Sydney’s life sciences sector has reached a major milestone, with Clava Group announcing the first certified partner for ION, a purpose-built commercial life sciences precinct designed to redefine Australia’s innovation infrastructure.
Clava Group CEO and co-founder Nick Smith and IWG ANZ SVP and country manager Licia Ross following the signing of the partnership agreement between IWG and ION Waterloo. Image credit: ION
Located in Waterloo, ION is designed as a purpose-built ecosystem for life sciences, biotech, medical technology, deep tech and pharmaceutical companies, providing the specialized infrastructure needed to support companies from research and discovery to commercial growth.
The announcement of initial partners SmartLabs, International Workplace Group (IWG) and Thermo Fisher Scientific represents important validation of both this project and the broader opportunities emerging within Australia’s life sciences industry.
With an investment of approximately $490 million, ION will deliver more than 27,000 square meters of lab-ready space across multiple buildings of up to 10 storeys, helping to address Australia’s long-standing lack of scalable, specialized life sciences infrastructure.
Building the infrastructure that Australia lacks
Australia has long been recognized for world-class medical research and scientific talent. However, the infrastructure required to support local commercialization and expansion often lags behind global markets.
ION was purpose-built to fill that gap.
Nick Smith, CEO and co-founder of Clava Group, said the precinct was designed to create the conditions necessary for research and innovation to more effectively impact the real world.
“ION represents a major advancement for Australia’s innovation and life sciences industry. By combining purpose-built infrastructure and key global partners, we are creating the conditions for research to more efficiently deliver real-world impact.”
Strategically located within Sydney’s medical, research and academic ecosystem, ION aims to strengthen Australia’s ability to retain intellectual property, attract global investment and support the growth of local life sciences companies without forcing them to relocate overseas as they scale up.
Bringing the global ‘lab-as-a-service’ model to Australia
A key milestone for the precinct is the introduction of SmartLabs’ globally recognized ‘lab-as-a-service’ model to the Australian market for the first time. This model was developed to reduce barriers to entry for high-growth scientific institutions, providing a flexible, full-service laboratory environment that eliminates the need for large up-front investments.
The partnership between SmartLabs and IWG within ION marks the first collaboration between the two companies under a new global expansion strategy.
SmartLabs CEO Brian Taylor said the project creates an opportunity to bring new levels of flexibility and operational capability to Australia’s life sciences sector.
Together, we bring a differentiated model to the Australian market, designed to give the region’s biotechnology and biopharmaceutical companies access to a flexible, high-quality laboratory environment, as well as the operational support they need to innovate and scale with greater speed, efficiency and control. ”
Brian Taylor, SmartLabs CEO
For startups, this approach can significantly accelerate the path from discovery to commercialization by allowing teams to scale their infrastructure requirements as their business evolves.
Building an ecosystem for innovation
ION is designed to be more than just a collection of laboratory buildings. The district will bring together professional infrastructure, flexible workspaces, incubator environments, and built-in commercialization support to create a connected innovation ecosystem.
Darren Varney, Thermo Fisher Scientific’s director of strategic partnerships and territories for Australia and New Zealand, said partnerships like ION were essential to strengthening Australia’s long-term life sciences capabilities.
“By working with Kurraba Group, we are helping create an environment where scientists and innovators can accelerate life science research, solve complex challenges, and ultimately bring new treatments and diagnostics to market faster.”
The district was designed by HDR to support organizations throughout the innovation lifecycle, from early-stage research to advanced manufacturing and commercial growth.
Construction is progressing towards handover
Kuraba Group has appointed Buildcorp as construction partner for the project, drawing on the company’s experience delivering technically complex commercial and institutional developments across Australia.
Construction is expected to begin in the coming months, with project delivery currently scheduled for Q4 2028.
As Australia’s life sciences sector continues to evolve, ION is positioned to be a key part of the national innovation infrastructure, supporting collaboration, accelerating commercialization and helping shape Australia’s health, science and advanced technology future.
