Australia’s Life Sciences Innovation Accelerator, MTPConnect, has announced a landmark strategic partnership with Wholesale Investor, one of the region’s leading private capital marketplaces, to help bridge the country’s most persistent gap in the commercialisation pipeline.
The gap is widely recognised as access to private investment for early-stage and scaling life sciences companies.
The collaboration brings together MTPConnect’s deep sector expertise and ecosystem reach with Wholesale Investor’s expansive network of more than 45,000 high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and professional investors. Together, they will deliver a comprehensive capital engagement program designed to connect world-class Australian research and innovation with the private capital needed to advance it through clinical development and into the market.
At the centre of the partnership will be the Life Sciences Investor Day, a new showcase event forming the dedicated opening day of Wholesale Investor’s 2026 Emergence Conference, to be held in Sydney in February. The showcase will provide life sciences start-ups, SMEs, and research spinouts a rare opportunity to pitch directly to active investors, venture funds, and corporate partners.
MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam said the partnership was a natural extension of MTPConnect’s mission to grow the strength and competitiveness of Australia’s life sciences sector.
“Our mission is to foster the growth and global competitiveness of Australia's vibrant life sciences sector. Access to capital is a critical component of this mission,” Mr Dignam said. “By partnering with Wholesale Investor, we are creating a vital new pathway for companies to connect with potential investors and delivering a program of support that will assist them to become investor-ready.”
Wholesale Investor Founder Steve Torso said the collaboration would unlock new opportunities for both investors and innovators.
“This partnership is about creating a more efficient and intelligent market,” Mr Torso said. “We’re breaking down the barriers between Australia’s world-class innovators and the private capital essential for their growth. By combining MTPConnect’s sector knowledge with our CapitalHQ platform, we can provide investors with high-quality opportunities while giving companies the access and tools they need to succeed.”
The partnership will officially launch this month with an Information Session: Raising Capital in 2026, scheduled for October 15, followed by a call for expressions of interest ahead of the Life Sciences Investor Day on February 18, 2026.
For Australia’s fast-growing biotech, medtech, and digital health innovators, the initiative represents a significant step towards closing the investment gap that often limits the transition from promising research to globally competitive products.
Mr Dignam added, “We have the science, the talent, and the ambition — this partnership ensures we also have the capital connections to take our discoveries to the world.”