Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3), representing the Mackay, Isaac, and Whitsunday regions, recently attended the SynBio Beta conference in the USA with support from the Local Buying Foundation. The event allowed GW3 to take part in the ‘Build Your Biofuture’ initiative, where they showcased Australia’s synthetic biology strengths to a global audience.
‘Build Your Biofuture’ was Australia’s first unified presentation across different sectors, offering a complete biomanufacturing solution to startups and investors. Key partners included Cauldron Molecules, Main Sequence, CSIRO, QUT, the Australian Research Centre, Australian Biogene Foundry, Bioplatforms Australia, and Trade and Investment Queensland.
As the largest event for synthetic biology startups, investors, and regulators, SynBio Beta was the perfect opportunity for GW3 to promote Mackay as an ideal location for Australia’s growing biomanufacturing sector. GW3’s focus on carbon neutrality and net-zero goals fit well with the conference’s emphasis on sustainability.
The Local Buying Foundation supported GW3’s participation because the event aligned with its goals of creating long-term social, environmental, and economic benefits. This support highlights the shared commitment of both GW3 and the Local Buying Foundation to partnering with communities for a healthy environment, advancing technologies to reduce carbon emissions, and encouraging responsible supply chains.
At the conference, GW3 presented the Greater Whitsunday Biomanufacturing Blueprint 1.0, which attracted international interest and showed the potential for locally based solutions. GW3 is a regional leader in promoting sustainable practices and using carbon in innovative ways, with projects like Decarbonisation Accelerated (also funded by the Local Buying Foundation). These initiatives position Mackay and the region as key players in the global biomanufacturing industry, with potential to drive local economic growth.
GW3 CEO Kylie Porter commented:
“The SynBio Beta Conference was an excellent opportunity for the Greater Whitsunday region to present its credentials in the home of synthetic biology globally and provided good value in terms of regional location exposure and promotion.
“The conference content was incredibly future-focused and is connected to the aspirations of the region in many sectors. Carbon is all around us. Our challenge in the future will be to turn the carbon we have into the carbon we need, in a nature positive way. Biology and technology will be at the forefront of that revolution and our region’s attributes of feedstock and highly technical skills will be critical within this process.”
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Qld 2024 Round 1 Funding Approved – SynBio Beta Conference
30 March, 2024
In the first Queensland funding round for 2024, the Local Business Fund approved vital support for promoting the Greater Whitsunday region at the prestigious BETA SynBio Conference in California. The funding recipient, Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3), aims to showcase the region’s potential for international investment and collaboration in the growing synthetic biology sector.
As part of the Industry Promotion and Economic Development funding category, this initiative focuses on strengthening relationships with global industry leaders to attract investment into the Whitsunday region. By positioning Greater Whitsunday as a key player in the bioeconomy, GW3 aims to open doors to new economic opportunities and foster sustainable development for the local economy.
The Local Buying Foundation Advisory Committee recognised the strategic importance of this event, providing funding due to its alignment with the Foundation’s commitment to fostering long-term social, environmental, and economic outcomes. This support reflects shared strategies between GW3 and the Local Buying Foundation, focusing on partnerships with communities to promote a healthy environment through nature-based solutions, advanced technologies for reducing carbon emissions, and encouraging responsible supply chains.