Behind the scenes at LabForRent: how do you find a laboratory that really fits?

Finding a suitable laboratory space can be quite challenging. How much space do you need exactly? What fits your budget? And what about the safety requirements? We asked Sandra Heeren-Köhler, manager at LabForRent, how she helps laboratory seekers find the perfect spot for their research.

By: Eline te Velde

LabForRent connects supply and demand in the laboratory market and brings tenants and landlords together. Landlords offer laboratory space via a profile on the online platform. Are you looking for a suitable space? Then you will stay informed of the most recent offers via the newsletter or you can see what is currently available on the website.

The Funda-like concept sorts the laboratories by location, square meters and other characteristics. But Sandra explains that finding the right lab is really different from looking for a home: “If a search party is interested in a laboratory, I always go along to see if it suits them. I am a biotechnologist myself, so I know what it is like to work in the lab. We then determine whether the layout of the lab fits the workflow and whether the safety requirements are met. It is therefore not possible for someone with a BSL 3 organism to work in a BSL 1 lab. Or the other way around, because that makes a big difference to your wallet. Sometimes companies indicate that they are looking for a cleanroom, but if you ask further questions it turns out that they are not yet available at all cleanroom ready are. This way I try to find out what they actually need.”

Sandra also emphasizes the importance of the environment and whether it suits the company looking for: “Especially for startups, it is important that they are in a place where they can find their feet. There is no point in placing a small startup in a standalone laboratory somewhere on the heath, because then they will not flourish. I am looking for a community where there are similar companies, so that they can spar with each other.”

“There is no point in placing a small startup in a stand-alone laboratory somewhere on the heath, because then they will not flourish.”

Shared labs

In addition to matchmaking, LabForRent also looks at demand from the market. They have a good overview of supply and demand and see where gaps exist. One of these gaps is currently in the shared laboratory facilities: the shared labs. “We notice that there is currently a lot of demand for smaller labs. The shared labs offer a solution, because it is usually not profitable to create laboratories of ten square meters. But you also have to deal with the social aspect. Small startups sometimes work alone, so it is much more fun if you can chat with other laboratory technicians at the coffee machine,” says Sandra.

An important advantage of shared labs is peace of mind. A lab manager takes care of ordering and removing substances and the necessary equipment is also available. This way you can stay focused on your research. “We receive a lot of demand for rooms that are already equipped with equipment. As a small company, equipment such as an autoclave or a biological safety cabinet is a major investment and you cannot simply place it in your lab. You can generally use these devices at shared facilities. This is ideal if, for example, you only have a liter or half a liter of hazardous substances, then you simply get a shelf in the safety cabinet with your name on it.”

Circular thought

LabForRent's offering also includes a number of remarkable properties. For example, Blue City in Rotterdam is located in the changing rooms of the old Tropicana swimming pool and old DSM labs in Delft have been converted into new shared labs for startups within the Planet B.io foundation. Sandra explains that the reuse of existing buildings is an important part of the circular idea behind LabForRent. “The idea behind the establishment of LabForRent is: there are so many empty (lab) spaces in the Netherlands, why would you build a new laboratory? You notice that more and more regular buildings are being converted into laboratories, for example in Amsterdam, where square meters are scarce. You have to make adjustments to make it safe.”

“The idea when founding LabForRent was that there are so many (lab) spaces empty in the Netherlands. Then why would you build a new laboratory?”

LabForRent, part of LabMakelaar, is a member of the FHI trade association for Laboratory Technology. Would you like to know which other companies this trade association represents or do you want to stay informed of the latest news from the laboratory world? Then visit the website or Sign up for the newsletter.