QUT Pioneer BioPilot upgrade puts Queensland on track to become Asia-Pacific biomanufacturing hub

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has launched an AU$18 million (US$11.6 million) upgrade to its Mackay-based Pioneer BioPilot, positioning the facility as Australia’s premier pilot-scale fermentation hub and advancing the state’s ambition to establish itself as a center of the Asia-Pacific bioeconomy.

The investment, supported by the Australian and Queensland governments and in collaboration with the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), transforms what was previously known as the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant into a cutting-edge, food-grade biomanufacturing site. The expanded capabilities are expected to help innovative companies work alongside QUT researchers to create new foods and bioproducts that deliver dietary alternatives and sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges.

Senator Corinne Mulholland said the project would have both national and local impact. “This investment positions Australia as a serious player in the global bioeconomy and, importantly, it will make Mackay one of the driving forces for our future economy,” she said. “The Albanese Government has been clear that the transition to Net Zero is not just an investment in our planet, but an investment in the jobs, skills and technology of tomorrow. These facilities are a clear demonstration of that.”

The global bioeconomy is currently valued at US$4 trillion and is forecast by the World Bioeconomy Forum to expand to US$30 trillion by 2050 – equivalent to a third of global economic output. Queensland, home to 95% of Australia’s sugarcane industry, is positioning itself as a leader by harnessing its agricultural base for high-value biomanufacturing opportunities.

Professor Ian O’Hara, Deputy Dean of QUT’s Faculty of Engineering and a researcher at the university’s Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy, said the upgraded facility represented both continuity and renewal. “The QUT Pioneer BioPilot is pioneering research and innovation in biomanufacturing, working with government and industry to position Queensland as a globally connected innovation hub,” he said. “Real-world impact is at the heart of QUT’s research commitment, where knowledge and innovation tackle global challenges and deliver locally grounded solutions.”

Originally launched 15 years ago, the facility has played a central role in translating biomass research into applications such as biofuels, green chemicals, and bioproducts. The new expansion adds advanced fermentation bioreactors, enabling companies to test, refine, and scale production processes beyond the laboratory. “This facility will enable innovative companies to take their ideas beyond the lab and into commercial reality,” O’Hara said. “No one else can provide the capability we are offering Australian industries through the QUT Pioneer BioPilot.”

Queensland Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland Sean Dillon underscored the importance of aligning the region’s agricultural base with biomanufacturing. “This is about turning Queensland’s agricultural strengths into global opportunities, aligning with our bold vision for primary industries in Prosper 2050,” he said. “The upgraded MRBPP gives local researchers and industry the tools to turn biomass into high-value products – right here in Mackay.”

Precision fermentation will be a central focus. “It allows us to convert sugars into a range of other food ingredients and products in brewery-style fermentation tanks,” O’Hara explained. “The advantages are that it can lead to new food products and ingredients that supplement production through traditional methods, providing sustainability benefits and increasing consumer choice.”

Dr Chris Downs, Director of FaBA, said the upgraded infrastructure would improve access for companies across Australia. “The QUT Pioneer BioPilot provides key infrastructure, allowing companies to take new innovations from the lab to pilot-scale,” he said. “FaBA is investing in precision fermentation so that companies of all sizes can develop new products and ingredients, in turn helping grow Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector.”

One example of the facility’s immediate application is a AU$5.5 million (US$3.5 million) project to commercialize human lactoferrin, a bioactive protein found in breastmilk and immune cells with iron-enhancing and anti-inflammatory properties. QUT researchers are working with Eclipse Ingredients and other partners to scale production using precision fermentation.

Eclipse Ingredients CEO Siobhan Coster described the collaboration as a bridge between research and application. “The partnership with QUT is crucial because it bridges the gap between breakthrough science and real-world impact,” she said. “It allows us to scale our product and process from lab to commercial readiness right here in Queensland, Australia.”

For Mackay, traditionally a hub for the sugar industry, the upgraded facility signals diversification into higher-value industries while leveraging existing feedstocks such as sugarcane bagasse. “The feedstocks we are developing for this process are diverse, but the sugarcane industry is the key driver for much of this work,” O’Hara said.

As the global bioeconomy accelerates, the Pioneer BioPilot is designed to help Queensland – and Australia – capture a share of the growth. By combining local agricultural strengths with world-class fermentation infrastructure, QUT and its partners aim to make the region a recognized player in sustainable food and bioproduct manufacturing across the Asia-Pacific.