© 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 1 THE STATE OF LAB OPERATIONS: Overcoming Downtime, Inefficiencies, and Technology Gaps © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 2 METHODOLOGY MachineQ, a Comcast Company, commissioned independent research expert, Censuswide, to conduct the “Lab of the Future” survey, which gathered insights from more than 400 U.S.-based laboratory professionals at life sciences companies with over $1 billion dollars in annual revenue and functional roles in lab operations, asset management, and maintenance and calibration. The survey focused on current practices in lab operations, equipment management, and the adoption of emerging technologies. Findings were validated to provide a comprehensive look at the state of lab operations as we begin 2025. The Lab of the Future: An Urgent Need for Transformation Life sciences and pharmaceutical companies of all sizes strive to modernize their operations and build a Lab of the Future to help accelerate scientific discovery and drug development. Advanced technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and digital twins play a critical role in this transformation. However, while many organizations are beginning to embrace these technologies, only a small number are fully leveraging their potential to help optimize workflows, streamline operations, and reduce costs. A new Censuswide survey, commissioned by Comcast’s MachineQ, highlights a significant opportunity for lab professionals to enhance their daily operations by integrating these advanced technologies. For example, IoT-based asset tracking solutions can cost-effectively automate equipment location audits, enabling lab managers to streamline maintenance and calibration processes while optimizing experiment integrity – critical for ensuring experiment accuracy and compliance. These tools also enable data-driven decision-making, helping to identify inefficiencies, predict maintenance needs, allocate resources more effectively, and enhance overall operational performance. The survey’s findings shed light on the current state of lab operations, the key challenges lab professionals face, and the opportunities to improve efficiency. This report explores these insights in detail, revealing how labs can leverage innovative technologies to overcome operational hurdles and unlock the full potential of the Lab of the Future. © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 3 Unplanned Downtime Hits Labs Hard In the Censuswide survey, lab professionals revealed that unplanned downtime is a persistent problem, with nearly 60% reporting significant downtime due to equipment failures, missed calibration schedules, and difficulty locating critical lab assets. Notably, 62% of organizations with revenues between $1 billion and $10 billion experienced unplanned downtime, highlighting a concerning trend. While larger companies, with revenues exceeding $10 billion, fared better, they still reported unplanned downtime rates of 34%, suggesting that even well-resourced labs are not immune to these costly setbacks. Significant Gaps in Asset Tracking Technology Led to More Downtime 41% cited time consuming manual processes as a significant hurdle, indicating a pressing need for automation and improved asset location data. The respondents seem to agree, citing the need for more investment in real-time tracking technologies. 60% of lab professionals reported significant downtime due to equipment failures, missed calibration schedules, and difficulty locating critical lab assets. © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 4 How Laboratories Currently Track Lab Assets While manual tracking methods may offer a practical starting point for organizations just beginning to modernize their operations, they take up valuable staff time and increase the chance of human error, which can lead to misplaced equipment, longer downtime, and reduced productivity. Passive RFID is more “automated” than manual tracking, however, challenges such as costly infrastructure and manual scanning processes limit lab managers from realizing the same benefits that come from automated, real-time tracking methods. By modernizing equipment management with the right digital solutions, lab managers can streamline processes, minimize downtime, and boost overall efficiency—allowing scientists to focus more time on research and less on operational challenges. 25% 32% 22% 20% actively utilize real-time tracking systems (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB) rely on manual tracking methods or do not track equipment at all use passive tracking technology (e.g., RFID, barcode/QR, NFC) rely on a third-party service provider for tracking © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 5 The survey data also suggests the opportunity is ripe with nearly two-thirds of respondents indicating that improved tracking could mitigate downtime. Additionally, inventory management data, such as asset quantities and locations, was most frequently ranked as the most valuable data source for improving lab operations as organizations strive to create the Lab of the Future. Despite asset tracking data being named the most valuable data source for improving lab operations, 32% rely on manual tracking methods or have no tracking system in place at all. For labs looking to optimize their operations, investing in modern tracking technologies is a game-changer. These solutions enable datadriven decisions to reduce capital expenditures, optimize asset usage, streamline maintenance and calibration workflows, and drive better outcomes from research and development efforts. From Guesswork to Confidence with Utilization Data Beyond tracking concerns, the survey revealed limited visibility into asset utilization as a key hurdle, with 44% of respondents ranking it a top three challenge. This lack of insight can lead to inefficiencies and wasted resources, exacerbating the difficulties in managing lab operations. Like companies’ varied approaches to asset tracking, respondents revealed monitoring asset utilization in a variety of ways. How Laboratories Currently Monitor Utilization Survey insights reveal a notable correlation between the methods used for tracking asset use and the respondents’ confidence in their data, highlighting potential gains from adopting real-time monitoring technology for asset utilization. Among those using real-time monitoring, such as IoT technology, to track asset utilization, 70% believe they have the necessary data to optimize usage. In contrast, only 58% of respondents employing manual tracking methods share this confidence. 14% 56% track asset utilization manually via reservations, spreadsheets, or staff input 30% track asset utilization using real-time monitoring technology have no system/ process in place for tracking asset utilization 20% cited inventory management data as the most valuable data for improving lab operations 49% cited inventory management data in their top three helpful data for enhancing lab operations © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 6 Furthermore, among those who do not track asset utilization at all, this figure drops significantly to 42%. This disparity underscores the potential benefits of real-time monitoring technology, suggesting that organizations adopting these systems may gain a clearer understanding of their assets and improve their operational efficiency. Additionally, the survey reveals that confidence extends to justifying asset purchases. A notable 62% of respondents using real-time monitoring feel equipped to justify their asset investments, while only 55% of those tracking manually reported similar confidence. For those not tracking asset utilization, just over half (51%) believe they possess adequate data to justify purchases. This trend indicates that real-time monitoring not only aids in optimizing usage but also provides a solid foundation for financial decision-making regarding asset acquisitions. The data also shows that respondents using realtime monitoring were more confident they had the right amount of equipment for their needs. Specifically, of those tracking asset utilization automatically, 68% feel they have the right amount of equipment for their scientists to perform effectively, compared to 60% of those using manual tracking methods. This figure plummets to 35% among those who do not track asset utilization at all, highlighting the critical role that tracking plays in ensuring operational readiness and efficiency. This efficiency is a key advantage of real-time monitoring technology. Overall, these findings demonstrate that implementing realtime monitoring technology can enhance data confidence and operational effectiveness, ultimately positioning organizations for better asset management. © 2025 MachineQ® 7 All Rights Reserved. Lab Spend: The Imbalance Between Managing Expenses, Optimization, and Investment In a landscape where operational efficiency is paramount, the financial pressures facing laboratories are significant. More than 55% of respondents ranked managing and reducing expenses – such as the costs of equipment purchases and premium service contracts for maintenance and calibration – as one of their top three concerns, with nearly a quarter citing it as their number one challenge. The survey also indicates a strong inclination towards increasing expenditures across various operational facets over the next 24 months. Over a third of respondents (37%) plan to increase spending on lab equipment, yet 17% of them admit they don’t have the data needed to justify these purchases. Additionally, 62% of those planning to increase equipment budgets believe they could reduce equipment spending if they made better use of their existing assets. Further, it’s worth noting that less than 30% of respondents plan to increase their investments in digital transformation, which suggests a potential area of underinvestment amid pressing operational needs. With the majority of respondents planning to either maintain or increase spending on FTEs (75%), lab service providers (75%), service and maintenance contracts (71%), and consumables (70%), labs have a clear opportunity to offset these costs by adopting real-time monitoring and tracking technologies. These solutions enable better asset utilization and empower labs to make data-driven decisions to better manage costs. 37% plan to increase spending on lab equipment, yet 17% of them admit they don’t have the data needed to justify these purchases. © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 8 The Time for Investment is Now The survey stresses the vital need for labs to embrace the future and invest in emerging technologies. In fact, a key finding is the role that IoT and AI can play in reducing unplanned downtime. Presently, IoT is the most widely adopted technology with 29% of respondents currently using IoT solutions as part of their Lab of the Future strategy. AI/ML is not far behind, with 28% of respondents already using these technologies in their labs. Looking ahead, both technologies show significant growth projections, with 56% of respondents planning to implement IoT and 59% intending to adopt AI/ML over the next two years. With the vast majority of respondents planning to use IoT (85%) and AI/ML (87%) technologies as part of their Lab of the Future strategy over the next two years, labs that don’t invest risk falling behind in efficiency, innovation, and their ability to remain competitive. © 2025 MachineQ® All Rights Reserved. 9 LOOKING FORWARD: The Future of Lab Operations The Lab of the Future is no longer a distant concept—it’s a necessity for labs to thrive in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven environment. Labs must accelerate the R&D process to develop new drugs and bring them to market faster. The survey highlights a clear path forward to achieving this vision. Labs must focus on adopting advanced technologies, building stronger data architectures, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation. The urgency of this situation should motivate labs to act swiftly to stay ahead. Take the Next Step Toward Innovation Are you ready to harness the power of IoT to drive breakthroughs in your lab? Contact us today to see how we can help you succeed.
