SmartLabs goes global with first international research center in Sydney, Australia

In partnership with Kurraba Group and IWG, SmartLabs will bring its flexible lab-as-a-service model to ION, Sydney’s first purpose-built commercial life sciences precinct, marking the first international deployment of its Custom Developed Solutions platform.

Boston, 5 May 2026 – Kurraba Group, a leading Australian innovation, life sciences and education real estate firm, has announced the first tenants for ION, Sydney’s first dedicated, purpose-built commercial life sciences precinct located in Waterloo, marking a significant milestone as the project moves firmly into delivery. The announcement signals growing global confidence in Australia’s life sciences sector and positions Sydney at the forefront of the country’s next wave of biotech innovation. SmartLabs, an established provider of flexible laboratory infrastructure and resourcing solutions, together with International Workplace Group (IWG), the global flexible and hybrid workspace platform, and Thermo Fisher Scientific have been secured as inaugural partners, validating ION’s vision and accelerating the development of a world-class life sciences ecosystem in Australia. Representing an investment of approximately

$490 million, ION will deliver more than 27,000 sqm of purpose-built, lab-enabled space across a multi-building precinct of up to 10 levels in Waterloo, addressing a longstanding gap in Australia’s innovation infrastructure. The Australian market has historically lacked the specialized, scalable lab infrastructure required to support the full lifecycle of life sciences innovation and ION has been purpose-built to address this gap – enabling research, clinical translation and commercial growth within a single, integrated precinct.

Nick Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Kurraba Group, said the announcement reflects growing confidence in Australia’s life sciences sector and the role ION will play in its future.

“ION represents a significant advancement for Australia’s innovation and life sciences industry. By combining purpose-built infrastructure with leading global partners, we are creating the conditions for research to translate more efficiently into real-world impact”. “This is about enabling Australia to compete more effectively with established international innovation and life sciences hubs, attracting talent, investment and breakthrough companies to Sydney. Importantly, the precinct is designed to help keep Australian medical research and intellectual property onshore by providing the specialized facilities needed for startups, biotech, medtech, deeptech, agritech and pharmaceutical companies to scale locally,” Mr Smith added.

The introduction of SmartLabs to the Australian market in conjunction with IWG brings a globally established “lab-as-a-service” model to Australia for the first time, a critical piece of infrastructure that has been largely missing locally. By reducing upfront capital requirements and providing flexible, fully serviced laboratory environments, the model enables companies to accelerate from discovery to deployment.

SmartLabs CEO Brian Taylor said

“This project marks the first collaboration between SmartLabs and IWG under our new strategy to expand life sciences research centers globally, and we could not be prouder to launch it in Australia with Kurraba Group. Kurraba is an exceptional partner that shares our vision for building the next generation of research infrastructure”.

“Together, we are bringing a differentiated model to the Australian market, designed to give biotech and biopharma companies in the region access to flexible, high-quality laboratory environments and the operational support they need to innovate and scale with greater speed, efficiency and control”.

“IWG’s portfolio of flexible workspace brands unlocks significant value for landlords, developers, and our 9 million customers globally, providing access to the world’s largest platform for work operating in more than 120 countries. Now through our partnership with SmartLabs, we are bringing that same model to the world of science and innovation,” said Mark Dixon, Founder and CEO of IWG.

“This new offering gives our partners a powerful opportunity to meet the growing demand for specialized lab environments—without the complexity of building or operating them on their own. Together, we are enabling faster, smarter delivery of research-ready spaces in key innovation markets worldwide.”

Darren Verney, Director – Strategic Partnerships & Precincts, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia and New Zealand, said the partnership reflects a shared ambition to strengthen Australia’s life sciences ecosystem.

“At Thermo Fisher Scientific, our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer, and partnerships like this are fundamental to delivering on that in a meaningful way. By working with Kurraba Group, we are helping to create environments where scientists and innovators can accelerate life sciences research, solve complex challenges and ultimately bring new therapies and diagnostics to market faster.”

“Through our global expertise and local presence, we support organizations across the full innovation lifecycle, from early discovery through to manufacturing, providing the technologies, services and operational support needed to turn scientific potential into real-world outcomes. This partnership is about building the infrastructure and ecosystems required to support that ambition and ensure Australia remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.”

ION is expected to play a critical role in supporting the commercialization of Australia’s world-class research, delivering the infrastructure required to translate scientific discovery into tangible outcomes. Kurraba Group has appointed builder Buildcorp, which has a strong track record of delivering technically complex commercial and institutional projects across Australia.

Construction is anticipated to commence in the coming months and project delivery anticipated for Q4 2028.

About ION
ION will be home to leading life sciences organizations, from early-stage to growth and multinational pharmaceutical companies.

ION has been documented by HDR architects and has been designed to support cutting-edge research, commercialization and collaboration. The result is a purpose-built precinct that brings together form, function and flexibility for high-growth companies in the sector.

Strategically located in Waterloo and surrounded by Sydney’s leading health, research and academic institutions, ION offers more than 27,000 sqm of specialist lab-enabled buildings, flexible workspace, and high-impact infrastructure, including incubators and cGMP clean rooms.

With embedded commercialization support, capital access, and curated connections to industry and academia, ION is a complete ecosystem for companies shaping the future of health, science, innovation and advanced technology in Australia.

Delivery is on track for Q4 2028.

About Kurraba Group

Kurraba Group is a leading innovation, life sciences and education real estate firm in Australia, focused on enabling the environments where innovative breakthroughs can happen. By bringing together specialist infrastructure, strategic investment and deep sector expertise, Kurraba creates places designed specifically for research, innovation and discovery.

Recognizing that life sciences require more than traditional commercial property, Kurraba delivers highly technical, future-ready spaces that support everything from early-stage research to advanced manufacturing. Its approach connects people, capital and place to unlock opportunity across a rapidly growing yet underdeveloped sector.

Kurraba partners with investors and landowners to invest in, develop and manage complex projects, with a focus on long-term value creation and measurable environmental and social impact. Backed by a leadership team with more than 50 years’ combined experience, the Group manages a portfolio valued at over $580 million, with multiple projects currently in development.

For more information, visit www.kurrabagroup.com.

About SmartLabs

SmartLabs was founded in 2015 on the belief that modern science requires a more adaptable, integrated infrastructure model to future-proof the industry and accelerate the pace of discovery. The company offers a differentiated platform that combines flexible laboratory infrastructure, operations, digital solutions, and scientific expertise to support innovators across the full lifecycle of research and development.

Through its Custom Developed Solutions (CDS) offering, SmartLabs extends its proven model, technology, and operational know-how beyond its own facilities to help partners design, build, operate, and promote advanced research centers anywhere in the world. From greenfield developments to office-to-lab conversions, CDS enables landlords, developers, investors, and local stakeholders to deploy flexible, high-performance R&D environments tailored to local market needs, including laboratories for deeptech and life sciences R&D, in vivo suites, and manufacturing cleanrooms. Headquartered in Boston, SmartLabs serves biotech, pharma, and emerging technology organizations with a model designed to reduce complexity, accelerate speed to market, and enable the next generation of scientific innovation.

For more information, visit www.smartlabs.com

About IWG PLC

International Workplace Group (IWG) is the world’s leading platform for work enabling companies of all sizes to work more productively and profitably. We create personal, financial, and strategic value for the most exciting companies and well-known organizations on the planet as well as individuals and the next generation of industry leaders. All of them harness the power of IWG’s platform to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity.

IWG’s unrivalled network coverage includes more than 5,000 locations across 120+ countries and 83% of Fortune 500 companies are amongst our growing customer base.

Our brands including Regus, Spaces, HQ and Signature serve millions of people, providing professional, inspiring and collaborative workspaces and all our digital services are available via the IWG app.

For more information, visit www.iwgplc.com and for more information on partnering with IWG, see: https://www.iwgplc.com/develop-a-location

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific is the world leader in serving science, with a mission to enable its customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. The company supports a broad range of customers, including pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities and research institutions, and government agencies, helping them accelerate innovation, solve broad challenges, not just analytical and turn scientific discovery into real-world impact.

Through its industry-leading portfolio of scientific instruments, laboratory equipment, software and services, Thermo Fisher Scientific enables customers to advance life sciences research, enhance productivity in the lab, improve clinical diagnostics and bring new therapies to market.

With a leading global presence and a team of over 120,000 colleagues, Thermo Fisher Scientific combines scale, expertise and innovation to support scientific discovery and deliver impact at every stage of the research, development and healthcare continuum.

About Buildcorp

Buildcorp is a family-owned, values-led construction business delivering solutions across fit-out, refurbishment, new build, façade, remedial and joinery construction. With more than 36 years’ experience, Buildcorp’s mission is to create a positive impact together by putting values into action every day, through the way Buildcorp works with people, partners and the communities served.

Buildcorp’s difference lies in a collective, collaborative approach: passionate people, long- standing client relationships, industry-leading systems, award-winning projects, trusted

suppliers, and a reputation grounded in integrity. This reputation is reinforced through independent recognition, including ATO Justified Trust status, AFR Best Places to Work 2026, and seven-time Employer of Choice recognition.

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