The Swinburne Bioreactor-Enhancing entrepreneurship through a PhD program in biomedical technology innovation in Australia

Entrepreneurship is often regarded as the fuel that drives economic prosperity, and in the case of the commercialisation of medical devices and diagnostics, this is no exception. The commercialisation of biomedical medical research and innovation in products, processes and services in health care delivery has a significant impact on a nation's competitiveness and wellbeing of communities. This paper aims to provide an overview of a research and application intervention in the form of a PhD in Technology Innovation (Biodevices) program, known as "the Swinburne Bioreactor", in an Australian context. The program provides a paradigm shift to traditional PhDs, integrating multi-disciplinary research, entrepreneurship education, innovation training, mentorship, industry partners, collaboration and a unique and innovative staged-gate program structure. The program is designed to support the development of the next generation of industry-ready applied researchers and leaders in the field of biomedical devices and diagnostics. We proceed with an overview of the biomedical, health and medical technology industry in Australia followed by related entrepreneurship education and finally a systematic case study of the PhD in technology innovation (Biodevices) program.