La Trobe University

Research and Development Park

Sue Bell, Director La Trobe University R&D Park has been involved with start up businesses through business incubators and technology parks for over nine years.  She has been a board member of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Business Incubators and is the current President of Technology Parks and Incubators Australia.

Sue was part of the steering committee for the Bundoora Plant Bioscience Facility consortium that has recently commenced construction of the Victoria AgriBioscience Centre (VABC) on the La Trobe University R&D Park at Bundoora.  Sue is a member of the management committee for the (VABC) and is looking forward to the incubation opportunities to be afforded by the centre due for completion in October 2005.
 

 

"An incubator environment provides the ‘people’ support that is often missing from commercialisation programs". Sue Bell, Director, LaTrobe University R&D Park.

 
We are beginning to see an increase in specialised “Your Organisation” services – why is this important to the Biotechnology Industry?

An incubator environment provides the ‘people’ support that is often missing from commercialisation programs.  We build a scaffold around people and don’t remove the pieces until they are ready.  Of course the skill lays in knowing when to pull the pieces away.  Incubators do not always have the resources to facilitate effective commercialisation and that is where networks such as BioMelbourne Network are so important.  What incubators provide is the specialised people side of the process.  Helping people through what can be an over whelming situation in a fast moving and unfamiliar world.

What we provide is a neutral ground that allows for the marriage of the research, the commercialisation process and the nurturing of the people and ideas involved.

What role does the La Trobe University R&D Park play in the Australian Biotech Industry?

La Trobe University is the home of what will become the Victorian AgriBioscience Centre.  This will be an icon building within the Bundoora Biotechnology Precinct.  The VABC is a joint venture between the University and the Department of Primary Industries and this partnership has already spun out a number of biotechnology businesses under the Directorship of Professor German Spangenberg.  This project along with the strong research capability of the University’s School of Botany headed by Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Roger Parish will continue to take a lead role in the Australian Biotech Industry.

What do Biotech Companies need to consider when planning to choose a provider of Business Incubator and Technology Park Services?

There are many models for incubators and technology parks with no particular model seen as the definitive answer to every incubation and/or commercialisation need.  It is important for companies to visit these facilities and to talk to both the operators and current tenants.

All incubators and technology parks should be able to offer tenants appropriate commercialisation support either from in house sources or external services providers.  The facility in question should provide a culture that matches that of the Biotech Company.

Companies should consider not only the commercialisation process but also the business networking opportunities and access to a pool of talent and research abilities afford by the organisation that manages the facility.

What opportunities do you foresee for the Victorian/Australian biotech industry?

I see greater opportunities for niche biotechnology research and commercialisation centres to be located on University Technology Parks.  The co-location of commercialisation, research and academic endeavours can only complement specialist areas of biotechnology.

What do you consider key strategic areas for focus in the Australian Biotech Industry?

The strategic focus and competitive position of the Biotech Industry has been the focus of discussion between my self and my colleague David Bradley from DPI during the recent development of the VABC proposal and so is very topical for us.  What has been come clear to us during this exercise is that Australia has significant global exposure in the biomedical and agribiotech sectors. Given the profile and capability we have in these areas it would be a logical step to further develop capability, particularly into commercial ready outputs.

Clearly there is a need for sustainable and efficient food production systems that minimise environmental impact and provide healthy foods. Agribiotech links directly to this requirement and the technologies and capabilities in this area within Australia are significant.

Improving health and well-being via smart technologies and preventative care not only provides social and economic benefits to communities. 

What does the biotech industry in Victoria/Australia need to do to improve its competitive position within the global biotech industry?

There are a number issues that require attention. The standard of our biotech work is extremely high, particularly in the biomedical and agriculture/agrifood sectors. Therefore the key issue is not so much improving our science outputs but the need to provide an environment whereby it is easier to take key outputs to commercial reality.

An environment that encourages entrepreneurial scientists that are aligning their work with key outputs and intellectual property protection is the starting point. This represents a shift from the project based funding model that produces quality outputs but often forces scientists to focus on their next round of funding rather than taking their science output closer to market.

A broader range of funding models for biotechnology commercialisation would provide significant leverage for the existing pool of biotech IP that exists in Australia. A natural flow-on effect is that this process would provide business and commercial engagement skills for scientists.

Education and training of our future scientists is also a key requirement. Young scientists need to understand and have the knowledge and tools to work in the IP era of science. The lines between science, IP and business are blurring and it is the combination of these skills that will be the next generation of creative talent.

About La Trobe University R&D Park

The La Trobe University R&D Park is designed as a classic three stage technology park.  It provides incubation, graduation and relocation facilities.  This means we can provide businesses at each stage of their development with appropriate facilities.

Our Technology Enterprise Centre is the heart of the park and incubates new start-up businesses in the life science, information technology and engineering.  The VABC will provide incubation facilities for plant science research.

The Park also hosts graduates of the incubation program as anchor tenants and stand alone companies such as Rio Tinto and The Walter Elisa Hall Institute Biotechnology Centre.

More about Sue Bell’s Background

Sue Bell has more than 9 years experience in developing and managing technology parks and early stage IT incubators in Queensland, Regional Victoria and Melbourne.

Prior to her appointment at La Trobe, Sue was the Melbourne Incubator Manager for Information City Victoria part of the Federal Government’s ICT incubator network funded under the “Building on IT Strengths” program.  She also managed the highly successful Greenhill Enterprise Centre at the University of Ballarat for three years

She held major management positions at the Brisbane Technology Park and the Logan Information Technology Centre (ITEC) in Brisbane prior to her work in Ballarat.

Sue is a founding Director and current President of The Technology Parks & Incubators Association, a former Regional Chair of the Australian Institute of Management and past Director and National Treasurer of The Australian and New Zealand Association of Business Incubators.

For more infromation

Sue Bell

t:   9479 1947

e:   sue.bell@latrobe.edu.au

w:   http://www.latrobe.edu.au/techpark