Today’s breakthrough medicines don’t belong to one country. They might be discovered in Melbourne, funded in London and commercialised in the United States. That’s increasingly how biotech succeeds.

Jonathan Tobin, Partner at Brandon Capital, based in the London headquarters, sits at the centre of that global ecosystem by helping connect Australian science with international capital, talent and opportunity. He believes Australia’s future in biotech won’t be defined by geography but by the strength of its global connections.

London Calling
Tobin’s path into venture capital began with investment banking at Rothschild, before he returned to science to complete a PhD in rare human ciliopathies and later cancer metastasis research. 

After moving into biotech business development and completing an MBA, he entered venture capital in 2011 and joined Brandon Capital in 2021 to help expand one of Australia’s leading life sciences investors internationally.

Expanding to London with Tobin as its lead was the natural choice for the firm. As home to research universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, the UK offers one of the world’s strongest biotech ecosystems. It encompasses deep pools of capital, pharmaceutical expertise and experienced leaders who have developed medicines before. 

In today’s biotech landscape, international collaboration has moved from an advantage to an absolute necessity. An Australian biotech company may conduct its early research in Melbourne, complete Phase I trials locally, recruit an executive team from Europe and attract investors from the UK and the United States.

For Tobin, that’s exactly how modern biotech should operate. “Biotech is inherently global,” he says. “The best companies aren’t built in one geography anymore. They’re built by bringing together the best science, the best people and the right investors, wherever they happen to be.”

Building an Australia–UK biotech axis
Brandon Capital has deliberately positioned itself at the centre of that global model.

Today, its London presence not only supports investments in UK companies but also helps Australian portfolio companies access international investors, recruit experienced leadership and build relationships with global pharmaceutical partners.

The result is an increasingly connected Australia–UK biotech ecosystem.

Rather than viewing geography as a barrier, Tobin sees it as a competitive advantage.

Australian companies gain access to international capital and expertise, while overseas investors gain exposure to Australia’s exceptional science and clinical development capabilities. It’s a partnership that strengthens both markets.

Looking Ahead
As biotech continues to evolve, Tobin believes success will increasingly belong to companies that think globally from day one.

Scientific breakthroughs can happen anywhere. The companies that turn those discoveries into life-changing medicines will be those capable of connecting research with capital, talent and commercial expertise across multiple markets.

For Brandon Capital, that means continuing to invest in both Australia and the UK while strengthening the relationships between the two.

Because in biotech, the next breakthrough won’t be defined by where it’s discovered. It will be defined by how successfully the world comes together to bring it to patients.