Life Sciences Founder Repository
The Founder
Repository
Practical tools, templates, and guidance for Australian life sciences founders — from incorporation to investment.
ABOUT
What is this repository ?
The Life Sciences Founder Repository is a curated collection of practical tools, templates, contacts, and guidance designed specifically for Australian life sciences founders — covering the full journey from early-stage legal setup through to investment and product commercialisation.
Each resource entry includes a structured brief with a rationale, key considerations, links to materials, and suggested contacts — so you always know what to look for and who to speak to.
Governance & Legal
Founders Agreement
Defines co-founder relationships, equity, roles, and responsibilities before or at incorporation.
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Shareholders Agreement
Sets out the legal and commercial relationship between shareholders once a company has multiple stakeholders.
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Company Incorporation / Constitution
Officially creates the company and establishes the core governance framework - one of the first formal legal steps.
Advisor Agreement
Formalises relationships with advisors, mentors, or strategic experts - especially where equity is involved.
IP & Testing
ESOP (Employee Share Option Plan)
Equity incentives for employees and key contributors - critical for talent attraction when cash is constrained.
Trademarking & IP
Protects brand assets and inventions - a core strategic asset for life sciences companies.
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Feasibility Testing Agreement
Protects IP ownership and data rights when testing ideas before formal company setup or legal arrangements.
Finance & Operations
R&D Tax Incentive
Australian government program providing a refundable tax offset for eligible R&D expenditure - a major non-dilutive funding source.
Financial Model Templates
Forecast cash flow, revenue, runway, and capital needs - especially important in life sciences with long timelines.
Payroll Tools
Manage salaries, tax, super, and payroll compliance once staff or
contractors are engaged.
Investment & Funding
Monthly Investor Updates
Concise progress updates that build investor trust and create internal discipline for tracking milestones.
Data Room Template
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Organised folder for sharing key company materials with investors during due diligence - a clean data room is a fundraising asset.
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Investment Memo / Deal Memo
Summary document articulating the company, problem, market, traction, and investment case in a structured format.
SAFE Templates
Convertible fundraising instrument for pre-seed and seed - invest now, convert to equity at the next round.
Investor CRM Template
Turns fundraising into a structured pipeline process - tracking outreach, interest, next steps, and follow-ups.
Grants (Life Sciences)
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Non-dilutive funding through government and research programs - especially valuable given life sciences' long timelines and capital intensity.
Valuation
Understanding company value, dilution, ownership, and fundraising strategy - critical for SAFEs, priced rounds, and cap table management.
Product Development
Customer Discovery
Validate whether you're solving a real problem for a real user - one of the most important early-stage activities.
Prototyping & Manufacturing
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From concept to testable and scalable product - covers early prototyping, design-for-manufacture, and production partner identification.
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Regulatory
TGA approval and compliance pathways - should be considered early, not once the product is already built.
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Technoeconomic / Health Economics Analysis
Assesses economic viability, cost effectiveness, reimbursement relevance, and adoption logic for health innovations.
Compliance & Standards
ISO Standards / Compliance
Formal quality and safety standards - critical for regulated products, manufacturing partnerships, and commercial credibility.
GDPR / Australian Health Data & Privacy Compliance
Governs how personal and health data must be collected, stored, and disclosed - essential for digital health and data platforms.