities and collaborative support. Closes 12 September 2025

• The Minister for Health and Ageing The Hon Mark Butler MP has this week released a Draft National Health and Medical Research Strategy for phase 2 consultations - stakeholders can provide formal feedback through submissions and by participating in webinars, workshops and roundtables.  

• Nominations are open for the GENE Awards! Presented by Life Sciences Queensland, this annual event celebrates the achievement across the life sciences sector, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers. There are 7 categories and winners will be announced at the Gala Luncheon on Friday 12 September at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Read the eligibility criteria for each category and get nominating! 

• Round 18 of the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grants opened, providing funding of up to $3 million for short-term, industry-led research collaborations. This round will focus on supporting projects aligned with Government priorities, including the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas and National Science & Research Priorities. Applications with a focus on robotics and automation are particularly encouraged. Matched funding of $100,000 to $3 million for up to three years. Closes 7 October 2025
   

• Register to receive the latest news from Australia’s Cell & Gene Catalyst, powered by AusBiotech and Medicines Australia, to propel Australia’s cell and gene industry forward by fostering collaboration and aligning advocacy efforts to achieve transformative outcomes.

• WA: Accelerator Program Access Grants (APAG) offer up to $20,000 funding for senior or executive level managers to travel to and participate in recognised national or international incubator, accelerator or business training programs. Programs will close when funding is exhausted. Note: applicants must meet with the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub about their application prior to submission. Find out more

• The RNA Pipeline Grants (RPG), a $6 million, single-round, competitive technology development and commercialisation program, is now open. The RPG is part of the NSW Government’s RNA R&D Initiatives. Applications close on 16 September 2025. Visit the website to find out more!

• Breakthrough Victoria's Breakthrough Fellowship program ignites research entrepreneurship across Victoria, addressing critical market gaps and aiming to cultivate the next generation of start-up founders from Victorian universities. Up to $150,000 is available to start-ups.

Events​

• 10 September 2025 - Cicada x Tech23 2025 - Australia's Biggest Deep Tech Festival (Sydney)
• 18 September 2025 - SA Insights: Powering Innovation: South Australia’s CRC Leadership, MTPConnect (Adelaide)
• 5–8 October 2025 - The MedTech Conference, AdvaMed (San Diego, US)
• 8 October 2025 - 2025 ASHRA Partnering Summit - Innovation to Impact, Melbourne
• 8–10 October 2025 - BioJapan, (Yokohama, Japan)
• 17 October 2025 - Hit ID Symposium 2025, Monash University (Melbourne)
• 19–22 October 2025 - HLTH Conference (Las Vegas, US)
• 22–23 October 2025 - MTAA Medtech Conference MTAA (Sydney) 
• 21–24 October 2025 - AusBiotech International Conference 2025, AusBiotech (Melbourne)
• 26–30 October 2025 -  Global Health Exhibition GHE25, (Saudi Arabia)
• 27–29 October 2025 - EIS: Evidence & Implementation Summit 2025, (Melbourne)
• 10–14 November 2025 - MTAA Medical Device Regulatory Workshop - TGA led, MTAA (Sydney)
• 1–5 December 2025 - MTAA Medical Device Regulatory Workshop - TGA led, MTAA (Melbourne)
• 26–28 February 2026 - Australian Society for Antimicrobials 25th Annual Scientific Meeting (Adelaide)

To see what events are coming up in 2025, visit our events page.
 

Case Study Showcase | CCS expands AI-powered culture plate analysis technology into the pharmaceutical manufacturing market

Adelaide-based company Clever Culture Systems (CCS), listed on the ASX, has established itself as a key player in the clinical microbiology space since 2004. By utilising artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, CCS has revolutionised how culture plates are screened and interpreted, targeting a long-standing challenge of traditionally manual, time-consuming processes that strain laboratory resources. They were awarded $1.4 million by MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) program – supported by program partner Cicada Innovations – to develop the APAS Compact, a smaller, more economical and accessible benchtop version of the APAS Independence. Find out about their plans for global expansion. And hear more from CCS CEO Brent Barnes on the MTPConnect Podcast, episode 199 - Bio Bites: Doing Business in Boston.