Unprecedented Capital and Operational Efficiencies for Your Portfolio
There are many risks investors need to manage when funding biotech companies to ensure success. These can be broken down into a variety of categories, some of which are unique to the type of modality or product, while others are more common to the business of research and development.
Chief among these hurdles are the capital- and time-intensive investments in infrastructure and operations needed to kick off any scientific discovery. As venture capital firms and their portcos navigate the drug development process, finding ways to de-risk each venture and find capitally efficient solutions means biotech companies and the investors funding these efforts can extend their runway to reach the next important milestone. This begins with selecting the right lab platform for each portco’s unique research, development, and manufacturing needs.
The role of infrastructure and operations in early discovery
Traditional lab solutions often heighten the risk and delay the chase for new therapies. For scientific innovators, the choices have been limited, each coming with a unique set of tradeoffs. Key challenges include reduced flexibility, inadequate operational support, potential IP compromise, and the time-intensive and costly property acquisition process. When financial diligence is critical, it is essential to consider several key categories before deciding how best to manage resourcing decisions for portcos as they make their way from concept to clinical trials.
Optimized for scientists
Scientific progress should be free from operational burdens such as building out infrastructure, recruiting and training operational staff, negotiating with vendors, and tackling supply chain issues. When scientists can focus on their science, there is a higher likelihood of success.
SmartLabs provides an integrated platform that includes both enterprise-grade lab spaces and comprehensive operational services, including GxP compliance, environmental health and safety, information technology, and much more, empowering scientists with the flexibility and support they need to accelerate their science. Our spaces support every stage of the R&D lifecycle from discovery research to preclinical studies and cGMP manufacturing.
Speed to market matters
Biotech startups often need to expand, pivot, or set up temporary, experimental operations. These inflection points can lead to major delays as research teams wait for the build-out and readiness of new lab spaces.
SmartLabs lab solutions are ready in weeks, not months or years, providing a smoother and more efficient path to reach the next milestone. Programs can be started much faster than traditional models (lease, sublease, or own) and expanded to fast-track a portco’s ability to make strategic pivots more quickly with minimal interruption or delays.
A capital-efficient model that reduces risks
Infrastructure procurement and buildout, along with talent and equipment, are massive upfront costs. It not only eats up precious runway and time, but also can make it significantly more difficult to exit if the company underperforms.
SmartLabs programs can be secured with an all-inclusive license agreement that features flexible terms, providing both capital efficiencies and IP ownership without major tradeoffs. Investors partnering with small and emerging companies at the start of their discovery process gain advantages and de-risk their endeavors from a model that allows for a more seamless pivot due to missed milestones or data that changes the initial course or hypothesis.
WHY SMARTLABS
SmartLabs not only enables scientists to work faster, better, and smarter, we also provide greater financial flexibility by reducing upfront capital investments and consolidating large, fixed costs for infrastructure, technology, and operations into an all-inclusive, variable-cost package. Our end-to-end lab and manufacturing programs are uniquely designed to grow and adapt to an investor’s needs — from early discovery all the way to commercialization — allowing for optimized financial strategies and success in any economic environment.
Discover how you can unlock the potential of new therapies, leveraging our solutions to ensure your portcos reach their peak potential.
Turnkey lab programs supporting every stage of development
R&D Labs
Private, enterprise-quality labs to meet the diverse needs of pharma and biotech, with the capacity to scale and support teams made up of several individuals to larger teams of hundreds of people.
Vivarium Research Facilities
Turnkey AAALAC-accredited vivarium spaces with services including animal husbandry, cage management, in-house IACUC oversight, and preclinical study support from board-certified veterinarians.
cGMP Manufacturing
FDA-compliant production environments that support a range of clinical and commercial manufacturing needs, customized to your unique workflows.
The three pillars of our model
Infrastructure
Flexible, enterprise-grade labs that can rapidly adapt and re-adapt as assets progress through the R&D journey. Supporting programs of all sizes, across multiple modalities, from early discovery to preclinical to manufacturing.
Operations
Scientist-centered operations relentlessly focused on accelerating and improving the efficiency of your R&D, offering concierge-like services encompassing environmental health and safety, lab design, waste management, onsite cafeteria, and IT services — all designed to deliver a best-in-class lab experience.
Expertise
Leaders with deep, cross-functional expertise grounded in the experience of serving 120+ clients that represent the most cutting-edge science, including trailblazers in gene editing, mRNA, and advanced biologics.