MTPConnect Appointed ‘Innovation Intermediary’ for Adelaide BioMed City

24 February 2022

MTPConnect has been appointed to deliver the External Innovation and Translation Intermediary services for Adelaide BioMed City (ABMC) health and life sciences Innovation District.

Under the $3 million initiative awarded by the South Australian government, MTPConnect will work with ABMC and its research, clinical and business partners to build collaborations and realise the innovation potential of South Australia’s health and biomedical industry sectors.

MTPConnect Interim CEO, Stuart Dignam, has welcomed the opportunity to work more closely with the South Australian government and the State’s innovators and entrepreneurs in delivering the ABMC intermediary program.   

“MTPConnect’s commitment to a sector-led approach to growing the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector, as well as our national and international networks uniquely position us to deliver the ABMC intermediary program,” Mr Dignam said.  

“Our focus over the next three-years will be on fostering collaboration, strategically building innovation capacity and attracting new talent and opportunity to South Australia.

“By connecting ABMC partners and South Australia’s broader health and medical ecosystem to national and global opportunities, we’ll elevate ABMC as a precinct of choice for innovators, researchers and clinicians focused on translation.”

South Australia’s Minister for Innovation and Skills, Hon. David Pisoni MP, said that MTPConnect will begin its role by working closely with ABMC partners and stakeholders to build key collaborations between research, industry and health practitioners.

“These collaborations are critical to grow areas of competitive advantage for industry, support entrepreneurial clinicians to develop new health solutions, and ensure PhD students have the opportunity to engage with health and business leaders to inform their career choices,” Minister Pisoni said.

“South Australia is home to world-renowned research institutes and great businesses, but the SA Productivity Commission Report of the Inquiry into Research and Development in South Australia showed there was a need to better connect strengths in research and industry to deliver innovations in health technologies, devices and therapeutics, and deliver a strong innovation economy,” he said.

Chief Scientist for South Australia Professor Caroline McMillen said MTPConnect’s strong track record of partnering with governments and business across Australia to grow innovation, commercialisation and translation outcomes demonstrated that the not-for-profit organisation was well-placed to take on this challenge.

“I have every confidence MTPConnect will be a key contributor to our vibrant research and innovation ecosystem here in South Australia and will harness the remarkable opportunity present within the ABMC Innovation District to build connections and collaborations which realise the full talent of our great researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs and businesses and also provide a model for further activation of our major Innovation and Translation Districts,” she said.

Mr Dignam says the team is ready to hit the ground running in Adelaide.

“I am pleased to announce that Jo Close, MTPConnect’s recently appointed Director of Stakeholder Engagement for South Australia, will lead the intermediary program on the ground,” he said.

“Ms Close is a health and medical scientist with over twenty years’ experience and deep connections across South Australia’s biomedical sector, having co-founded the Medical Device Partnering Program at Flinders University and worked for a range of universities, start-ups and community organisations.”

Mr Dignam says recruitment for additional roles will commence shortly.

For more information please see our Adelaide Intermediary Program page.