Let me tell you about the coolest thing I've ever built: our independent cell culture facility

​A massive barrier to entry in biotech is finding lab space to prototype or generate basic proof of concept. You need to keep costs low, but you also need to ensure you retain the rights to the IP (which can be an issue with university labs).

I explored some rental options but each one required significant expense & a commute that would slow down experimentation rates.

Then one evening, Christopher Day asked "why can't we just build our own?"

So we built our own.

It made sense for practical reasons, but let’s be real - it has also been incredibly exciting!

Here’s why building was the right choice for me:

1️⃣ I knew exactly what I needed from the second-hand lab equipment market. When I costed out equipment versus renting space for 12 months, the prices lined up.

2️⃣ I already owned the space nearby. 

3️⃣ It provides the flexibility to duck in and out every day of the week.

Maybe build-your-own isn’t right for you. That's okay - most major cities have rental options, though they can be tricky to find. If you’re in the Sydney area, here are some ideas:
(i) I previously worked at a startup company operating out of The Future Project at the Kings School - https://www.kings.edu.au/connecting/the-future-project/

(ii) Another option is yild - https://yild.com.au/

(iii) Co-labs is also reportedly establishing a Sydney presence soon. My previous employer worked with them in Melbourne and they were great - https://colabs.com.au/.
________

Pictured: Today, we have happy mammalian cells growing in antibiotic-free media. 👩🏽‍🔬

To get there, it took some elbow grease! Learning to dry-wall & cleaning some stainless-steel lab benches 🛠