Scientific Research Services in Australia - Industry Research Report

Down to a science: Continued research funding to underpin ongoing revenue growth

The Scientific Research Services industry has performed well over the past few years. The industry includes various government and private sector organisations operating across many scientific fields, particularly in the medical, health and IT sectors. It relies heavily on public sector funding, even though the Federal Government is increasingly calling for more self-funding for research and development. Research organisations face pressure to generate own-source revenue by raising funds through donations and co-investment with other corporations and governments, and through royalty and licence revenue on intellectual property. Private businesses can also commercialise their research by generating revenue streams after taking developed products to market. These pressures are continuing, as industry profit margins remain low and government agencies continue to report losses.

Scientific research organisations undertake research relating to agricultural, biological, physical and social sciences. Organisations undertake research for themselves or for other organisations. Federal, state and territory governments provide a large proportion of funding for scientific research.

This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.