Message from the CEO

Good afternoon,

While uncertainty clouds the global trade landscape, the case for backing Australian life sciences has never been stronger. And with the BIO International Convention in San Diego just seven weeks away, MTPConnect is in full stride – finalising our premier events, preparing the Australian Pavilion and helping Australian companies make the most out of attending the conference with a range of pre-departure briefings.

Places are filling fast for our annual two-day, pre-conference site visit program which will take in visits to multinational companies and industry organisations and provide exclusive networking with the San Diego innovation ecosystem (18-19 June). 

Our flagship BIO event -- the American Australian Association & MTPConnect BIO 2026 reception and dinner on Sunday 21 June, will be a unique evening to spotlight the life sciences sector with corporate, government and sector leaders from across Australia, the U.S. and around the world.

And we are delighted to be hosting MTPConnect’s 4th women’s leadership event (23 June), focusing on network system activation for business leaders with US-based Dr Kate Liebelt and MTPConnect’s Dana Bell – an official BIO affiliate event not to be missed.  

With BIO KOREA underway this week in Seoul, Jarrod Belcher from MTPConnect is there with 40+ leading Australian companies, working alongside Austrade and meeting with our Korean connections including the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Korea is an increasingly important market and life sciences hub, and given the current global climate, MTPConnect is working hard to ensure it features prominently in the diversified mix of collaboration and partnering options available to Australian life science innovators. 

Our team in South Australia is extending that conversation this afternoon at our SA Insights Series event ‘Geopolitical SOS: Grounded Locally. Thinking Globally’. It is about building strategic advantage in a world that won’t stand still, and the panel discussion with experts with global experience in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. will share insights on the intertwining of politics, economics and innovation.

We are also taking EOIs for our delegation to Boston for The Medtech Conference – and October is not far away.

Looking locally, we just celebrated the 2025-26 cohort of our Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program with finale pitching events in Sydney and Melbourne. This industry leading program has now supported more than 190 clinicians since it was established in 2022, and we are working on what comes next. And you can hear more from these inspiring alumni in an upcoming episode of the MTPConnect Podcast with Dr Sumedha Verma from Deep Sleep Health.

We are also delighted to mark the two years that we’ve been working closely with hundreds of life sciences companies participating in the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program to strengthen commercial capability and help translate innovation into impact. This week we held curated events in Sydney and Adelaide focusing on capital raising and investment strategy, timely events as we all deal with the protracted ‘capital market winter’ which is seeing cautious investors steering clear of early-stage, higher risk investments. You can find out what some of these SMEs and startups had to say about MTPConnect’s support and the difference it is making in this video reel.

Speaking of impact, a new Impact Report from the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub has been launched today highlighting how partnership-led approaches can accelerate jobs, investment and innovation in health and medical life sciences. As a foundation partner alongside the Government of Western Australia and the University of Western Australia, MTPConnect has been there from the start, contributing expertise, funding, resources and networks to support the growth of the Western Australia’s biomedical sector over the last seven years. This report really drives home the power of partnership, and I would like to thank Dr Tracey Wilkinson and her team in Perth for their dedication, commitment and passion for supercharging innovation in WA.

We are extending that support with our new WA Grant Excellence Service (WAGES) – and due to overwhelming demand, another workshop for clinician researchers has just been announced for June - now open for registrations. You can hear all about WAGES on the latest episode of the MTPConnect Podcast.

Coming up next week is the annual AMMA Medtech Showcase which we deliver in partnership with BioMelbourne Network. Featuring 21 local exhibitors and a program connecting health services with Australia’s medtech manufacturers, it’s going to be another unique opportunity to get more home-grown medtech products purchased and used by local hospitals and health services. The recent Ambitious Australia report highlighted the importance of procurement reform as a driver for innovation and it’s long been a focus for MTPConnect with seven companies from the second cohort of our sought-after Pathway to Market program participating in the showcase.

We are glad you’re connected with MTPConnect and with more compelling events coming up over the next few months, you’ll find all the details below.

Kind regards,

Stuart Dignam
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

MTPConnect & Industry News

MTPConnect is bringing you premier activities at this year's BIO international Convention 2026 in San Diego from 18-25 June 2026. Register now!

• 18–19 June: MTPConnect’s BIO 2026 Site Visit Program
  This highly anticipated program for interested BIO delegates will include site visits to multinational and industry organisations, insight keynotes and exclusive networking events.
• 21 June: MTPConnect & American Australian Association BIO 2026 Dinner
  Join members of the American Australian Association, international delegates and biotechnology luminaries along with Australian BIO delegates, including business leaders, Government officials, scientists and venture capitalists, at our BIO 2026 Dinner, a high-level networking event formerly kicking off a hectic BIO 2026 week.
• 23 June: Women in Life Sciences Leadership Breakfast
  Co-hosts MTPConnect’s Dana Bell and US-based Dr Kate Liebelt, life sciences executive and angel investor, are bringing you something different this year. Not another networking event. Not a panel. A network system activation! Sponsored by Moderna. 

Take the opportunity to showcase your Life Sciences organisation by sponsoring a Team Australia activity at BIO 2026 - download the Sponsorship Prospectus

If you are a South Australian company heading to BIO 2026, join this workshop, Preparing for Partnering: Pitching to Your Audience, hosted by the Adelaide Intermediary Program in Adelaide on 22 May.

MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam has been appointed as Director of the MTPConnect Board.

The WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub (WALSIH) released its Impact Report, bringing together seven years of outcomes across the WA biomedical ecosystem. The report highlights how partnership-led approaches can accelerate jobs, investment and innovation in health and medical life sciences. WALSIH is delivered in partnership with the WA Government, MTPConnect, and The University of Western Australia .

Join the AMMA Medtech Showcase 2026 on 7 May 2026 at Aerial, South Wharf, Melbourne. Hear from keynote speakers HealthShare Victoria's CEO Susan Delroi and Monash Health’s Prof. Euan Wallace, along with 21 medtech exhibitors - .

We delivered the first WAGES Commercialisation Grant Development workshop for WA innovators in partnership with the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub in April. Our next Grant Development Workshop for Clinician Researchers will be held virtually on 17 June and 25 June. EOIs close 29 May 2026.

Listen to our latest MTPConnect Podcast episode and meet the team behind the WA Grant Excellent Service (WAGES). Check out an excerpt of the episode

We are seeking experienced researchers to join our WA Grant Excellence Service as Expert Peer Reviewers - register your interest

We celebrated the 2025-2026 cohort of our Australian Clinical Entrepreneur Program with pitching and networking. Check out what our participants had to say about the program.

Discover what it really takes to build impactful health tech at this upcoming event delivered by Matilda Health and the WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub, AI, Product & the Unsexy Problems in Healthcare on 28 May.

Our SA Insights Series this month addressed the hot topic ‘Geopolitical SOS’ with a panel session focusing on the risks and opportunities of global realignment for South Australia's life sciences sector. The next SA Insights, How to Turn Purpose into Real-World Impact, will be held on 21 May - book your seat!. 

We are proud to support Australia’s Industry Growth Program, as an Industry Partner Organisation, working closely with hundreds of life sciences companies participating in the program. Watch what some of these SMEs and startups had to say about MTPConnect’s support and the difference it is making! 

MTPConnect partnered with D4 Bioventures to deliver The Art and Science of Capital Raising lunch seminar for Industry Growth Program (IGP) medical science clients in Sydney. The session concluded with a fireside chat between Inventia Life Science's Cameron Ferris and D4 Bioventures’ Steven Suchting. And we held a similar event for IGP clients in  Adelaide with a hands-on practical skills workshop focused on helping founders confidently navigate and negotiate investment term sheets without compromising their vision or relationships.

Find out how we support startups and SMES through our latest video - Innovation to Impact Stories - from MTPConnect's CTCM and TTRA programs.

Sector Opportunities

• The Victorian Government is offering free mentoring for small business owners — up to three one-hour sessions with an experienced mentor. The program focuses on six key sectors: advanced manufacturing/defence, health and medical tech, circular economy, digital tech, agribusiness, and regional tourism. Eligible businesses can register for their sessions until 31 May 2026.  Find out more
   

• US-based Medical Alley has created two Market Access Accelerator offerings, designed to address the majority of questions they receive in a format that also allows personalised advisory from our leading content experts.  Learn more about 2026 enrolment
   

• Australian–Swiss Joint Research Programme (2026 call) -  a new funding opportunity jointly implemented by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Submit before 17 June 2026
   

• Applications are now open for the 2026 Australian Technologies Competition. Must be an Australian SME with evident traction and an MVP established in Australia. Closing 10 May 2026.
   
• CRC-P Round 19 is now open for industry-led research collaborations with artificial intelligence systems and technologies  included as a priority area! Matched funding of between $100,000 and $3 million with grants for up to 3 years. Closes 12 May 2026

• Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is seeking applications for novel chemistry plans against known antimicrobial resistance (AMR) targets, during its 2026 Funding Round, which opens in April 2026. The aim is to unlock innovative starting points for therapeutics to address dangerous, drug-resistant bacterial infections. More information here
   

• Here is a tip - subscribe to gemaker's monthly newsletter to stay up to date on commercialisation, innovation and research news, plus jobs, funding, awards, events and more

Events​

• 4 May 2026 - Swiss Biotech Day (Basel)
• 7 May 2026 - AMMA Medtech Showcase 2026, MTPConnect & BioMelbourne Network (Melbourne)
• 21 May 2026 - SA Insights: Turning Purpose into Real-World Impact, MTPConnect SA (Adelaide)
• 22 May 2026 - Preparing for Partnering - Pitching to your Audience, MTPConnect SA (Adelaide)
• 19–26 May 2026 - AusMedtech 2026, AusBiotech (Perth)
• 28 May 2026 - Seminar: AI, Product & the Unsexy Problems in Healthcare, WA Hub (Perth)
• 8–18 June 2026 - HLTH Europe & ANDHealth Delegation to UK & EU Markets, ANDHealth (UK & Amsterdam)
• 18–19 June 2026 - MTPConnect Pre-BIO Site Visit Program, MTPConnect (San Diego)
• 21 June 2026 - American Australian Association - MTPConnect BIO2026 Dinner (San Diego)
• 22–25 June 2026 - BIO Conference, (San Diego) 
• 23 June 2026 - Women in Life Sciences Breakfast, MTPConnect (San Diego, US)
• 16-19 July 2026 - BIO ASIA Taiwan Conference (Taipei)
• 18–21 October 2026 - The MedTech Conference (AdvaMed) (Boston)
• 20 - 23 Oct 2026 - AusBiotech International Conference, AusBiotech (Gold Coast) 
• 11–18 November 2026 - HLTH Conference & US Delegation, ANDHealth (San Francisco & Las Vegas)
• 2–3 March 2027 - MTAA MedTech Conference 2027, MTAA (Sydney)

To see what events are coming up in 2026, visit our news webpage and events webpage.
 

Case Study Showcase | Bringing Smart Needle-free Insulin to Clinical Studies

For approximately one third of the 589 million people living with any type of diabetes globally, insulin is a lifesaving therapy that helps to control blood sugar and reduce the complications of the condition. Constant fluctuations in blood sugar levels can lead to a range of complications range from acute low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) and ketoacidosis, which can be life threatening if not treated urgently, to the long-term development of cardiovascular disease, eye diseases, diabetic kidney disease and nerve damage. Sydney- based Endo Axiom, a spin-out from the University of Sydney is developing a smart oral insulin in a pill using nanotechnology that reacts to the body’s blood sugar levels and mimics the natural release of insulin – a potentially groundbreaking needle-free alternative for people living with insulin-dependent diabetes.

In 2022, Endo Axiom was awarded funding through MTPConnect’s Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) to take this smart oral insulin beyond the lab in preparation for human clinical trials. Read on...