The BioInnovation Festival’s Down South adVentures Weekend offered attendees a unique opportunity to explore the innovative landscape of Western Australia’s biotech, agtech, and oceantech sectors. The event provided a platform for founders, investors, and industry leaders to come together, share insights, and build valuable connections in a relaxed yet inspiring environment. With a focus on fostering collaboration, the weekend also showcased some of the region’s most groundbreaking companies and initiatives.
Feedback from participants highlighted the immense value of the weekend, with many emphasising the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of WA’s innovation sector. One attendee reflected on how the event provided a comprehensive view of the state’s economic landscape, covering everything from sustainable agriculture to the latest advancements in aquaculture. A key highlight was the chance to connect with potential co-investors, with many individuals noting how the weekend exceeded their expectations in building relationships that could lead to future collaborations and partnerships.
Participants were particularly excited by the diverse mix of industries represented and the fascinating site visits that allowed attendees to see firsthand the innovative work happening in regions like Capel, Fremantle, Busselton, Yallingup and Augusta. These visits sparked valuable discussions and ideas for future exploration, with several investors and startup professionals praising the event for its insights into new technologies and initiatives.
The event was not only a valuable business and networking experience but also a chance to experience the stunning natural beauty of WA. Many attendees expressed how the weekend’s setting in the South West provided a perfect backdrop for discussions on innovation and sustainability, with the region’s appeal as a place to invest, visit, and work shining through. The blend of cultural experiences and culinary delights made the weekend both enjoyable and enriching.
The success of the Down South adVentures Weekend would not have been possible without the dedication and support of numerous individuals, businesses, and organisations. A huge thank you to the individuals, businesses, and organisations that made this weekend so memorable!
Incredible tours and facilitation from Tom Puddy at SeaStock, Busselton Jetty team, Brad Adams at Rare Foods Australia, Glenarty Road team, the Koomal Dreaming team, Shelter Brewing Co, Greg Riebe at INVESTinWA, Rob Davis and Stephanie Kirchhofer at South West Angels, and Jordan Parker and Scott Bell at Capel Marron Farm.
Thank you to all of the business leaders for sharing their passion, expertise, and insights! David Bucca from Change Foods, Ralf Kriege from Coolyena Group, Luke van Zeller from ByoMax, Dr Paul Watt from Avicena Systems, Russell Nicholls from Cytophenix, Ingrid Rodriguez from Eikonic, Maud Eijkenboom from Lixa, David Durack from Open Ocean Exchange, Chris Gillies from Offshore Biotechnologies, Soner Bekir from Algaesys, Rashita Changede from Teora, Ian Brown from REX Ortho and Patrick Moase from Marine Biomedical. Their presentations and discussions added so much depth to our understanding of innovation in biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, and marine solutions.
We are also deeply grateful to the following individuals who joined us throughout the weekend as sponsors, partners, investors, thought leaders, and supporters of our incredible bioinnovation ecosystem. Your involvement was essential! Tobias Schoep and Rachel Hogan from Life Sciences WA, Oded VanHam from The Australian National Fabrication Facility, Andrew Outhwaite and Tiara Mahardika from For Blue, Justin Bellanger and Danielle Tyrls from Aquaculture Council of Western Australia Inc., Daniel Abrahams from Marine Bioproducts CRC, Rob Powell from Pacific Channel, Pia Turcinov from Fund WA, Sara Davey from DAFF, Prof Lyn Beazley, Amy Carter-James from Raaise, Craig Fisher from Metabolica, Peter Snowsill from Equity Plus, Rebecca Davidson GAICD from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, David Barton from Rubix Health, Matthew Skinner from Wide Open Agriculture, Tamryn Barker and Charlotta Kemp from Founders Factory, Kieran O’Neill from Cogplex, Rob Nathan from Upstart Investments, and Cate Brooks and representatives from South West Development Commission and UWA Oceans Institute.
A special thanks to Kris Pusey and the team from Hilton Garden Inn Busselton for their hospitality.
A huge thank you to the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for supporting the event as part of its Support Regional Trade Events Program. Your commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration in regional industries is invaluable.
The Down South adVentures Weekend was a remarkable showcase of the potential within Western Australia’s growing innovation community. It served as an excellent reminder of the incredible opportunities that exist beyond city limits, with a focus on sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, and cutting-edge technologies that are shaping the future of these industries. We look forward to the continued growth of this vibrant ecosystem and the exciting collaborations that are sure to follow.
Thank you to everyone who made this weekend such a resounding success, and we can’t wait to see where the connections and ideas from this event take us in the future!