Lab Launch and BAM Creative have focused on supporting life sciences in Los Angeles by collaborating on projects that provide customized lab facilities for growth-stage biotech and life science brands. We are proud that LA Weekly has shined a spotlight on the benefit of life sciences in Los Angeles. Read on below to more about these projects support life science start-ups, and the recently completed Lab Launch/BAM collaboration of Lab Launch@ATX in Atwater Village. LAWeekly, written in partnership with Amir Bakianho. | Read the article below or click here to read on LAWeekly.
Today, more than 3,400 life science and biotech companies call California home. But in one of the state’s most densely populated regions, some science-focused startups struggle more with finding laboratories than they do securing investors.
That demand for affordable, quality laboratory space is, in part, what inspired Lab Launch. The scientist-founded company operates one turn-key laboratory space for biotech and life science startups in the Los Angeles area already and is set to open its second location in 2023.
Finding Space to Grow in a Rapidly Expanding Industry
Unfortunately, the region’s lack of laboratory space is not a new problem. Almost a decade earlier, Los Angeles’ life science industry was thinning as startups left the area, searching for more accessible laboratory space. Lab Launch was born in 2014 to create the necessary space to keep these businesses and their innovative work local.
“Lab Launch exists because there’s so much life science talent in the Los Angeles area,” explains Marie Rippen, Lab Launch’s chief operating officer. “It’s a shame to lose that talent to other regions because there’s a perceived lack of resources to support young companies.”
Rippen joined the company in 2015 with her own background in stem cell research and molecular biology. As scientists themselves, Lab Launch’s founders understood the nuanced struggle these companies faced in finding such a simple necessity.
Lab Launch’s original laboratory space and company headquarters are based in Monrovia, California. The second location, set in the northern LA suburb of Atwater Village, will open this month.
Fully-Equipped Laboratory Meets Co-Working Space
The newest location, dubbed Lab Launch@ATX, is a 13,000-square-foot facility catering to growth-stage biotech and life science brands. Lab Launch caters to a customized solution for each company calling the space home while still offering convenient quick-start options.
Residents can opt for a turn-key, pre-furnished lab space or choose a fully customized laboratory retrofitted to suit their company’s unique needs with the help of Lab Launch’s onsite design and advisory teams.
Like Lab Launch’s original space, Lab Launch@ATX spaces offer cold storage, backup power, and access to shared amenities. Residents have support with onsite facilities management and operational services like hazardous waste removal. The new location will also offer coworking-inspired amenities such as conference rooms, a shared kitchen, mail service, and community events.
Creating Space for Innovation and Growth
More than 40 life science start-ups have called Lab Launch home. Current residents include StatLab Medical Products, XDemics, Mission Trail BioLabs, and AcuraStem.
According to Rippen, incoming residents are often early-stage startups that need a scalable lab solution that can grow with their company. Lab Launch@ATX was designed with growth-stage biotechs in mind that have outgrown local incubators.
Known for its diverse and eclectic culture, Atwater Village is a ten-minute drive from downtown LA. The location is another proof point of Lab Launch’s commitment to supporting the local life science and biotech industries. Explore how Lab Launch is creating space for innovation in the life sciences industry at lablaunch.org.