Nurturing the next scientific breakthroughs

In the most recent Issue of Forbes Australia the focus is on Inclusive Capitalism, featuring purpose-driven leaders challenging the status quo. Nick Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Kurraba Group is featured, discussing the rapidly growing life sciences sector and how this has become a new focal point for investors, industry, and government since the pandemic. 

The rapidly growing life sciences sector has become a new focal point for investors, industry, and government since the pandemic.. However, most research and development is still conducted in closed labs on university campuses. Australia’s first commercialised life sciences precinct is gearing up to change that – and its investment and development manager, Kurraba Group, has big ambitions for what comes next.
 

This feature in this month’s Forbes Australia magazine discusses Kurraba Group’s ambitions  to be Australia’s first commercialised life sciences precinct and how the plan is coming to fruition with the $490m planned development located at 100 Botany Road, Waterloo.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the development of the life sciences sector, many have looked to this growing industry for everything from cancer cures and infection antidotes to climate change solutions and the future of agriculture.
 

Australia has traditionally punched well above its weight on life-changing breakthroughs, with the HPV vaccine, the cochlear implant, the pacemaker, the black box flight recorder and the medical use of penicillin among our credits.
 

In recent years, however, Australia has been losing some of our life sciences talent to global counterparts, with innovators increasingly attracted to funding, research and collaboration opportunities found offshore.