Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3), representing the Greater Whitsunday region (Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday), recently made a strong impact at the SynBio Beta conference in the USA, supported by the Local Buying Foundation. This event provided GW3 the opportunity to participate in the ‘Build Your Biofuture’ initiative, showcasing Australia’s comprehensive synthetic biology capabilities on a global stage.
‘Build Your Biofuture’ marked Australia’s first unified presentation across various sectors, offering a holistic biomanufacturing solution to startups and investors. Key collaborators included Cauldron Molecules, Main Sequence, CSIRO, QUT, Australian Research Centre, Australian Biogene Foundry, Bioplatforms Australia, and Trade and Investment Queensland.
SynBio Beta, the largest gathering for SynBio startups, investors, and regulators, served as an ideal platform for GW3 to highlight Mackay as the preferred location for the emerging Australian biomanufacturing sector and the broader Greater Whitsunday region. GW3’s focus on carbon neutrality and net zero goals aligned seamlessly with the conference’s sustainability emphasis.
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.
At the conference, GW3 presented the Greater Whitsunday Biomanufacturing Blueprint 1.0, attracting international interest and showcasing the potential for regionally based solutions. GW3 is a regional leader in promoting sustainable practices and carbon utilization, with initiatives like Decarbonisation Accelerated (also funded by the Local Buying Foundation). These efforts position Mackay and the broader region as a key player in the global biomanufacturing landscape, with the potential to significantly impact the region’s 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
March 30, 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.