AusBiotech and Sydney‑based life sciences company creator Proto Axiom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen national coordination across investor-focused programs connecting researchers, investors, and industry within Australia's life sciences ecosystem.
The new agreement creates a coordinated calendar of investor focused events, starting with Challenger Pitch for Health in March and a new joint program in August and September 2026.
Under the agreement, AusBiotech and Proto Axiom will collaborate across a coordinated annual calendar that includes three cornerstone programs:
• Challenger Pitch for Health (March): Proto Axiom's national pitch competition, run with the St Vincent's Curran Foundation, awarding $500,000 in non‑dilutive grants to leading researcher‑founders.
• Early Stage Innovation Forum (ESIF) sessions (May & October): Aligned programming delivered alongside the AusMedtech and the AusBiotech International Conference, providing early-stage innovators with exposure to industry, investors and commercialisation pathways.
• New Joint Program (August): A co-designed initiative focused on specific research areas of interest, with an initial emphasis on translational innovation in Women's Health.
The partnership is designed to create a more connected researcher and founder journey, providing clearer pathways from early pitching and validation through to national industry platforms, and later stage investment. Proto Axiom will act as a 'Pipeline Partner' for AusBiotech's Early Stage Innovation Forum aligned activity, while AusBiotech will serve as an 'Industry Partner' for the Challenger Pitch for Health.
This collaboration complements AusBiotech's broader program of investment-related partnerships, including the recent launch of its Investor Readiness Panel (IRP). The new expert framework is designed to strengthen founder preparedness, align companies with appropriate capital, and improve the quality of investor engagement across the ecosystem.
AusBiotech CEO, Rebekah Cassidy said: "AusBiotech is committed to building a thriving, globally competitive life sciences sector in Australia. This new partnership with Proto Axiom sits within a broader set of investment-focused collaborations we are building nationally. It is designed to create clearer pathways from research excellence to commercial scale and to help Australian companies be better prepared to engage with capital at each stage of their growth."
Anthony Liveris, CEO of Proto Axiom said the partnership reflects a shared ambition to strengthen Australia's sovereign biotech capability.
"Researchers do not experience the ecosystem in silos," Mr Liveris said. "They move from lab to pitch to conference to capital raise. We are especially excited about the August program and the opportunity to put underfunded areas of health (particularly Women's Health) at the centre of Australia's innovation agenda."
Shanthini Naidoo, CEO of St Vincent's Curran Foundation said, "St Vincent's Curran Foundation is proud to be part of this important collaboration, which strengthens the bridge between groundbreaking research and better patient outcomes. We are grateful to our donors who have helped us bring the program to life."
The partnership will be supported through AusBiotech's investment function, led by Kerri Lee Sinclair, Head of Investment, to ensure alignment with AusBiotech's national investor engagement priorities and capital-readiness initiatives.
Challenger Pitch for Health – 26 March 2026
The first milestone in the partnership will be the Challenger Pitch for Health, held on Thursday 26 March 2026, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm AEDT at the Cell Block Theatre, National Art School, Darlinghurst.
The event will award $500,000 in non-dilutive grants to leading researcher‑led health and biotech ventures and will feature a keynote panel focused on scaling sovereign growth capital for deep technology.
Researchers, investors, industry and policymakers are invited to attend. Registrations: https://events.humanitix.com/challenger-pitch-for-health?accesscode=PROTO
