Australia is emerging as a key player in the global life sciences sector, with rapid growth driven by research innovation, government support, and an increasing demand for specialised real estate. Explore how Australia’s life science ecosystem is expanding, how developers and investors can capitalise on emerging opportunities, and better understand the key factors that will shape the future of life science real estate in the region. Attendees will gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities in Australia’s life science real estate market and learn how to position themselves for success.

• Australia’s Life Science Ecosystem: Understanding the rapid growth of Australia’s life science sector and how it is positioning itself as a hub for innovation and investment.
• Real Estate Opportunities & Challenges: Identifying the key real estate opportunities for developers and investors in the life sciences sector, and the unique challenges that need to be addressed.
• Government Support & Policy Impact: The role of government incentives, grants, and regulatory reforms in driving growth within the life science real estate market in Australia

Bart Price, CEO, Vita Partners

Queensland has a long history and science driven innovation and the next phase of this journey is the evolution of the Knowledge Corridor and opportunities at the Boggo Road Precinct which will play a critical role in shaping the state’s future as a magnetic for the innovation driven economy. This presentation will explore how these developments are fostering collaboration between researchers, industry, and investors, creating a thriving ecosystem for new solutions across, the health of people. Health of the planet and emerging technologies.

• The Knowledge Corridor & Boggo Road Precinct: How this evolving precinct is positioning Queensland as a leader in the innovation ecosystem, and what it means for research, commercialisation, and industry collaboration.
• The Role of Real Estate in Life Science Growth: The infrastructure, design, and investment required to support cutting-edge biotech, medtech, and advanced manufacturing within the precinct.
• Opportunities for Developers & Investors: How the private sector can engage with Queensland’s life science expansion, and what’s needed to ensure long-term success for real estate projects in this space

Trent Munro, General Manager, Boggo Road Innovation Precinct

As Australia’s life science sector expands, the demand for purpose-built real estate is accelerating, creating new opportunities for investors, developers, and industry stakeholders. This panel will explore the critical strategies needed to develop world-class life science precincts. Experts will discuss how to unlock real estate potential, navigate policy and regulatory landscapes, and foster collaboration between key players to drive long-term growth.

• Creating Integrated Life Science Precincts: How successful projects are blending research, clinical care, manufacturing, and commercialisation to drive innovation and attract investment.
• Unlocking Real Estate Potential: Exploring key investment and development opportunities in life sciences real estate while addressing the sector’s unique challenges.
• Policy & Government Influence: Examining how incentives, grants, and regulatory frameworks shape the growth and competitiveness of Australia’s life science real estate market.
• Collaboration & Global Best Practices: The importance of fostering collaboration between universities, hospitals, developers, and investors, and the role of studying international life science hubs to shape Australia’s future.

Moderated by:

Lawson Katiza, Partner - Life Sciences, Knight Frank

Alex Belcastro, Senior VP – Development & Precincts, Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT

Yue (Olivia) Geng, Executive Director – Strategic Partnerships & Innovation, Altea Investments

Nick Smith, Co-Founder & CEO, Kurraba

Neil Deacon, Founder & Managing Director, Health Advance Connect

Join industry leaders and innovators in the life science sector as we tackle some of the most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities facing the industry today. In this interactive session, you can choose a focus group that aligns with your interests, allowing for deeper engagement on topics that matter most to you. Don’t miss this chance to connect, collaborate, and innovate with peers in a supportive environment!

Round Table 1:               The Rise of Health Innovation Precincts in Australia

                                         Moderated by: Lance Chia, (Former) Director Investment & Innovation, Liverpool Innovation Precinct

Round Table 2:               The Future of Lab Space & Biotech Incubators

                                         Moderated by: Andrew, Co-Founder, CoLabs Australia

Round Table 3:               Public and private investment and contributions to precincts
Moderated by: Stephanie Wood, Senior Program Manager, Sydney Biomedical Accelerator

Round Table 4:               Designing for Discovery: Universities Government and Developers Building the Future of Australia’s Life                                          Sciences ecosystem

                                        Moderated by: Melissa Ryan, Director – Incubation & Entrepreneurship, Macquarie University

Round Table 5:              Future-Proofing Lab Spaces: Designing for Flexibility, Compliance & Growth
Moderated by:Orlando Kennard, Head of Client Experience, Evoke Projects

Lance Chia, Director - Investment & Innovation, Liverpool Innovation Precinct

Andrew Gray, Director, CoLabs Australia

Melissa Ryan, Director – Incubation & Entrepreneurship, Macquarie University

Orlando Kennard, Head of Client Experience, Evoke Projects

Stephanie Wood, Senior Program Manager, Sydney Biomedical Accelerator

As traditional commercial real estate faces market fluctuations, life science real estate has emerged as a resilient and high-growth asset class. Investors are increasingly allocating capital to this sector, drawn by its long-term leases, strong tenant retention, and premium rental rates. This session will explore the current and future investment appetite for life science assets, dissect the financial fundamentals driving returns, and examine how institutional investors, private equity, and superannuation funds are approaching the sector. Panelists will discuss the barriers to entry for new investors, how offshore capital is shaping the market, and strategies to mitigate risk in an evolving investment landscape.

• Market Landscape & Investor Confidence: Understanding current market conditions, demand drivers, and financial fundamentals shaping life science real estate.
• Private & Institutional Capital: The growing role of private investors, superannuation funds, and offshore capital in funding life science developments.
• Emerging Trends & Market Forces: The impact of inflation, interest rates, and construction costs on investment returns, rent affordability, and precinct development.
• Tenant Demand & Occupier Needs: Examining what life science companies require from real estate, how demand is evolving across R&D, manufacturing, and logistics, and what investors should consider when structuring assets to meet occupier needs.

Panelists include:

Justin Gabbani, CEO, Lendlease IM

Hannah Loxton, Head of Private Capital, Wentworth Capital

Russell Meacham, Managing Director, JGS Advisory

Bart Price, CEO, Vita Partners

Moderated by:

Benjamin Martin-Henry, Head of Private Assets Research, MSCI

The success of life science real estate depends on a deep understanding of what occupiers need at every stage of their growth journey—from startups in incubators to global pharmaceutical firms scaling up advanced manufacturing. This panel will explore the range of real estate solutions required by life science companies, including wet and dry labs, R&D hubs, biomanufacturing plants, logistics and cold storage facilities, corporate offices, and innovation precincts. Experts will discuss how occupier needs evolve as companies move from early-stage research to full-scale production and commercialisation, and what developers, investors, and landlords must consider to deliver facilities that attract and retain tenants. The conversation will also address how to design flexible, future-proofed real estate solutions that can support the sector’s rapid innovation and changing demands.

• Understanding Occupier Needs at Each Stage of Growth: How startups, scale-ups, and established life science companies have different real estate requirements across R&D, clinical trials, manufacturing, and commercialisation.
• The Full Spectrum of Life Science Real Estate: Exploring the role of labs, R&D spaces, manufacturing plants, logistics hubs, corporate offices, and science precincts in the ecosystem.
• Flexibility & Future-Proofing Facilities: How design, leasing models, and infrastructure planning can support long-term tenant success and adapt to the evolving needs of the sector.

Panelists include:

Dr. Ashlie Hartigan, Associate - Science & Innovation, Wentworth Capital

Georgie Huxley, Vice President – Leasing, Northwest Healthcare Properties REIT

Samuel Jesuadian, COO, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub

Michelle Williams, Strategic Partnerships Lead, Sanofi

Moderated by:

Neil Deacon, Founder & Managing Director, Health Advance Connect

Life science precincts are becoming essential hubs for fostering research, innovation, and commercialisation in Australia’s biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical sectors. These precincts bring together industry, academia, and government to drive scientific discovery and economic growth. But what makes a great life science precinct? This panel will explore the critical elements of a thriving precinct—from strategic location selection and infrastructure planning to the partnerships that enable success. Experts will also examine the role of flexible facility design in supporting the evolving needs of life science companies while ensuring compliance with Australia’s regulatory landscape.

• The Role of Precincts in the Future of Life Sciences: Why life science precincts are critical to the long-term growth and global competitiveness of the sector in Australia.
• What Makes a Successful Life Science Precinct? Examining the key factors that define a world-class precinct, including connectivity, amenities, funding models, and industry-academia collaboration.
• Designing for Innovation & Flexibility: How the principles of modularity, adaptability, and regulatory compliance influence precinct-wide planning and individual facility design.
• Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Building: The role of developers, research institutions, government, and private industry in creating precincts that support early-stage R&D through to commercial-scale manufacturing.
• Overcoming Development & Infrastructure Challenges: Addressing barriers such as zoning restrictions, funding complexities, and the integration of sustainability and ESG principles into large-scale life science hubs.

Panelists include:

Andrew Gray, Director, CoLabs Australia

Stephanie Wood, Senior Program Manager, Sydney Biomedical Accelerator

Kevin Pfleger, Director Biomedical & Health Innovation, WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub

Moderated by:

Dr. Kate Meyrick, Director, Urbis

As Australia seeks to lift its global competitiveness in research and development, the opportunity for place-based innovation centres to drive commercial outcomes has never been greater. Drawing on the success of the ARM Hub and global models like the UK Catapult and Manufacturing USA Institutes, this session explores how strategically located innovation centres—co-located within precincts—can de-risk commercialisation, accelerate advanced manufacturing, and enhance property asset value by anchoring vibrant ecosystems. The model offers real estate developers a blueprint for attracting high-impact tenants, activating precinct infrastructure, and aligning with sovereign capability priorities.

• Innovation Precincts as Value Multipliers: Place-based innovation centres increase tenant demand and retention by creating high-impact environments that embed R&D, manufacturing, and commercialisation capabilities in one location.
• De-Risking R&D for Industry: These centres offer agile, industry-led access points to research and prototyping, attracting startups, SMEs and corporates seeking innovation partnerships without the administrative complexity of traditional institutions.
• Global Blueprint, Local Advantage: Aligned with successful international models, Australian precincts that integrate independent innovation hubs become magnets for investment, advanced industries, and workforce development—unlocking long-term precinct value and regional economic growth.

Samuel Jesuadian, COO, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub

As biotech, medtech, and digital health evolve at an unprecedented pace, life science real estate must be built to adapt. Facilities designed today need to support future technological advancements, shifting tenant requirements, and sustainability standards. This panel will explore emerging investment opportunities, next-generation facility design, and the role of AI, automation, and ESG in shaping the future of life science real estate. The conversation will discuss how flexible infrastructure, smart building technologies, and resilient design strategies can ensure facilities remain competitive, efficient, and aligned with evolving industry needs. The conversation will also address where Australia’s next major life science hubs are emerging and how developers can position themselves for long-term success.

• Emerging Investment Opportunities: Identifying high-growth segments within life science real estate and new funding models driving innovation.
• Technology & Facility Design: Exploring how AI, automation, and digital health advancements will redefine research environments, lab functionality, and tenant expectations.
• Next-Gen Life Science Hubs: Examining which Australian regions are poised for life science sector expansion and how developers and investors can capitalise on this growth

John Ratcliffe, CIO, Altea Investments

Sam Biggins, National Head of Healthcare & Life Sciences, Knight Frank

As biotech, medtech, and digital health evolve at an unprecedented pace, life science real estate must be built to adapt. Facilities designed today need to support future technological advancements, shifting tenant requirements, and sustainability standards. This panel will explore emerging investment opportunities, next-generation facility design, and the role of AI, automation, and ESG in shaping the future of life science real estate. The conversation will discuss how flexible infrastructure, smart building technologies, and resilient design strategies can ensure facilities remain competitive, efficient, and aligned with evolving industry needs. The conversation will also address where Australia’s next major life science hubs are emerging and how developers can position themselves for long-term success.

• Emerging Investment Opportunities: Identifying high-growth segments within life science real estate and new funding models driving innovation.
• Technology & Facility Design: Exploring how AI, automation, and digital health advancements will redefine research environments, lab functionality, and tenant expectations.
• Next-Gen Life Science Hubs: Examining which Australian regions are poised for life science sector expansion and how developers and investors can capitalise on this growth

Dr. Kate Meyrick, Director, Urbis