What we are building first.
MEL is an early stage company in development. This page sets out the first Centre of Excellence in plain terms: what it contains, the order it gets built in, where the work stands today and what we are asking partners for.
Where we are today
Development stage, with the model, technology and first market defined.
The operating model, the commercialization pathway, the first market and the specification for RiSE, AiDE and iDE are defined. The next step is a confirmed site, a confirmed partner group and the capital to build the first Centre of Excellence.
We are speaking with municipalities, research institutions, manufacturers, funders and procurement partners now. A detailed capital plan, equipment list and financial model are available to partners under discussion.
Scope of the first Centre
One site where a product is researched, made and taken to market.
Product development lab
Bench space, formulation and prototyping equipment for physical products in health, food, natural products and related categories.
Mid capacity production
Right sized production runs so a validated product can be made in real inventory volumes, not just samples.
Testing and validation space
Structured environments and protocols so results can be documented for buyers, funders, institutions and regulators.
Commercialization support
Regulatory planning, packaging, labelling, costing, intellectual property planning and buyer introductions handled on site.
Digital layer
RiSE, AiDE and iDE carrying project records, scheduling, inventory and evidence from first study through to first order.
Controlled environment rooms
Growing and climate controlled rooms for botanical, food and natural product research where a project calls for it.
Final equipment and capabilities are set with the host region, research partners and the businesses the Centre will serve, so the facility matches real regional demand.
Order of build
Five steps from confirmed site to a second region.
Site and partner confirmation
Confirm the host community, the site, the academic and industry partners and the letters of support behind the first Centre.
Design and capital plan
Complete facility design, equipment list, staffing model, capital budget and operating model with the host region.
Build and fit out
Construct or retrofit the facility and install lab, production and controlled environment equipment.
First cohort
Open to a first group of female founders and research partners moving products through research, build, test and commercialize.
Second region
Use the documented operating model to establish the next Centre of Excellence in a second region.
What we are looking for
The partners who make the first Centre possible.
Host communities and municipalities
Sites, zoning, servicing and regional partnership for a Centre of Excellence.
Research institutions
Joint research agreements, student placements and validation capacity.
Industry and manufacturers
Equipment, technical capacity, supply relationships and co-manufacturing experience.
Funders and investors
Capital for the first facility and the operating runway to reach a working first cohort.