Australia’s first Infrastructure CoLab.
A multi-party innovation lab for the infrastructure sector, convened by Subject Matter. The first cohort ran from 2022 to 2024. We are taking expressions of interest for a future cohort.
15
organisations across industry and government
55
participants in the first cohort
4
industry-led projects
20+
design sprints, July 2022 to March 2024
What the CoLab is
The Infrastructure CoLab supports the infrastructure industry and government to transition to a sustainable, circular and net zero economy. It brings organisations from across the value chain into structured, time-boxed collaboration on commercially relevant problems no single player can solve alone, with government in the room.
Each team works through four phases of innovation, from framing the problem to shaping options, prototyping, validating and scaling. A neutral facilitator carries the process so participants can speak openly, share what they need to share, and build solutions designed to change business as usual, not one-off fixes.
The CoLab was co-created by Subject Matter (formerly Business Models Inc.) and The University of Queensland, and seeded by industry and the Queensland Government. It pairs Subject Matter’s multi-party innovation method with UQ’s research, and is the subject of published academic work on industry-level transition to circular economy principles.
How we got here
2020–21 · Design and launch
Program and governance model designed with industry, government and academia, with a senior advisory board. Launched in 2021 to 85 senior attendees, and recognised with the Innovation Partnerships Award at the UQ Research Innovation Awards.
2022 · Seeded
Seed funding secured from the Queensland Government and matched by industry and academia. Arup, KBR, Downer and Accenture joined as foundation partners, each founding a project table. UQ established the Sustainable Infrastructure Research Hub alongside.
2022–24 · First cohort
Eleven further organisations joined the tables. Teams ran more than 20 design sprints with Queensland Government representatives taking part, and presented to senior officials including Directors-General. Over 75% of participants surveyed agreed co-innovation will accelerate sustainable infrastructure in Queensland.
The first cohort’s projects
Four foundation partners each led a cross-sector team on a problem they owned.
Led by Arup
Circular economy in wind energy
A blueprint for circular wind farms in Queensland, with proposals for an industry stewardship framework, a research hub and a demonstration precinct.
With Acciona, PwC, Struber and Boral
Led by KBR
Costing carbon
A standardised framework to guide decision makers in costing carbon early in infrastructure investment and planning, designed to be industry-led and recognised by government.
With CleanCo, FTI Consulting and EPEC
Led by Downer
Next-generation risk modelling
A risk modelling and decision-making tool for infrastructure asset owners and operators, able to reason about unknowns and events with no precedent.
With NHVR, Microsoft, Mirvac, Sirius Beta and FTI Consulting
Project status is as reported in March 2024. A fourth table, founded by Accenture, was in scoping at that point.
Who has taken part
Foundation partners
Participants
Also participating: Acciona. Co-created with The University of Queensland. Seeded by the Queensland Government.
Founding team
Michael Eales
Co-founder and convenor · Partner, Subject Matter
Co-founded and convenes the CoLab. Works at board and executive level across infrastructure, energy, ports and government on foresight-led strategy.
Dr Cristyn Meath
Co-founder · Senior Lecturer, UQ Business School
Research on how industries transition to sustainable and circular practice, including the published case study of the CoLab’s design.
Dr Jurij Karlovšek
Co-founder · Senior Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering, UQ
Geotechnical and digital engineering, underground space and tunnelling, with roles on Cross River Rail and Legacy Way in Brisbane.
Perspectives
Interviews and essays from the CoLab network on sustainable infrastructure, circular economy and public value.
- Arup to reimagine the business case for circular economy in public infrastructure through the Infrastructure CoLabWe must reimagine the business case for investment in public infrastructure Joyanne Manning With the imminent threat of climate change, a growing… Read more: Arup to reimagine the business case for circular economy in public infrastructure through the Infrastructure CoLab
- Read the Launch Event ReportIn May 2021 the Infrastructure CoLab launch event was held in Brisbane. Get up to speed on discussion and outcomes from the… Read more: Read the Launch Event Report
- How we can be the drivers for sustainable infrastructure in our industryAnd why our ideas are worthless without the ability and ambition to implement them Julie Castle Our industry still has a long… Read more: How we can be the drivers for sustainable infrastructure in our industry
- How can we prove sustainable infrastructure is commercially viable?And why we can’t just rely on the concept of ‘sustainability’ anymore When it comes to the future, we need to… Read more: How can we prove sustainable infrastructure is commercially viable?
- The complexities of sustainability and scalability in the infrastructure sectorAnd why we need to design infrastructure that people will love and want to pay for Design goes on designing. This… Read more: The complexities of sustainability and scalability in the infrastructure sector
- What are the benefits of Intelligent Transport Systems?And why we need to start incorporating them into our sustainable infrastructure plans Queensland is currently in the process of changing… Read more: What are the benefits of Intelligent Transport Systems?
A future cohort: open call for industry-led teams
The first cohort was built around table founders: organisations that brought a problem they owned and led a cross-sector team on it. A future cohort will open that role to new founders. Subject Matter provides the method, facilitation, foresight input and the convening platform. Research and funding partnerships will be confirmed with the cohort.
Who we’re looking for
Organisations that own a hard infrastructure problem and are willing to found a table: owners and operators, contractors, materials and technology providers, financiers, regulators and government. Problem spaces are open.
What a table founder commits to
A named sponsor at executive level, a problem worth solving, time for a structured sprint program, and willingness to work openly with the organisations at the table. In return: a facilitated process, a team drawn from the CoLab network, and a tested solution concept at the end.
The Infrastructure CoLab is convened by Subject Matter, Brisbane, and was co-created with The University of Queensland.