7th July, 2026

Sydney's First Purpose-Built Life Sciences Precinct Is Open for University Partnerships

Ion

ION Waterloo is now inviting universities to express their interest in becoming the academic anchor of a precinct designed to accelerate life sciences discovery, education and commercialisation in Sydney.

 


 

A Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity

 

Sydney has long been home to world-class universities, hospitals and research institutes. What it has lacked is a purpose-built environment where all three converge under one roof, connected to industry and ready to translate research into real-world impact.

 

That changes with ION Waterloo.

 

Located at 100 Botany Road, Waterloo — directly opposite the new Waterloo Metro station — ION Waterloo is Sydney's first purpose-built life sciences precinct, and it is being built with a clear conviction: that the future of health and science innovation depends on proximity, collaboration and shared infrastructure.

 

Kurraba Group is now inviting eligible universities to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to take two full floors in ION One as the precinct's founding academic partner.

 


 

What ION Waterloo Offers Universities

 

This is not a co-working space or a repurposed office building. ION Waterloo has been designed from the ground up for the specific needs of life sciences — research, teaching, clinical connection and commercial translation.

 

Purpose-Built Infrastructure

Every floor, lab specification and shared facility has been designed with life sciences in mind. Universities stepping into ION One are not adapting to a generic space — they are arriving into an environment built specifically to support their research and teaching requirements.

 

An On-Site Incubator

The precinct includes a dedicated incubator, giving universities and their researchers direct access to the support structures that accelerate the journey from discovery to commercialisation. Students and researchers benefit from exposure to early-stage ventures, while the incubator benefits from academic insight and talent.

 

A Ready-Made Ecosystem

ION Waterloo is surrounded by some of Sydney's most significant health and research institutions, including RPA Hospital and leading research institutes. The precinct is designed to bring these partners into daily proximity with the academic anchor — creating the conditions for genuine, ongoing collaboration rather than one-off partnerships.

 

No Capital Cost

Establishing a dedicated life sciences campus from scratch requires enormous capital investment and years of lead time. ION Waterloo offers universities the benefits of purpose-built infrastructure without that burden — allowing institutions to redirect capital toward research, talent and programs rather than bricks and mortar.

 

Academic Direction from Day One

As the precinct's founding academic partner, the university that takes the anchor position will have a genuine voice in shaping ION Waterloo's direction — its culture, its industry relationships and its long-term identity as a place of discovery.

 

 


 

The Location Advantage

 

Waterloo Metro has transformed the accessibility of this part of Sydney. ION Waterloo sits directly opposite the station, making it one of the best-connected life sciences locations in Australia — accessible from across the city and the broader metropolitan area.

 

The surrounding neighbourhood is already home to a concentration of health, education and research activity that is unmatched in Sydney. For a life sciences precinct, this is not coincidence — it is the foundation of everything ION Waterloo is designed to build on.

 

 


 

Who Should Apply

 

This EOI is open to universities with research, teaching and/or accommodation requirements that align with a life sciences focus. Interested institutions are invited to outline their vision for participation in the precinct — including how they see themselves contributing to and benefiting from its broader ecosystem.

 

Kurraba Group is looking for a long-term academic partner: an institution with genuine ambition in life sciences, a commitment to collaboration, and the vision to help shape something genuinely new in Sydney.

 


 

Key Details

 

Location: 100 Botany Road, Waterloo NSW (opposite Waterloo Metro)
Opportunity: Two full floors in ION One as founding academic anchor
Precinct Completion: Q1 2029
Process: Expression of Interest — outline your research, teaching and accommodation requirements and your vision for participation

 


 

Request The Proposal Pack

 

Kurraba Group has prepared a full Proposal Pack with detailed information on the precinct, the available space, the EOI process and submission requirements.

 

To access a copy of the Proposal Pack or to discuss your institution's interest ahead of submission, contact our exclusive leasing agents:

 

JLL

Ben Turner — 0405 318 260

Steane Davies — 0433 735 522

 

CBRE

Brendan Shipp — 0421 714 362

Fergus Bowen — 0416 538 727

 

Grace Commercial

Ryan Grace — 0411 829 724

Trent Stephens — 0498 677 699

 


 

ION Waterloo is a Kurraba Group development. The precinct is designed to establish Sydney as a leading destination for life sciences innovation, education and research.

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