CUREator – Australia’s national biotech incubator

About CUREator

CUREator’s mission is to support the biotechnology sector by advancing promising research from the lab to the clinic and market, benefiting patients, providing a return on research investment and growing the Australian biotech industry.

CUREator is a national biotechnology incubator that assists research projects with commercial potential, new biotech spinouts from academic research and small—to medium-sized biotech enterprises. Supported by Brandon BioCatalyst, CUREator helps these opportunities achieve key technical and commercial milestones to secure follow-on investments or partnerships.

The Opportunity

Australia has world-leading medical research and clinical capabilities supported by significant government funding. However, many notable innovations and discoveries from early-stage research have struggled to find the relevant expertise and initial financial support to guide them towards ‘investment-ready’ opportunities.

Early funding pathways and expert assistance are essential to bridge this gap and grow the Australian biotech sector. CUREator builds on Brandon BioCatalyst’s experience and proven track record in effectively managing Australia’s development, translation, and commercialisation of biomedical discoveries.

How CUREator Works

CUREator adopts the established review processes of the Brandon BioCatalyst investment model, ensuring thorough due diligence, expert advice, and independent investment insights. CUREator seeks the most promising and impactful Australian biotech innovations and looks to provide them with funding and support.

Amanda Vrselja – Program Head

Mike Bettess – Acting Program Head

Ellie Mohammadi – Program Officer

Patricia Rueda – Analyst

Aaron De Bono – Analyst

Christina Kulis – Analyst

CUREator Programs
CUREator manages several grant funding programs, supporting the development of innovations addressing health needs.

Early-Stage Translation and Commercialisation (ESTAC) Programs: Pre-clinical and clinical stage. Funding is derived from the Australian Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

Biomedtech Incubator (BMTI) Program: In partnership with  ANDHealth. Funding is derived from the Australian Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

BMTI Dementia & Cognitive Decline Program: In collaboration with ANDHealth and Dementia Australia. Funding is derived from the Australian Federal Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.

Health Security and Minimising Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Grants. Funding is derived from, and the program is delivered in conjunction with the CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency.

A more detailed review of the programs can be found in the Program Overview section.

MRFF
ESTAC Preclinical
Design
Supporting preclinical medical research and innovation. Up to $500K per project.
Outcomes
New startups, jobs, patents, investment.
MRFF
ESTAC Clinical
Design
Supporting clinical development of therapeutics. Up to $1.5m per project.
Outcomes
Investment, patient impact.
CSIRO
Health Security & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Design
Supporting health security and AMR innovations. Up to $500k per project.
Outcomes
Investment, national capability, AMR prevention.
MRFF
BMTI CUREator+
Design
Maturing Biomedtech and Digital health innovations. Up to $5m per project.
Outcomes
Investment, patient impact
MRFF
Dementia & Cognitive Decline BMTI CUREator+.
Design
Early & later stage dementia & cognitive decline related health innovations. Up to $5m per project.
Outcomes
Investment, dementia patient and careers impact

CUREator Process

The CUREator’s process covers five key stages: Expression of Interest (EOI), EOI Shortlisting, Full Application Shortlisting, Due Diligence, and Investment Endorsement.

Expressions of Interest (EOI)

CUREator calls for Expression of Interest in grants to progress the development of biotechnoloy research and innovations. The program is promoted via Linkedin, emails, the Brandon BioCatalyst website and other media channels. A webinar and one on one meetings are available to potential applicants.

EOI Shortlisting

CUREator Analysts and Brandon Capital Investment Managers use a blind scoring system to filter the applications against the eligibility and assessment criteria to develop a shortlist. CUREator Investment Review Committee (IRC) members use a blind scoring system* to evaluate shortlisted applicants against the key selection criteria. In the CUREator IRC meeting, members use the aggregated blind scoring to inform the discussion, and select a Full Application shortlist.

Full Application Shortlisting

CUREator IRC Commitee members use a blind scoring system* to evaluate applicants full applications. Applicants pitch to CUREator IRC Meeting with Q+A. In the CUREator IRC meeting, members use the pitch and aggregated blind scoring to inform the discussion and select a final shortlist to proceed to due diligence examination.

Due Diligence

CUREator and bespoke expert advisors conduct extensive due dilligence. CUREator IRC meeting considers due diligence and risk mitigation outcomes before confirming the selection of programs to receive grants. CUREator Independent Committee members are required to endorse the grant recipients' program's selected.

Investment Endorsement

Programs selected by the CUREator IRC are presented to the Brandon Capital Investment Committee to ensure they are within the investment mandate. Programs endorsed by the Brandon Capital Investment Committee are presented to the Brandon BioCatalyst Board to ensure they meet governance requirements. CUREator informs awardees and draws up formal contracts incorporating feedback from the International Pharmaceutical Committee.

* Expressions of Interest and Applications are evaluated by a minimum of three individual assessors, who independently score each submission based on the assessment criteria. Scores are then aggregated and discussed in the CUREator IRC committee meeting.

The Investment Review Committees (IRCs) for each CUREator program make all funding decisions. IRCs are comprised of members with combined expertise in biomedical research and commercialisation.

In the case of targeted funding programs, the members are selected based on their subject-matter expertise on the relevant indication/area of interest. The combined commercial expertise of the committee members includes business development experience, clinical trial management, legal and IP (Intellectual Property) experience, former pharma experience, or startup/biotech management.

Each committee comprises members of Australian research institutes/universities and experts who represent a subset of the national research institutes/university sector or other specific program participants.

All IRC members are appointed under strict confidentiality agreements and the CUREator Conflict of Interest policy. The committee declares and appropriately manages any conflicts, including those involving program participants Brandon BioCatalyst Members and Brandon Capital staff, to ensure fair and unbiased funding decisions by the IRC.

CUREator Investment Review Committee (IRC) Members

CUREator ESTAC Preclinical & Clinical CUREator+ BMTI CUREator+ BMTI Dementia and Cognitive Decline CUREator AMR and Health Security
Non-Voting Chair Dr Michael Bettess Dr Michael Bettess Dr Michael Bettess Dr Michael Bettess
Independent IRC Members Dr Julian Clark

Dr Jenny Petering

Dr Jason Lickliter*

Dr Julian Clark

Dr Jenny Petering

Dr Phil Kearney

Dr Julian Clark

Dr Leigh Farrell

Dr Alex Collie

Dr Julian Clark

Dr Jenny Petering

National Representative IRC Members Dr Aoife Cullen**

Dr Katrina Frankcombe**

Dr Rob McLachlan**

Dr Judy Halliday**

Louis Pymar**

Dr Aoife Cullen

Dr Katrina Frankcombe

Dr Rob McLachlan

Dr Judy Halliday

Ashley Schoof

Dr Aoife Cullen

Lars Ittner, M.D.

Dr Tamsin Terry

Pradeep Babu Sadasivan Pillai M.D.

Louis Pymar

Dr Tanya Petrovich (Dementia Australia)

Rachel Peek (Dementia Australia)

Dr Aoife Cullen

Dr Katrina Frankcombe

Dr Rob McLachlan

Dr Judy Halliday

Louis Pymar

Dr Alisha Anderson (CSIRO/ Health Security)

Dr Branwen Morgan (CSIRO/AMR)

* Clinical stream only

** Preclinical Stream only

Portfolio

Outcomes

The first CUREator cohort was founded in mid-2022. In under 2 years, the incubator is already starting to generate tangible outcomes that positively impact the Australian BioMedTech sector.

This impact is reflected in support for biotech companies and the creation of new startups, which have supported or created more than 120 jobs in the sector.

Funded opportunities involve expanding networks, formalising previous collaborations, or establishing new ones with local Research Institutes / Universities or local contracted CROs (con­tract re­search or­ga­ni­za­tions). As much as 25% of the funding provided is redistributed into the local biotech ecosystem.

The funding deployed by CUREator has resulted in the commitment of more than 1:1 leverage funding from the project’s parent institutions, resulting in additional internal support for the opportunities. Several CUREator awardees have collectively raised over AU$40m in seed funding and partnering collaborations, with several more negotiating term sheets with local and international investors.

Ecosystem

  • 27
    New local startups created
  • > 120
    Jobs (FTE) supported
  • > 55
    Collaborations with local Research Institutes / Universisties
  • > $10m
    Redistributed in the ecosystem

Economic

  • $59m
    Funding committed
  • > $45m
    Leverage funding
  • > $40m
    Investment Raised

Health

  • 18
    Clinical trials initiated
  • > 180
    Patients benefited / treated

Program Overview

CUREator+

Support for novel or repurposed drugs (pre-clinical and clinical), medical devices, and digital health technologies. You can read more here.

It is delivered in partnership with ANDHealth and with funding from the MRFF.

CUREator+ Dementia and Cognitive Decline

Support for novel or repurposed drugs (pre-clinical or clinical), early diagnostics, biomarkers, assistive and medical devices, and digital technologies that will prolong or improve the lives of Australians living with dementia and their caregivers. You can read more here.

Delivered in partnership with ANDHealth and Dementia Australia and with funding from the MRFF.

Preclinical Stream

Supports preclinical medical research or medical innovation projects with commercial potential.  You can read more here.

It was delivered with funding from the MRFF.

Clinical Stream

It supports the clinical development of novel drugs or novel uses for existing drugs with commercial potential. You can read more here.

It was delivered with funding from the MRFF.

Health Security Stream

Supports projects that improve Australia’s preparedness and responsiveness to human health threats.  You can read more here.

It was delivered with funding from the CSIRO.

Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance Stream

It supports projects developing technologies that improve the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and response to antimicrobial resistance. You can read more here.

It was delivered with funding from the CSIRO.

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