"We are creating a home for science entrepreneurs who want to implement bold ideas"

This spring, House of Lab Science opened its latest location at THE VALLEY in Kemptthal. In this interview, co-founder Oana Vrabie explains how the "Lab-as-a-Service" concept breaks down barriers for young science companies, why the location offers ideal conditions for networking and visibility and how House of Lab Science accelerates the path from idea to implementation.

What is behind the "Lab-as-a-Service" concept and why is this service model needed?
House of Lab Science is based on a simple but powerful idea: science should be able to move as quickly as innovation. Traditionally, setting up a laboratory takes months and requires considerable investment: for conversions, certifications, equipment purchases and permits. This slows down even the most promising projects. With our Lab-as-a-Service model, we remove these hurdles. We offer fully equipped, biosafety-certified laboratories that are ready for use from day one. From individual lab benches to private biosafety level 2 labs, combined with shared infrastructure, office space and on-demand services. Startups and innovators can literally start experimenting tomorrow instead of wasting months setting up.

You have a location in the Valley in Kemptthal. What makes this location particularly attractive for you and how do startups benefit from the Winterthur location?
The Valley in Kemptthal is a unique ecosystem: a former industrial site that has developed into a modern innovation hub. We are surrounded by companies from the foodtech, biotech, cleantech and digital innovation sectors - this diversity creates exciting synergies and collaborations. The location is also unbeatable in terms of logistics. It takes just ten minutes to get to Zurich Airport, 30 minutes to Zurich main station and five minutes to Winterthur. These connections make it easier for founders, investors and partners to meet and work together. Startups here benefit from a lively network and high visibility in Switzerland's growing innovation region.

Oana Vrabie is co-founder and Vice President Marketing at House of Lab Science.

Who uses your labs the most today?
Our community is exceptionally diverse. We host early-stage start-ups from the life sciences, foodtech and medtech sectors that are growing out of incubators or university labs, or completing their first rounds of funding. Then there are scale-ups that are rapidly expanding their R&D capabilities to prepare for clinical or product milestones and want to remain agile without committing to long-term real estate. We also support corporate innovation teams and spin-offs looking for independent lab space to test or incubate new technologies. At the same time, established companies use our spaces for product demos, training or presenting new laboratory equipment to customers. In the future, we would also like to accommodate research teams and specialized service providers, such as companies that conduct research, develop products or carry out quality tests on behalf of others. In short: House of Lab Science brings together everyone who wants to move from idea to proof of concept to scaling - quickly and professionally.

How does House of Lab Science specifically help scientific ideas find their way into application more quickly?
We accelerate the path from idea to impact by offering immediately usable, fully equipped laboratories, relieving founders with services for compliance, procurement and laboratory management and connecting our community with investors, mentors and potential partners to help innovations grow faster.

You talk about "science-preneurs". What characterizes this new generation of founders and what do they need to be successful?
Science-preneurs are scientists who think like entrepreneurs. They are driven by curiosity, but also by impact - they want their research to solve real problems and not just end in a publication. What they need most is access and agility: access to lab space, equipment, funding and networks; agility to test ideas quickly, respond rapidly and work across disciplines. This is exactly why we built House of Lab Science: as a home for science-preneurs who want to implement bold ideas without being held back by the usual hurdles.

What motivates you personally most about your work and what excites you about this innovative environment?
For me, it's about bringing ideas to life. It's incredibly fulfilling to see a founder start at an empty lab bench and hold the first prototype or sample in their hands a few weeks later. I am inspired by the energy of our community, this mix of scientific excellence and entrepreneurial courage. Every day I meet people who are rethinking nutrition, health and sustainability at a molecular level. Being a part of it, creating the infrastructure that helps them work faster, dream bigger and actually make an impact - that's what drives me.

Interview: Linda Stratacò, October 2025