Wanted: biotech ventures to join Jumar Bioincubator

Australia’s latest biotech incubator, Jumar Bioincubator, is calling for innovative early-stage Australian biotechs to take up residency in its new facility in the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, opening in September.

The new incubator was inspired by the word ‘jumar’, which refers to a mountaineering technique by which climbers receive the support necessary to efficiently scale and speedily ascend challenging mountains. By providing a first home for young aspiring biotech ventures, Jumar Bioincubator similarly aims to help biotech entrepreneurs to ascend and scale the heights of their industry.

The incubator, which cost $30 million to build, will facilitate research commercialisation and innovation translation by providing biomedical scientists and researchers with access to knowledge and skills needed to run successful biomed and biotech companies. The Melbourne Biomedical Precinct was chosen as the ideal location for the new hub due to its leading biomedical research, including clinical research strengths in infectious diseases and immunology, neurosciences, cancer, child health and healthy aging.

Jumar Bioincubator will be supported by cash and in-kind contributions of approximately $45 million over 10 years from its founding partners — CSL, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) and The University of Melbourne — as well as an initial investment of $25 million from Breakthrough Victoria. It will be located across two floors of CSL’s new Global Headquarters and Centre for R&D, making it Australia’s only biotech incubator to be co-located with a leading biopharmaceutical company in a world-class biomedical precinct.

Here, the incubator will connect early-stage and scaling biotech ventures with the state-of-the-art facilities, infrastructure and support needed to progress discoveries towards real-world treatments, while enhancing the opportunity to commercialise medical research. In doing so, it aims to become a globally recognised hub for innovation translation, research commercialisation and talent development, offering:

• Specialist facilities at startup-friendly prices, including self-contained laboratories enclosed in physical containment (PC2) wet-labs and support facilities, office spaces and access to bulk purchasing power to enable savings on laboratory consumables;
• Preferential access to the platform technologies of WEHI and The University of Melbourne, as well as reliable facility management and curated activities;
• The ability for biotechs to retain 100% of their IP and have no equity ties to the founding partners;
• Training, education and facilitated introductions to VCs, and clear separation of academia from innovation translation/research commercialisation, to help residents refine and advance their commercial focus;
• Access to partner institutions, hospitals, universities and research institutes within the biomedical precinct, enabling opportunities for collaboration, learning and connections;
• Strong brand presence and pedigree, making the incubator a magnet for talent, investors and capital.
   

Serving as operator of Jumar Bioincubator is Cicada Innovations, which was selected in a highly competitive global search due to its 23-year track record supporting deep tech startups. The general manager will be Camille Shanahan, who has over 15 years of clinical, scientific and commercialisation experience in the biopharma sector — with a particular focus on the translation of medical research into clinical application.

“Camille’s passion for growing Australia’s biotechnology industry has been evident throughout her career,” said Sally-Ann Williams, CEO of Cicada Innovations. “Her experience and networks will contribute to building a thriving community — both inside Jumar, and connected to a thriving biotech ecosystem nationally.”

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