Geelong Future Economy Precinct
Infrastructure to drive Geelong’s future economy
The Geelong Future Economy Precinct at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds Campus is home to a multitude of businesses and industry partners, contributing to a vibrant manufacturing industry in the Geelong region.
World-leading research commercialisation
The Geelong Future Economy Precinct is fast becoming Victoria's epicentre of world-leading research and innovation in advanced manufacturing, materials, energy, sustainability, technology, health and high-value agriculture. The site integrates Deakin's high-level research capabilities with specialised research equipment and industrial-scale infrastructure.
In just over six years, 2000 jobs have been created through industry partnerships and co-location opportunities, with several of Australia's – and the world's – leading manufacturers calling the precinct home.
Equity value generation
Deakin is the number one university in Australia for equity held in start-up and spin-out companies and second only to CSIRO among all universities and research and development organisations across Australia and New Zealand. We have generated approximately $520 million value from commercialisation from 2020 to 2022.*
A rapidly growing portfolio
Deakin's business equity portfolio has grown to include 18 joint ventures and other vehicles with a market value of approximately $1 billion. This includes companies such as FLAIM, Universal Motion Simulation, Partington, Carbon Revolution, BNNT Technology Limited and Li-S Energy. Success has been built on a strong infrastructure and property pipeline, industry orientation and a unique and effective ecosystem based around our ManuFutures project and the Geelong Future Economy Precinct.
The Geelong Future Economy Precinct is an important area of partnership with SMEs and our communities, where we are deploying our combined capital, innovation expertise and training capabilities to lead commercialisation and create local jobs.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Alfred Deakin Professor
Opportunities and growth
Deakin continues to develop its research hubs and facilities, with a program exceeding $120 million in support and investment from the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund and industry partners that targets:
- Affordable clean energy – Investments to develop the hydrogen economy in Warrnambool and aligned to safe, high performance battery technology in Burwood and Geelong.
- Revived manufacturing centre – Doubling the size of ManuFutures, enhancing the hub's capacity to support advanced manufacturing in regional Victoria.
- Skills and innovation capital – Combining global innovations with local expertise to support a vibrant, growing and resilient SME base across Victoria.
- Most successful regional economy – Continued investment in regional capability and capacity including flagship marine and water management projects.
Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub
REACH is Australia’s largest recycling and clean energy advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Through REACH, Deakin is working with governments, industry and education partners to establish a multi-billion-dollar bioeconomy in Victoria.
The Deakin BioFactory
The Australian National Food Waste strategy estimates that food waste costs our economy about $20 billion per year. The BioFactory initiative drives advanced research and manufacturing capabilities for the conversion of organic waste into valuable products and the development and validation of advanced manufacturing solutions based on ‘green’ principles.
Find out more about our objectives
Over the next 10 years, we plan to increase our market sophistication and product development, as well as cement our position as a global leader in sustainable energy and material systems. Deakin's Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus will continue to evolve as a climate-ready campus exemplar and a model for academic excellence.
Innovative hubs, facilities and services
A number of success stories have come out of the Geelong Future Economy Precinct. Explore the links below to find out what we’ve achieved with our partners.
An innovative research centre focused on advanced battery prototyping and commercialisation.
A world-first, open-access prototyping facility for designing, fabricating and testing next-gen batteries.
Deakin Energy Networks is an ecosystem of collaborators across industry, government and research, who share a commitment to sustainable energy.
Deakin Hydrogen Hub, one of Australia’s first hydrogen manufacturers, is turning research into clean energy and transport innovation.
Australia’s unique advanced manufacturing hub helps businesses accelerate success through specialised facilities, programs and services.
Deakin is partnering with AusNet Services and Mondo Power to establish a Renewable Energy Microgrid on our Waurn Ponds Campus.
