Monash Technology Precinct gets $16.1 m boost for manufacturing facilities

Monash University has been awarded $16.12 million from the Victorian government, which will support new facilities for manufacturing-related R&D and commercialisation.

The funding from the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF) announced on Wednesday would support three efforts within the university’s Technology Precinct by June next year.

These were described in a statement as:

1. Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC): Expansion of MMIC’s presence to a new node at Clayton, allowing the scale-up of medicine manufacturing capability, and support for clinical trials and growth of exports and jobs.
2. UP-LINK university partner collaboration space: A platform at the heart of Clayton campus that will drive manufacturing innovation and modernisation. This will provide industry with early access to Monash research and talent pipelines. In addition, incubator and startup facilities will support commercialisation and spinouts, enabling entrepreneurial activity across the precinct, and creating new businesses.
3. oNKo-innate Headquarters: A biotechnology research and development facility to accelerate the development of cancer therapies, enabling target identification, validation, and subsequent development, manufacturing and commercialisation of cancer treatments.

Dean of Engineering Professor Elizabeth Croft cited the UP-Link collaboration space as an important boost to manufacturing’s recovery post-Covid-19.

“Internationally-competitive manufacturers must constantly innovate to improve quality and efficiency. This new collaborative platform will create a pipeline of ideas and talent, de-risking new investment in equipment and personnel, and ensuring future success,” she said. 

VHESIF was announced in response to the pandemic, and support under the program has been announced for a “Manufutures2” startup hub at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds campus, a Digital and Bio Innovation Hub at La Trobe, and other facilities.

Picture: Monash

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