Monash University has launched the Monash Ventures Pre-Seed Fund, a $15 million initiative aimed at accelerating the commercialisation of research by investing in early-stage spinout companies.
Developed in partnership with Breakthrough Victoria, the fund is positioned to play a key role in advancing Australia’s innovation and manufacturing capabilities, Monash said in a news release.
The initiative forms part of Monash Ventures, a newly created platform bringing together the university’s ventures and investment activities.
Through the Pre-Seed Fund, Monash will offer up to $1 million per spinout company, targeting research with strong commercial and societal potential. In addition to funding, recipients will receive access to networks, mentoring and commercialisation support.
Launching the initiative, Monash University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering, said the fund was designed to translate research into real-world outcomes.
“At Monash, we are committed to transforming outstanding research into tangible outcomes that benefit our communities, our economy, and the world,” Professor Pickering said.
“The launch of Monash Ventures and the Monash Ventures Pre-Seed Fund marks a bold step in strengthening our impact through innovation and enterprise.”
The fund is backed by the $100 million Breakthrough Victoria University Innovation Platform and will invest in ventures with strong links to Monash intellectual property or research collaboration.
This includes companies with licensing agreements or connections to deep research expertise developed within the university.
Monash Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Robyn Ward AM said the fund fills a critical gap in Australia’s innovation pipeline.
“This fund ensures innovators are supported at one of the most challenging points in their journey – turning ideas into investment-ready ventures,” she said.
“By supporting our spinouts with early-stage investment, we are creating pathways for researchers to take their transformative ideas to the market in pursuit of significant impact.”
Monash’s commercialisation efforts are overseen by Monash Innovation, with the New Ventures team providing assistance in business formation, investor readiness and commercialisation strategy.
The fund itself is governed by an investment committee comprising representatives from Monash, Breakthrough Victoria and external experts.
Dr Alastair Hick, Chief Commercialisation Officer at Monash, emphasised the fund’s role in supporting the growth of new enterprises.
“Providing access to pre-seed funding is key to enabling Monash-founded companies to grow, build momentum, and attract follow-on investment,” Dr Hick said. “This launch sets the foundation for a new era of venture creation and impact from Monash.”
Three spinouts have received inaugural investments from the fund: FytonBio, which is developing antibody therapies targeting immune cells implicated in autoimmune diseases; Remagine Labs, engineering wearable drug delivery systems for chronic illness management; and Myostellar, focused on regenerative therapies for muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy.
Each of these companies is rooted in Monash research and has links to institutes including the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, highlighting the university’s role in fostering high-impact ventures across biomedical, pharmaceutical and regenerative manufacturing sectors.
Breakthrough Victoria, established in 2021 as a Victorian Government-backed investment company, supports initiatives that deliver long-term economic and social benefits for the state through patient capital.
The Monash Ventures Pre-Seed Fund is expected to make ongoing investments, continuing to advance the university’s innovation ecosystem while strengthening Victoria’s position in the global innovation and advanced manufacturing landscape.
