MUSA Research & Development Hub
Shared Innovation Workspace – Services & Facilities Overview
Musa Technical Services invites Western Australian start-ups, scale-ups and established firms to base their R&D programs inside a purpose-built hub that unites digital design, sterile bioscience, pilot-scale fermentation and mechanical fabrication under one roof in Yangebup. Every division is fully fitted with industry-standard equipment so visiting teams can move seamlessly from computer modelling to bench science, then on to 3 000-litre process trials or precision machining—without relocating a single sample or drawing.
Integrated Facility Snapshot
The hub occupies a modern light-industrial unit minutes from the Fremantle freight corridor, zoned for research and light manufacturing. Laboratories and workshops are arranged in a single contiguous footprint, allowing controlled transfer of materials between clean and “hot-work” areas while maintaining biosafety and occupational-health compliance.
Area 1 – Machining and Fabrication Workshop
At the western end of the 200 m² hub, the machining and fabrication workshop is co-located with two loading bays. A Capital TW2280 engine lathe, a Morgan RD-900 radial-arm drill, Lincoln TIG/MIG welding stations, pedestal drills and full metric–imperial hand-tool sets enable rapid build, repair and custom-prototype work. Direct truck access streamlines delivery of raw stock and dispatch of finished parts, while segregated ventilation and spark-containment measures prevent cross-contamination with neighbouring clean zones.
Area 2 – Pilot Fermentation Tanks and Processing Systems
Immediately adjacent, the bioprocess suite houses dual stainless-steel fermenters—3 000 L and 1 000 L—plumbed to shared steam-in-place and clean-in-place lines, glycol jackets, inline pH/DO probes, sanitary positive-displacement pumps and a fine bag-filtration skid. This configuration supports scale-up campaigns for enzymes, probiotics or specialty metabolites, allowing teams to move directly from bench protocols to cubic-metre volumes without leaving the building.
Area 3 – Entomology Laboratory
A dedicated 15 m² precision-environment room forms the core of the entomology unit. Programmable incubators provide independent temperature (10–45 °C), humidity (30–90 % RH) and photoperiod control for insect rearing and behavioural assays. Fluorescence and bright-field microscopes enable high-resolution screening of larvae, symbionts and pathogens, supporting projects in insect protein valorisation and biological pest control.
Area 4 – Sterile Biotechnology Laboratory
The sterile lab supports molecular and microbial work under ISO-class conditions. Dual laminar-flow cabinets, an Eppendorf 5415 R refrigerated centrifuge, Ratek orbital plate shakers, Labec thermostatic water baths and Thermo Scientific incubators deliver full bench-scale capability for cloning, aseptic fermentation and enzymatic assays. Precise mass and volume measurements are ensured by Sartorius Cubis II balances and Eppendorf Research Plus pipettes, while a Forma –86 °C ultra-low-temperature freezer safeguards master stocks and sensitive reagents.
Area 5 – Computer Laboratory and Offices
Completing the layout, the digital suite clusters Dell Precision T5610/5810 workstations, Intel NUC10 mini-servers and docking stations for Toshiba Portege/Tecra ultrabooks on a fibre-backboned, VLAN-segmented network. This environment supports CAD/CAM modelling, finite-element analysis, bioinformatics pipelines and secure data management, while adjacent offices provide quiet space for project planning, documentation and remote collaboration.
Together, these five purpose-built zones allow innovators to progress seamlessly from design to fabrication, fermentation, insect culture and sterile bench science within a tightly organised 200 m² facility.
Core Divisions & Flagship Assets
Division | Core Function | Key Equipment (examples drawn from current inventory) |
Digital Design & Data Lab | CAD/CAM, CFD/FEM, bioinformatics, data analytics | Dell Precision T5610/5810 workstations; Intel NUC10 mini-servers; Toshiba Portege/Tecra ultrabooks |
Sterile Biological Laboratory | Microbial, molecular & small-animal work | Gelaire 20VDA-4AI double-sided cabinet; Airkey Hi-Flow laminar hood; Eppendorf 5415 R refrigerated centrifuge; Ratek plate shaker; Labec thermostatic water bath; Thermo Scientific incubators; Eppendorf Research Plus pipettes; Sartorius Cubis II precision balances; Forma 907 –86 °C freezer |
Pilot Fermentation Suite | Scale-up of microbial or enzymatic processes | 3 000 L & 1 000 L stainless-steel fermenters with CIP, steam injection & inline pH/DO; sanitary pumps; fine bag-filtration skid |
Entomology Laboratory & Grow-Out | Insect rearing, behaviour & feed-conversion studies | 15 m² precision-environment room; three programmable incubators; Olympus & fluorescence microscopes |
Process Engineering Workshop | Prototype build, fabrication & maintenance | Capital TW2280 lathe; Morgan RD-900 radial drill; Lincoln Idealarc DC-600 & CV-425 welders; Cigweld TIG; pedestal drills; welding benches; full metric/imperial hand tools |
What Your Team Can Do Here – without Leaving the Building
Design & Simulate
Import CAD geometries, run finite-element stress tests, or process next-generation sequencing data on dual-Xeon workstations and high-speed local servers. Portable ultrabooks let you carry modelling results straight to the bench or shop-floor for real-time adjustments.
Execute Sterile Bench-Scale Experiments
Prepare inocula, plasmid constructs or enzyme assays under ISO-class laminar flow, then incubate at tightly regulated temperatures (ambient to 60 °C) or centrifugal-harvest cell pellets down to 4 °C. Precise gravimetric and volumetric tools ensure reproducibility for QC-grade data packages.
Bridge the “Bench-to-Pilot” Gap
Transfer a validated 10-L protocol directly into 1 000-L or 3 000-L stainless vessels. Inline sensors, steam-in-place sanitation and CIP lines match commercial food-grade standards, so data generated on site translate cleanly to contract manufacturers or in-house GMP builds.
Advance Insect Biotechnology
Rear black soldier fly larvae, mealworms or model species under custom temperature–humidity–photoperiod profiles. High-resolution fluorescence microscopy supports gut-microbiome studies, pathogen exclusion or genetic-line verification.
Fabricate & Re-engineer Hardware
Machine bespoke impellers, weld stainless sampling ports, or build small-scale conveyors inside the workshop just steps from the fermenters. Quick in-house iteration means mechanical fixes or design pivots take hours, not weeks.
Membership & Access Models
- Resident Membership – Dedicated bench-space or desks, 24/7 access, discounted workshop hours and priority booking for fermenters and incubators.
- Project Pass – Fixed-term block (e.g., four or twelve weeks) bundling specified lab hours, fermenter campaigns and machining slots; ideal for proof-of-concept or pre-seed data packages.
- Day Pass / Hot Desk – Flexible daily access to digital lab plus bookable sterile-hood or microscope time; perfect for consultants or remote teams needing occasional wet-lab capability.
All tiers include mandatory safety induction, electronic booking, secure storage and IT network credentials. On-site technicians are available for paid support such as CNC programming assistance, aseptic-technique coaching, or fermenter calibration.
Value Proposition for External Businesses
- One-Stop Infrastructure – Eliminate costly sample transport and multi-site coordination; design, test and build in a single controlled environment.
- Cost-Efficiency – Share depreciation and maintenance of high-value assets (–86 °C freezer, 3 000-L fermenter, precision lathe) across multiple tenants instead of bearing the capital outlay alone.
- Speed to Milestone – Rapid iteration loops (design → build → test → refine) compress development timelines, enhancing competitiveness in grant, investor and procurement cycles.
- Collaborative Ecosystem – Daily proximity to bioscientists, agritech engineers and process-automation specialists breeds knowledge exchange, informal peer review and potential joint ventures.
- Regulatory-Ready Data – Instrumentation and SOPs aligned with food, feed and industrial-biotech norms lay a defensible foundation for compliance dossiers or investor due diligence.
Networking & Community Engagement
Musa will soon be launching Quarterly “Musa Mixer” evenings pair resident companies with invited investors, university researchers and supply-chain partners. Additionally, pending interest, Monthly technical seminars—delivered by tenants or visiting experts—cover topics such as insect-based protein regulations, stainless-steel weld inspection or advanced shaker-incubator kinetics. Once mature, the hub will also initiate A shared digital bulletin board and Slack workspace keep members connected for equipment swaps, reagent share or collaborative grant calls.
Whether you are scaling a precision-fermentation start-up, refining an insect-meal production line or prototyping smart-farm hardware, the Musa Research & Development Hub gives you turnkey access to capital equipment, knowledgeable support and a multidisciplinary peer network—all under one West-Coast roof.
Contact Musa Technical Services today to schedule a site tour, discuss the membership tier that matches your timeline and budget, and secure your bench, desk or fermenter slot for the upcoming quarter. Spaces are limited to maintain equitable equipment access—reserve yours now and accelerate your R&D.
For all enquiries, please send them to andi@musatechnical.com.au