STARLIMS, a provider of enterprise informatics solutions, announces the expansion of its solution suite through the strategic acquisition of Labstep, a cutting-edge, R&D Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN). This acquisition brings both companies to the forefront of modern informatics and addresses the critical challenges customers face in finding an advanced platform that supports them from R&D through to market surveillance. By combining STARLIMS’ comprehensive Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) technology with Labstep’s user-friendly, SaaS ELN platform, users can remove complexity from the lab and unlock data’s true potential in a progressive, connected system.

Investment in the R&D sector continues to be strong. However, that investment comes with the expectation that new products will be introduced and brought to market at a faster pace than ever before, with more collaboration required with external partners. These expectations are necessitating the need for modern, intuitive technology that enables researchers to work with speed and agility within fast-paced, data-intensive environments. To address these challenges, organizations are increasingly investing in technologies that will improve operational efficiencies, provide better data management, and simplify compliance.

The acquisition of Labstep represents a significant milestone for STARLIMS, as it introduces a modern and user-friendly ELN to its existing platform. The integration accelerates ideation and planning through its easy-to-use documentation functionality, automation capabilities, and seamless connectivity to instruments and systems, moving users away from cumbersome paper-based record keeping. This unified solution liberates scientists from manual documentation, leaving them with more time to conduct research.

“We are thrilled to bring Labstep into our portfolio. Labstep’s high-caliber team, coupled with its forward-thinking approach to addressing industry challenges, makes it an excellent addition to STARLIMS,” said Trey Cook, CEO at STARLIMS. “Their user-centric approach has resulted in an intuitive ELN for science that allows research and development teams to increase the speed of ideation and new product introduction, while giving them a modern, simplified experience.”

“We felt passionate about bringing a solution into our portfolio that would increase our customers’ abilities to ideate, execute, and get new products to market faster,” said Cook. “Labstep checks all these boxes, and more. Not only are we acquiring an incredibly modern, easy-to-use ELN that advances R&D, but a passionate team who has built a platform specifically designed to fit the needs of researchers today, and of the future. We’re excited that Labstep will expand STARLIMS’ ability to support customers in the early stages of product development and help us serve the full product lifecycle.”

Labstep’s ELN uses interactive, step-by-step protocols as templates for data collection to ensure continuous data capture for researchers. The solution was created by a team of scientists, for scientists, with the goal of building a progressive operating system that reflects the needs of the modern R&D lab.

“We’re excited to be joining the STARLIMS’ team and its robust set of solutions. As a recognized leader in LIMS technology, it was a natural next step for us to take Labstep to the next level,” said Jake Schofield, CEO and founder at Labstep. “Together, our solutions create a connected platform that not only accelerates R&D, but also supports the product throughout its entire lifecycle. The mission to simplify workflows and enhance productivity will ultimately advance scientific discovery, and help companies bring innovative, quality products to market faster.”

“Our goal at Labstep is to alleviate researchers from manual record keeping and fundamentally change the way people carry out and record their science. We’ve taken a very customer-centric approach to developing an easy, intuitive ELN that resonates with contemporary researchers. There is an obvious synergy between Labstep and STARLIMS. Researchers can seamlessly plan and execute experiments, capturing lab-based data, sample details, and consumable usage. The integration bridges the gap, enabling precise data capture and collaborative potential. This dynamic connection also unlocks enhanced value from your LIMS.”