AusBiotech

What AusBiotech does

AusBiotech is Australia's peak body for the life sciences, operating as a not-for-profit membership organisation founded in 1985 and headquartered in South Yarra, Melbourne. It represents Australia's full life sciences ecosystem — research, translation, development, commercialisation, manufacturing, and global trade — through a 3,500+ member community spanning universities, medical research institutes, start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, large Australian enterprises, international companies, hospitals and healthcare providers, CROs, CDMOs, service providers, investors, and government agencies. The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Dr James Campbell, with CEO Rebekah Cassidy leading day-to-day operations, and employs 11-50 staff.

The organisation does not develop proprietary technology. Its core service portfolio comprises (1) a tiered membership program, (2) the Australian Government-funded Industry Growth Program (IGP) delivered as an Industry Partner Organisation for commercialisation advisory (scaling to 43 companies in 2026), (3) the AusBiotech Investment platform including the Investment Readiness Panel and AusBiotech Invest conference, (4) trade facilitation through Austrade partnerships (TradeStart and Trade Diversification Network), (5) flagship events consolidated under 'Australia's Biggest Week in Biotech' combining the AusBiotech International Conference, AusMedtech, and AusBiotech Invest, and (6) policy advocacy, advisory groups, and industry reports.

Revenue is generated through recurring membership subscriptions and conference/event registration and sponsorship; specific pricing and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. AusBiotech occupies a position analogous to a trade association with quasi-regulatory convening authority, distinguished from competitors by 40 years of brand recognition, formal designation as a government Industry Partner Organisation, and CSL-level enterprise participation on its Board.

Name

AusBiotech

Legal name

AusBiotech

Website

https://ausbiotech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AusBiotech is Australia's peak body for the life sciences, a not-for-profit industry association serving 3,500+ members across research, biotech, medtech, and government. It delivers membership, commercialisation advisory via the government-funded Industry Growth Program, flagship conferences, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South Yarra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: AusBiotech generates revenue primarily through membership fees from its 3,500+ members spanning universities, research institutes, startups, SMEs, large companies, international companies, healthcare providers, CROs, service providers, investors, government agencies, and CDMOs.
2. Conference and event registration: Major revenue stream from hosting flagship events including AusBiotech International Conference, AusMedtech, AusBiotech Invest, and the combined 'Biggest Week in Biotech'. Events attract thousands of delegates from across Australia and internationally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AusBiotech is Australia's peak body for the life sciences sector, operating as a not-for-profit membership organization with more than 3,500 members spanning researchers, universities, medical research institutes, start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, large Australian and international companies, hospitals, CROs, CDMOs, service providers, investors, and government agencies. The organization delivers policy advocacy, industry convening, flagship conferences, commercialization advisory through the Industry Growth Program (IGP), investor readiness support through AusBiotech Investment programs, and trade facilitation through partnerships with Austrade (TradeStart and Trade Diversification Network).

Product overview

AusBiotech is Australia's peak industry body for life sciences, operating as a not-for-profit membership organization rather than a product company. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services including membership (3,500 members), the Australian Government-funded Industry Growth Program (IGP) for commercialization advisory, AusBiotech Investment programs including the Investment Readiness Panel and AusBiotech Invest conference, TradeStart and Trade Diversification Network partnerships with Austrade for export support, flagship conferences (AusBiotech International Conference, AusMedtech, AusBiotech Invest), the Women in Life Sciences program with Medicines Australia, Advisory Groups and State Committees, and industry reports and publications. These programs collectively support Australia's life sciences ecosystem from early-stage discovery through to translation, development, commercialisation, manufacturing, and global trade.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AusMedtech: Australia's leading medical technology conference, bringing together medtech industry leaders for collaboration and sector development.
• AusBiotech Invest
• AusBiotech International Conference
• Women in Life Sciences
• Industry Growth Program (IGP)
• TradeStart
• AusBiotech Investment
• Biotech Dispatch

Products and services

• Membership Services Membership program serving 3,500+ members across Australia's life sciences ecosystem, including universities, medical research institutes, startups, scale-ups, SMEs, large Australian and international companies, hospitals and healthcare providers, CROs, service providers, investors, government agencies, CDMOs, and clinicians/academics/students. Members access advocacy, networking, policy engagement, and program benefits.
• Industry Growth Program (IGP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Sector doubled in size since 2017 with 2,900 organisations and 1,600 biotech and medtech companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Bio NSW, Life Sciences Queensland, BioMelbourne Network, Life Sciences WAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Nine peak health and medical technology industry bodies including AusBiotech, Bio NSW, Life Sciences Queensland, BioMelbourne Network, Life Sciences WA, and others sent joint letter to Treasurer Jim Chalmers opposing proposed R&D tax incentive and capital gains tax reforms affecting the sector.
• TenmilecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Strategic partnership announced during AusMedtech Day Two by AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy and Tenmile Managing Director Dr Steve Burnell. Partnership aims to accelerate and strengthen the Australian life sciences sector by combining resources and expertise. Focus areas include anti-microbial resistance, cancer, AI, women's health and health equity. Tenmile's Focal Point and Healthtech Muster events will feature within Australia's Biggest Week in Biotech.
• Medicines AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Joint advocacy partnership endorsing the 'Ambitious Australia: Strategic Examination of R&D Final Report'. Both organizations have partnered on multiple initiatives including the Women in Life Sciences Luncheon and Leadership Summit, and the jointly established Advanced Therapies Advisory Group for Australia's cell and gene therapy sector.
• Proto AxiomstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2026National partnership signed to strengthen coordination across investor-focused programs connecting researchers, investors, and industry. Proto Axiom is a Sydney-based life sciences company creator and biotech investment incubator.
• SMART CRC (Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026SMART CRC CEO Professor Simon Cool serves as inaugural Chair of the Advanced Therapies Advisory Group jointly established by AusBiotech and Medicines Australia. SMART CRC represents 63 partners advancing Australia's regenerative therapy manufacturing capability.
• Austrade Trade Diversification NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 January 2026AusBiotech selected to join Austrade's newly established Trade Diversification Network, part of the $50 million Accessing New Markets Initiative (ANMI). The Network consists of 40 national peak bodies working to help Australian businesses diversify and grow internationally.
• Taiwan Bio Industry OrganizationstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025MOU signed to strengthen global life sciences collaboration. Formalises partnership between Australia's peak life sciences body and Taiwan's bio industry organization, supporting cross-border collaboration and partnership opportunities.
• Austrade (Australian Trade and Investment Commission)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 June 2025Partnership through the national TradeStart network delivering export and growth support for Australian life sciences companies. AusBiotech is the first life sciences peak body to join with Austrade as a national partner in delivering TradeStart. The partnership established a new National TradeStart Adviser role embedded within AusBiotech's team.
• ANDHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2025Partnership agreement with Australia's premier provider of commercialisation support for digital and connected health technologies. Aims to enhance collaboration on mutual interests and support ongoing industry innovation. Targets the fastest growing field in health and life science technology.
• MTPConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2025Joint pre-budget submission calling for investment in strategic initiatives to boost Australia's life sciences sector. Partnership also includes joint advocacy for Australia-UK BioBridge and collaboration on Cell and Gene Catalyst initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• MTPConnect: Australia's Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Industry Growth Centre, established under the same federal Industry Growth framework AusBiotech operates within. Co-submits pre-budget submissions with AusBiotech and collaborates on Cell and Gene Catalyst initiatives — a closely aligned industry development counterpart.
• Life Sciences Queensland: Queensland's peak life sciences industry body and fellow coalition member in joint RDTI advocacy with AusBiotech. Serves the same member archetypes (researchers, startups, SMEs, investors) at a state level and competes/cooperates with AusBiotech for Queensland member engagement.
• ANDHealth: Australia's premier commercialisation provider for digital and connected health technologies and a strategic partner of AusBiotech. Both organisations deliver commercialisation advisory and ecosystem convening for Australian health technology companies, serving overlapping member cohorts with complementary programs.
• BioMelbourne Network: Victoria's peak industry body for life sciences and a fellow signatory to the joint letter opposing RDTI reforms. Operates as a state-level counterpart to AusBiotech, convening similar member segments (researchers, startups, investors) within Victoria and competing for member engagement at a sub-national level.
• Medicines Australia: Australia's peak industry body for the innovative medicines sector and AusBiotech's most direct peer. Both organisations are national not-for-profit peak bodies representing life sciences in Australia, jointly advocate on RDTI/CGT policy, and co-deliver the Women in Life Sciences program and the Advanced Therapies Advisory Group.
• BioIndustry Association (BIA): The UK's national trade association for the biotechnology and life sciences sector, a counterpart to AusBiotech's role in Australia. Provides the closest international analog to AusBiotech's advocacy, convening, and investment facilitation mandate — and a peer referenced in the Australia-UK BioBridge collaboration discussions.
• BIOTECanada: Canada's national biotechnology industry association performing the equivalent peak-body function for the Canadian life sciences sector. Mirrors AusBiotech's advocacy, convening, and member-service mandate with similar member segmentation and revenue model (membership + events).
• Bio NSW: New South Wales' peak industry organisation for life sciences and a fellow coalition member with AusBiotech on joint RDTI policy submissions. Operates as a state-level peer serving overlapping NSW-based members, providing similar networking and advocacy services at the sub-national level.

Regional players

• Swiss Biotech Association: Switzerland's national biotechnology industry association representing the Swiss biotech ecosystem. A regional peer performing a similar peak-body role in a different geography, with comparable membership, advocacy, and event-driven engagement models relevant for AusBiotech's international benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO): The world's largest biotechnology trade association, representing 1,000+ members across the US and globally. Comparable to AusBiotech in mandate (advocacy, events including the BIO Convention, investor engagement) but at vastly greater scale and serving a much larger, US-anchored member base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ausbiotech
• Xx.com/ausbiotech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AusBiotech