BRISBANE'S MEDTECH EDGE:
Why the world is looking to Brisbane for the future of health innovation
With capital flowing, global partnerships deepening and a pipeline of ventures delivering at scale, Brisbane is rapidly solidifying its reputation as a world-class MedTech hub.
MedTech, or medical technology, spans everything from diagnostics and digital health to medical devices and biopharmaceutical innovation. It’s a sector where breakthrough science meets commercial opportunity, and Brisbane is proving to be an ideal launchpad for globally competitive ventures.
At a recent panel hosted by Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA), sector leaders explored the conditions driving this momentum, and what’s next for Brisbane’s health innovation economy.
Built for innovation and investment
Professor Trent Munro, Chair of Life Sciences Queensland and Director of Biotechnology Innovation at The University of Queensland, opened with a clear message: “Brisbane has arrived. This is our time.”
Adding weight to that, BEDA CEO Anthony Ryan pointed to the latest State of the City Report, which shows Brisbane’s economy is now valued at $201 billion – with the health and life sciences sector contributing more than $22 billion annually, and outpacing national growth over the past decade.
“Health innovation is now a larger share of Brisbane’s economy than in Sydney or Melbourne,” Mr Ryan said.
“Backed by more than $18 billion in state health infrastructure investment and a clinical trial advantage that’s faster and more cost-effective than leading markets like the United States and United Kingdom, Brisbane is truly competitive on a global stage.”
Professor Munro also pointed to the strength of Brisbane’s current ecosystem, from the calibre of local talent to the city’s support for entrepreneurship and innovation, as evidence that the conditions for global success are already in place.
That momentum is most visible across Brisbane’s inner-city knowledge corridor – a compact, connected zone that brings together research institutions, hospitals, universities and commercial partners across two anchor precincts: the Herston Health Precinct and the Boggo Road Innovation Precinct.
Together, these sites represent one of the largest health and hospital clusters in the southern hemisphere, seamlessly linked by public transport and active travel connections.
“You’re going to hear a lot more about Boggo Road,” Professor Munro said. “It’s a 39-hectare site that, with the potential to become one of the most important economic drivers for innovation in Brisbane over the next decade.”
One of the key developments at Boggo Road is ENTRI, a new translational manufacturing facility set to open in 2026. ENTRI will become Australia’s first on-demand cGMP manufacturing facility for maturing and innovative biotech, pharma and MedTech companies. It will support the manufacture of a wide range of products, including biologics, RNA-based products, cell therapies and drug-device combination products, all to international and Australian regulatory standards.
Strategic partnerships accelerating commercial outcomes
In a clear signal of the growing international confidence in Queensland’s biomedical sector, Sanofi – a multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris – has committed AU$280 million to establish the Translational Science Hub at Brisbane’s Boggo Road Innovation Precinct.
A first-of-its-kind collaboration connecting world-class researchers in Queensland with Sanofi scientists in France and the US, the Translational Science Hub will be home to a global scientific community focused on mRNA technology and translational science, working to develop the next generation of vaccines to improve public health.
“We’re focused on working with smart people across the state, from individual innovators to institutions, to help shape and guide ideas toward commercialisation,” said Dr Michelle Williams, Partnerships Lead at the Translational Science Hub.
“Our current research partnerships include collaborations with the University of Queensland, Griffith University and the Queensland Government. We know many of the most exciting innovations will come from researchers within these universities, and we want to support that development.”
Dr Williams also spoke to the role Brisbane’s innovation and knowledge precincts play in making high-impact partnerships possible. “Proximity is critical,” she said. “I think everyone in this room understands how powerful face-to-face engagement can be when you’re building trust. And when it comes to partnerships, that trust doesn’t develop in five minutes. It takes time and sustained relationships.
“That’s where these precincts play a vital role. Having teams on the ground, working side by side with partners, makes those connections easier to form and far more durable.”
Founder momentum and capital confidence
For companies like Smilo.ai, a virtual dental solution that helps dentists connect with patients, local support from BEDA’s MedTech Initiative has been a key enabler. The initiative includes a Global Accelerator that connects Brisbane’s most promising MedTech ventures with capital, collaboration and licensing opportunities.
It culminates with an annual mission to JP Morgan Healthcare Week in San Francisco, one of the world’s leading investor forums for life sciences.
“Being selected for the BEDA MedTech Initiative was a turning point,” said Smilo.ai founder and CEO Dr Padma Gadiyar. “Since then, investor interest has surged. People want to know what we’re doing, how it works, and how they can help us break through the roadblocks.”
Smilo.ai has since secured partnerships with three major global companies and achieved international recognition, including global IRB clearance and, unexpectedly, a Guinness World Record.
“We completed nearly 28,000 dental check-ups in under 16 hours,” Dr Gadiyar said. “That achievement has given our investors and commercial partners a new level of confidence in our business.”
Angel investor Simon Horne, who leads Angel Loop and has now backed seven companies from the MedTech Initiative, credited BEDA’s international mission for helping founders adopt a more global mindset: “When founders start thinking globally, and when we see that shift, that’s when investors get excited.”
Stronger together
Dr Dale Pavlovski of QIMR Berghofer and the Herston Health Precinct spoke about how Brisbane’s culture of cooperation is unlocking new pathways for growth, and attracting international attention.
“We’ve become much more collaborative at QIMR,” he said. “We’re setting up partnerships with the other institutes, universities and companies around us, and we’re seeing people start to view Brisbane as an integrated ecosystem, rather than a collection of individual institutions.”
That culture is reflected in the establishment of the Life Sciences Incubator (LSI), announced as a joint venture between QIMR Berghofer and Altea Investments. Expected to be operational from October 2025, it will serve as the third global hub for Singapore-based LSI, and its first in Australia.
Initially occupying a single floor within the QIMR site, the incubator will support biomedical ventures with world-class infrastructure, commercialisation resources and global connection points.
“We expect that companies that start with LSI in Singapore might say, ‘Hey, I need to get a desk in Brisbane so I can do a clinical trial there and get things done,’” Dr Pavlovski said.
“When companies outgrow that first floor, they’ll need more space across Brisbane and beyond – and that’s exactly what we want to see.”
A global opportunity, and a local advantage
As the discussion closed, panellists were asked for their final call to action.
“Think big, and be bold,” Professor Munro urged.
“Know your niche,” Dr Williams added. “Brisbane and Queensland do collegiate collaboration well – but when you take that approach to the global stage, it’s important to know what sets you apart.”
Dr Pavlovski encouraged those in the room to stay open to possibility. “Even small opportunities that don’t look viable at first,” he added. “Grab hold of them. Hold on just long enough to see if they grow into something.”
From Horne, the message was simple: back your founders.
“I’ve worked all around the world – in Singapore, Silicon Valley, and elsewhere – but the talent we have here in Brisbane is extraordinary,” he said. “We’ve got a fantastic education system and bold founders who are willing to take risks.
“Now, we’re turning those ideas and ventures into businesses that can compete globally, and that’s the piece we’re working hard to support through the angel investor community.”
Brisbane’s MedTech sector is scaling rapidly, and investment is fuelling its next phase. With a globally engaged network, growing confidence, and a collaborative model that’s delivering outcomes, it’s a smart time to get involved.
Connect with the Investment team at Brisbane Economic Development Agency to explore opportunities in Brisbane.
