Australian facility redefines MedTech manufacturing – and goes global
The road from conceptualising medical devices to achieving clinical application can be long and arduous. Melbourne-based Neo-Bionica hopes to transform this path with its unique commercialisation and manufacturing services supporting innovative startups and established companies. Founded in 2021 as a joint venture between the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne, Neo-Bionica has established itself as a global leader in neurotechnology development and manufacturing.
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2021
SECTOR: Neurotech manufacturing
IMPACT PATHWAYS: Startup, Partnership
PARTNERS: Dr Ludovic Labat (CEO, Neo-Bionica), Uli Gommel (CTO, Neo-Bionica), Gil Rind (Director of R&D, Neo-Bionica), Lauren O’Connor (Project Director, Neo-Bionica)
The need
Neurotech devices are medical technologies designed to interface with the nervous system to prevent, diagnose, monitor or alleviate medical conditions. Prior to Neo-Bionica’s establishment, Australian innovators were forced to go overseas to prototype and manufacture their neurotech and bioelectronic devices. Neo-Bionica filled this gap and more by providing expert support in advanced prototyping, regulatory guidance, and manufacturing expertise, enabling innovators to develop their technologies locally and efficiently.
Neo-Bionica CEO Dr Ludovic Labat said Melbourne has highly innovative researchers and engineers. “But we didn’t have a place where these innovators could go to get neurotech prototypes made. We saw a clear need to enable Australian innovators to bring their devices to life without relying on overseas partners,” Dr Labat said.
The business model
Neo-Bionica has developed a unique a one-stop-shop service model for neurotech innovators with a team of designers, engineers and regulatory experts. Additionally, Neo-Bionica is the only contract manufacturer in Australia that provides hermitisation services – a critical manufacturing capability for sealing implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, deep brain stimulators and biosensors.
Neo-Bionica’s co-location within St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne provides the team with invaluable access to clinicians and patient experiences. “Our location within the hospital is unique globally,” Dr Labat said. “We interact with clinicians daily, gaining real-time feedback on prototypes, designs and concepts. This face-to-face engagement accelerates development cycles and ensures devices are clinically relevant and effective, which ultimately improves patient outcomes.”
The partnerships
Building a world-class team and partnering with the right organisations has been critical to Neo-Bionica’s success. “What we do is extremely complex, and we often need experts in highly specialised domains. The University of Melbourne is one of the top 20 universities in the world [#19 QS World University Rankings 2026] with some of the best experts in the field,” Dr Labat said.
Neo-Bionica’s partnership with the University of Melbourne has allowed the company to access global expertise and networks. While headquartered in Melbourne, Neo-Bionica also has a presence in the US with three US team members who are experts in the neurotech field. “We’re in a global market and we are a global company,” Dr Labat said.
The impact
Neo-Bionica offers services that produce high-quality neurotech prototypes locally, quickly, and cost-effectively, filling a muchneeded gap for Australian and global MedTech companies. Neo-Bionica’s impact now extends well beyond Australia with a growing international client base. About 75 per cent of Neo-Bionica’s revenue is now generated by international customers.
“We want to build more than just prototypes – we are committed to building Australia’s capacity for MedTech manufacturing and exporting this globally,” Dr Labat said. “Our goal is to drive the development of new technologies that create meaningful clinical impact and improve lives worldwide.”
Neo-Bionica’s work spans diverse applications, from devices supporting stroke recovery and epilepsy treatment to diabetes management and pain relief. “The devices we help create are addressing critical medical challenges. These technologies are saving lives and improving outcomes, and that’s what drives us every day,” Dr Labat said.
Partnership success
- Approximately 40 neurotech and bioelectronic prototypes developed
- Team established with expertise in engineering fields spanning mechatronics, mechanical, biomedical, and electronics and systems, having previously worked in top-tier organisations like Medtronic, Cochlear, Siemens, Invetech, Synchron and Advanced Bionics Clients based in Australia, US, Japan, UK, Spain, Germany and Switzerland
- The Neo-Bionica team has developed prototypes for a wide range of conditions and applications including epilepsy, fetal health, urinary incontinence, spinal cord stimulation, head and neck pain, and cardiology.
First published on 29 July 2025.
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