You want to rent a laboratory, but you are still deciding if a private or shared lab is the way to go? Let’s find out! We can also help you set your lab space at our Main Campus, in Basel: the Silicon Valley for Biotech in Switzerland.
Research in biology, chemistry, or biotechnology typically starts in a university laboratory. However, when this research develops into a business concept, a university lab might not be sufficient anymore.
Renting a lab space can be a practical solution for startup founders who cannot afford to build and equip a lab from scratch. While some companies can secure a significant upfront capital investment, for many, the initial costs can be a substantial limiting factor. Additionally, startups often require flexibility to scale up or down their operations, relocate or adjust space requirements as needed without being tied to a permanent facility. In these cases, renting an existing lab space allows companies to start their operations faster. With lab infrastructure already in place and facility management handling maintenance tasks, companies can focus on research and development.
If renting a lab space is the best solution for you, the next question you need to ask is: private or shared lab space, which one better fits your needs?
Private labs
Private labs are best suited for expanding small to medium size companies and startups. This is the best option if you need:
Customized lab setups that must meet unique research and development requirements
Large spaces to accommodate teams and equipment
Specialized facilities for advanced research and testing
Strict control over laboratory environment
Flexibility to customize workspace
When working in a private lab, you and your team may use it on your own terms. Something to consider though: it is usually a more expensive solution than a shared lab and your team might need to wait to have everything settled before you can start working.
For available private lab space, contact us. We offer fully furnished and customizable private labs from 20 to 100 m². Ready when you are, with competitive prices.
Shared labs
Shared labs are a solution for small companies that are starting out, have limited funding or need to conduct initial experiments. In this type of lab, several research teams share the same space and instruments. Startups can benefit from access to modern laboratory infrastructure without the high costs of setting up and maintaining their own facilities.
At the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Main Campus, we offer ready-to-use shared lab spaces so you can work on your innovation from day one. You can allocate your resources efficiently towards research and development, while we take care of all the rest. Contact us to book a visit or learn more.
There are some reasons to consider renting a private lab for exclusive use:
You have very high expectations regarding confidentiality
You work with hazardous chemicals such as carcinogens
Your team has more than four laboratory workers
You need extensive storage space for samples
You require strict control over the laboratory environment
You need specialized facilities for advanced research and testing
In this case, the best decision would be a private lab.
Should you rent a shared lab?
A guide to find out if you should consider renting a shared lab.
Should you be sharing a laboratory with other individuals and teams? If the answer to the below points is yes, perhaps you should:
Your funds are limited.
That’s the way things are for most startups. Shared labs offer the benefit of using some very expensive infrastructure, without the high costs associated with setting up and maintaining your own facilities. The same goes for equipment as you don’t need to buy everything on your own.
You are an organized and thorough person.
While this should be a given for people working in the lab, these skills are even more important when you share a work environment with others. Landlords and other teams expect you to book slots in the lab or the office space and to clean up after use. If this is alright for you, a shared lab is a great space to work!
Working in an environment with like-minded people suits you.
Good news! There’s no way to avoid running into the other teams at a shared lab, so if you are open for collaboration, these spaces provide a very special possibility to network. When you find others that most likely face similar challenges as yourself, cost-sharing initiatives or even join projects can always flourish.
You want to spend your precious time working – not maintaining sensitive and costly infrastructure.
That’s probably the best part: Safety installations, waste management, infrastructure maintenance, – it’s all taken care of in a shared laboratory. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can even find a space with a Lab Manager on site for your support. Meaning that utilizing a shared lab can significantly reduce operational costs, which can be allocated to more resources in research, development and scaling innovations.
You need a flexible renting option.
Shared labs often cater to teams and projects who are just starting. That is also the reason why leases are quite flexible in a shared lab and residents can choose lease periods that suit their needs. Sometimes your company might grow and decide to rent a private lab, you should be able to do so without being stuck with long rental fees.
How many scientists are normally working in a shared lab?
It depends on the set up. In the shared lab of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, there is a total of eight workstations for rent. With three biosafety cabinets in the cell culture area and an area of more than 150 m2, the shared lab space offers enough space for residents to feel comfortable.
What kind of equipment does the shared lab offer?
The shared lab at Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Main Campus offers a comprehensive range of equipment to support the diverse needs of biotech-focused companies. Here’s an overview of the equipment available:
Basic laboratory equipment: This includes essential tools such as centrifuges, thermomixers, orbital shakers, rockers balances, pipettes and pH meters, which are fundamental for a wide range of biological and chemical analyses.
Cell culture facility:
Multiple safety cabinets (up to BSL-2 safety standards)
Shakers and incubators for bacterial and mammalian cell cultures
Microscopes
Cell counter
Bead bath
Molecular biology and biochemistry:
PCR and qPCR machines
Plate reader
Imaging stations
Electrophoresis and blotting equipment
Fluorometer
Chemistry and analytical instruments:
HPLCs (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography)
Rotary evaporator (Rotavap)
Chemical hoods
Supporting facilities and services:
Cleaning service
Waste management
Lab glassware washer
Autoclaves
Ice machine
Media:
Carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas, compressed air, deionized and purified water
Liquid nitrogen and dry ice
Safety installations:
Eyewash stations
Emergency showers
Storage
Cold storage units (+4°C, -20°C, -80°C), including backup solutions
Storage space for lab consumables, solvent and chemical storage.
With this extensive array of equipment and facilities, companies have access to everything they need to conduct experiments, analyze data and advance their research. The shared lab ensures that companies can focus on their scientific endeavors without worrying about the logistical challenges of equipment procurement and maintenance.
All the equipment is available. For a small company like ours, this is a big advantage. We were able to start working right away.
Damien Evéquoz, Co-founder and Scientist at Alpha Anomeric. Focusing on developing therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
But wait, what if you’d only stay for a limited time because your startup grows and you need a bigger lab for more people?
Shared labs often cater to teams and projects who are just starting. You start small, you grow, you leave for a private lab – that’s how it should be. That is also the reason why leases are quite flexible in a shared lab and tenants can choose lease periods that suit their needs.
Do you want to use certain instruments for only two weeks? In some laboratories, this is possible, e.g. at the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Main Campus.
What about privacy? How do you protect your IP in a shared lab?
Confidentiality is indeed a paramount concern. Here’s how we address confidentiality concerns in a shared lab environment:
Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs): Users of the shared lab are required to sign nondisclosure agreements. These agreements outline the terms and conditions regarding the use, handling, and disclosure of confidential data, ensuring that all parties involved understand their obligations to maintain confidentiality.
Secure access: Access to the shared lab is restricted only to authorized personnel from resident companies. Each company is provided with unique access credentials, ensuring that only approved individuals can enter the lab space.
Designated work areas: Companies have designated work areas within the shared lab, ensuring that each team can work independently without interference from others. This setup minimizes the risk of accidental exposure to confidential information.
Regular communication and collaboration: Interaction and collaboration among shared lab users through regular meetings and networking events fosters a sense of community and encourages open communication while reinforcing the importance of respecting each other’s confidentiality.
Ethical and professional standards: A culture of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct among shared lab users is a must. Researchers are expected to adhere to ethical guidelines, scientific integrity principles, and industry best practices to maintain confidentiality and respect the intellectual property rights of others within the shared lab community.
By implementing these measures, we ensure that startups at the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area can utilize the shared lab facilities without compromising the confidentiality of their intellectual property.
Who is responsible for maintenance and repairs of lab equipment?
Normally, landlords should take full responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of the lab equipment provided within a shared lab, while also ensuring that all equipment is regularly serviced and maintained to optimal working condition.
Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, for example, takes full responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of the lab equipment provided within the shared lab. The team ensures that all equipment is regularly serviced and maintained to optimal working condition. In the event of any malfunctions or breakdowns, they are available to promptly address the issue to minimize downtime for resident companies. This arrangement allows startups to focus on their research and experiments without worrying about the upkeep of the equipment.
What are the regulatory permissions I need to obtain before starting to work in the lab?
In general, both for private and shared labs, it’s important to obtain permits or certifications required by government regulatory entities. In Basel, this includes a permit from the “Kantonales Amt für Industrie, Gewerbe und Arbeit (KIGA)”.
If you’re working with genetically modified organisms, alien organisms subject to compulsory containment or pathogenic organisms (up to BSL-2), you must register your activities with the Federal Coordination Centre for Biotechnology.
Periodic biosafety inspections will be conducted by the “Amt für Umweltschutz und Energie (AUE)”.
Rules regarding pathogens, chemicals, and operational procedures in the workplace may also vary per Government/Canton. If you have any questions regarding on what you would need in the Basel Area, reach out to us.
To become part of our life science community at our Main Campus, the Silicon Valley for biotech in Switzerland, reach out to us.
Partners for laboratory workers: from ten23 health to Lonza and SKAN
Interesting partners and service providers specialized in delivering drugs, can be found in the Basel Area. The proximity our Main Campus provides for startups in life sciences could be very attractive. When locating in the area, you may find yourself just around the corner of:
SpiroChem: The CRO SpiroChem offers chemistry solutions for life science companies.
Ten23 health: In Basel acts as a CDMO specialized in injectables.
Lonza: Well known for manufacturing the Moderna vaccine, Lonza plays an important role in the production of pharmaceuticals in the region and beyond.
SKAN: The Main Campus-based company is a global market leader for isolators and cleanroom devices. If you produce biopharmaceutical substances, your facilities are most likely outfitted with SKAN infrastructure.
From lab project to funding
Startups also find funding in the Basel Area: Biotech startup Cimeio received 46 million francs in funding, Engimmune acquired 16.7 million US dollars in 2022, and Anaveon raised 110 million francs in 2021 to pursue their research.
To make things even better, one of the best established/most relevant biotech programs in Europe is located here: BaseLaunch has helped numerous projects launch and grow their business and get funding since 2016. Nine of their portfolio companies raised 450 million dollars from venture funds in Switzerland and the US.
If you are a biotech startup or wish to become one, apply now. If you are a match, you will get coaching but you will also get access to fully equipped labs in the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area- Main Campus.
Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area – Main Campus: shared and private labs ready when you are
Find state-of-the-art private and shared life science laboratory facilities in Basel tailored to science and technology enterprises at all stages of growth. Whether you are a startup, a scaling business, or an established company, our innovation park provides a dynamic entrepreneurial environment ideal for advancing your lab initiatives. With competitive prices and a supportive life science community.
In Basel, close to all the life sciences action, Tech Park Basel rents labs to startups. Lab spaces start from 42 square meters. You can rent private labs but shared infrastructure is also available, like autoclaves, ice machines, water purifiers, centrifuges and incubators. Good to know for biotech startups with high lab rent: ask the Economic Development Unit of the canton of Basel-Stadt for rent allowance.
Superlab Suisse has announced to open its labs in Basel in 2024. The company offers labs-as-a-service. After opening labs in Lausanne and Zurich, Basel will be outfitted with lab and research space. The labs will be opened at Stücki Park in Basel.
The Fifth Floor in Muttenz offers coworking spaces – but also spaces in the shared lab that can be rented on a monthly or an an annual basis. A space in the chemistry lab that includes two work stations starts at 3500 francs per month. 2 research stations in the biology lab are available for 5000 francs per months. Laboratory equipment can be rented, access to the coworking space is included.
