The University of Queensland (UQ) has opened a purpose-built food innovation facility aimed at accelerating product development and strengthening collaboration between industry and researchers.
and technology courses.
The new FaBA MakerSpace, developed under the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), is designed to support rapid prototyping, reduce early-stage innovation risk, and improve access to advanced processing technologies for food and beverage manufacturers.
FaBA director, Professor Nidhi Bansal, said the facility would enable companies to develop and refine products in a commercially focused environment.
“By giving industry partners access to a food grade space equipped for fast, low risk prototyping, we are enabling them to innovate more quickly while drawing on UQ’s research expertise to codesign practical and commercially focused solutions,” Bansal said.
The MakerSpace includes capabilities across beverage and liquid processing, powder development, filtration and separation, advanced sterilisation, and packaging systems. It also features multiple drying platforms, including spray drying and freeze drying, allowing companies to test formulations and assess feasibility before committing to full-scale production investment.
According to UQ, the facility enables businesses to produce multiple prototypes in a single session, trial emerging technologies, and streamline the transition from concept to commercialisation.
Assistant Minister for Resources, Regional Development and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Anthony Chisholm, said the facility would deliver a competitive R&D advantage for Australian industry.
“This is a nationally significant facility that will support food innovation, industry collaboration and workforce development,” Chisholm said.
The MakerSpace forms part of the federal government’s Trailblazer Universities Program, which is investing $370 million to strengthen research-commercialisation pathways across priority sectors.
UQ Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry, said the facility would help bridge the gap between research and industry application.
“This facility gives Australian companies access to capabilities that would otherwise be out of reach for many early stage or fast-growing businesses, helping them turn ideas into market ready products more efficiently,” Terry said.
Beyond industry use, the MakerSpace will also support teaching and workforce development, providing students and emerging entrepreneurs with hands-on experience in product development, food engineering, and applied research.
The facility can replicate multiple stages of food production, including modified atmosphere packaging, positioning it as a central hub for industry-led innovation and scale-up readiness.
