Industry Excellence Awards
Prestigious industry awards recognise the highest achievers in the Australian life sciences each year at AusBiotech’s premier annual conference.
Three AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Industry Excellence Awards recognise the leading lights of Australia’s world-class biotechnology and medical technology sectors, including researchers who successfully translate their discoveries into clinical practice and companies who pioneer the developments of new treatments, devices and reliable diagnostics.
- Industry Leadership Award
- Australian Company of the Year
- Australian Emerging Company of the Year
We welcome nominations throughout the year. Find out more about the awards and nomination process here.
2022
The AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards were announced at the AusBiotech 2022 national conference. The award winners were:
- Industry Leadership Award: Professors Steve Wilton AO and Sue Fletcher AO
- Australian Company of the Year: Telix Pharmaceuticals
- Australian Emerging Company of the Year: Fusetec
Read more about the winners here.
2021
The AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards were announced at the AusBiotech 2021 national conference, live online and on demand.
- Industry Leadership Award: David Blake, Editor and Publisher, Bioshares
- Australian Company of the Year: SpeeDx
- Australian Emerging Company of the Year: oNKo-innate
2020
The AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards 2020 recognise and celebrate life science leaders who are championing the sector and the Australian community through the worst pandemic and greatest collaboration seen in the sector. As the world has changed in response to COVID-19, the biotechnology industry has played a critical role guiding and inspiring us locally and shining a light on Australia globally as a leader.
- COVID-19 Life Science Sector Innovation Award: Ellume
- Dual COVID-19 Life Science Sector Collaboration Award: University of Queensland; and the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre
- Dual COVID-19 Communication Leaders Award: Dr Rob Grenfell, Health and Biosecurity Director, CSIRO; and Professor Sharon Lewin AO, Director, Doherty Institute
- Industry's Choice Award: University of Queensland
2019
Announced at the AusBiotech 2019 national conference in Melbourne, the inaugural AusBiotech Life Sciences Legacy Award was introduced, in recognition of tremendous and unprecedented support of the Australian life sciences ecosystem across many decades.
- Inaugural AusBiotech Life Sciences Legacy Award: Mr Chuck Feeney
AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards
- Industry Leadership Award: Sue MacLeman
- Company of the Year: PolyNovo
- Emerging Company of the Year: OncoRes Medical
2018
The AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards were announced at the AusBiotech 2018 national conference in Brisbane.
- Industry Leadership Award: Dr Anna Lavelle
- Company of the Year: Medicines Development for Global Health
- Joint Emerging Company of the Year: Telix Pharmaceuticals and Microba
2017
AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Excellence Awards were announced at AusBiotech 2017, held from 29-31 October 2017 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
- Industry Leadership Award: Mrs Lusia Guthrie, Chair, Clever Culture Systems
- Australian Company of the Year: Planet Innovation
- Australian Emerging Company of the Year: CancerAid
2016
The 2016 awards were announced at the AusBiotech 2016 national conference, held as part of the International BioFest 2016.
- Industry Leadership Award: Professor Andrew Wilks, Executive Chairman, SYNthesis
- Company of the Year: Protagonist Therapeutics
- Emerging Company of the Year: ResApp Health
2015
The 2015 awards were announced at AusBiotech 2015, held from 7-9 October at the Melbourne Convention Centre.
- Industry Leadership Award: Professor Maree Smith, Executive Director, Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development (CIPDD)/TetraQ, University of Queensland
- Company of the Year: Ellume Pty Ltd
- Emerging Company of the Year: Spinifex Pharmaceuticals
Professor Maree Smith was recognised for her stellar career as a researcher – capable of prolific discovery of novel therapeutics – and her ability to achieve translation of these discoveries to clinical practice.
Ellume Pty Ltd was named Emerging Company of the Year for its development of simple, highly sensitive and reliable diagnostics for infectious diseases, and by linking the results of those tools to optimal therapy
Spinifex Pharmaceuticals was awarded Company of the Year for its work as a pioneer in the development of new treatments for chronic pain – a debilitating and often poorly treated condition affecting millions of patients worldwide - and CEO Tom McCarthy accepted the award.
2014
The 2014 awards were announced at AusBiotech 2014, held from 29-31 October 2014 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
- Industry Leadership Award: Dr Chris Nave, Managing Director, Brandon Capital Partner
- Emerging Company of the Year: Atomo
- Company of the Year: Uscom
Dr Chris Nave was recognised for his leadership role in commercialising early stage medical research technology in Australia and for his mentoring of a number of young executives. In particular he drove the formation of The Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF) Collaboration in 2007 as an innovative collaborative approach to investing in early stage development and commercialisation opportunities emanating from Australian medical research institutes and allied research hospitals.
Atomo was named Emerging Company of the Year for its award-winning development of a next-generation rapid diagnostic platform that replaces ineffectual ‘bits in a box test kits’ with an integrated, all-in-one test ideal for the self-testing – thereby expanding the application.
Uscom was awarded Company of the Year for its work developing medical devices that specialise in the design and manufacture of non-invasive cardiac monitoring equipment.
2013
The 2013 awards were announced at AusBiotech 2013, held from 30 October to 1 November at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
- Industry Leadership Award: Professor Ian Frazer
- Company of the Year: Nanosonics
- Emerging Company of the Year: Allied Healthcare Group
Please contact AusBiotech for further information about the awards.