When eLabNext went looking for a location for its first site on the U.S. West Coast, the Dutch life-sciences software company settled on Los Angeles. Specifically, the Hero House innovation hub in Glendale.
ELabNext does digital lab processing for various industries including cancer research, sustainable food production and the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“By establishing a presence here, we can strengthen our connections with local research institutions, biotech companies and academic organizations, fostering collaborations and partnerships,” eLabNext founder and Managing Director Erwin Seinen told L.A. Inno.
Foundations
SmartGateVC, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in AI startups, founded Hero House in 2021. There are now about a dozen companies there, including Expper Technologies, Knoxlabs, Conjure and Proone Labs.
The firm, which also helps scientists commercialize their research and has an accelerator known as GateWay, also has a Hero House location in Armenia.
Plans for the local Hero House include organizing more events, SmartGate VC partner Ashot Arzumanyan told L.A. Inno, including those that will be part of Glendale Tech Week 2023, a celebration of the region’s tech and entrepreneurial scenes that starts on Sept. 11. The event will feature a range of activities, including a hackathon for engineers, workshops led by industry experts and a demo day that will showcase promising regional startups.
Meanwhile, Eppendorf, a life-science company based in Germany, created eLabNext in 2010 with the goal of streamlining life-science R&D by digitizing lab processes.
In addition to wanting to be part of the innovative Southern California life-sciences community in Los Angeles, eLabNext chose Hero House to move into due to its location in Glendale.
Glendale “offers a strategic location with easy access to major transportation hubs, allowing us to serve our customers more efficiently,” Seinen said.
How eLabNext works
ELabNext digitizes lab processes in a variety of ways. For instance, with cancer research, its platform can streamline data management and collaboration. Researchers can use it to securely store and organize large amounts of scientific data and then share findings with colleagues.
“This enables faster data-driven discoveries, such as identifying novel cancer biomarkers or understanding the underlying mechanisms of tumor progression,” Seinen said.
For sustainable food production, agricultural researchers can use eLabNext’s platform to manage and analyze data related to crop breeding, pest resistance and soil quality.
“By leveraging our tools, scientists can make more informed decisions, optimize crop yield and quality, and contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural practices,” Seinen said.
In terms of Covid-19 vaccines, eLabNext’s platform helps to streamline workflows and maintain accurate records of the testing process.
That enabled “faster and more reliable reporting of Covid-19 test results,” Seinen said. “This, in turn, has contributed to the overall management and surveillance of the pandemic,” he added.
