Shared core labs are where big ideas take shape. Whether you're running an incubator, an academic core, or a private innovation hub, your space isn’t just a collection of benches and biosafety cabinets—it’s a launchpad for the next generation of biotech, medtech, and life sciences startups.
But even the best labs start to show their age.
Maybe equipment keeps going offline. Maybe tenants are complaining about delays, backups, or inefficiencies. Or maybe you're just trying to do more with the space and tools you already have—and it's not working like it used to.
At some point, an outdated lab stops being an asset and starts becoming a bottleneck.
In this post, we’ll break down five signs it might be time to upgrade your shared facility—and how leasing new equipment can help you stay flexible, modern, and tenant-ready without blowing your budget.
1. There’s Broken or Outdated Equipment
If users are constantly filing maintenance requests—or worse, avoiding certain instruments entirely—you’ve got a problem. A piece of equipment doesn’t have to be completely offline to slow down science. Delayed repairs, calibration issues, or unreliable performance can quietly erode trust in your facility.
Over time, tenants start bringing in their own tools, doubling up on workflows, or shifting experiments elsewhere. That’s not just bad for lab efficiency—it’s bad for retention.
Leasing newer equipment can help reduce downtime and ensure more reliable performance, especially when service contracts are built in. It also lets you respond faster to what your tenants actually need, without locking yourself into large capital purchases.
2. Downtime is Starting to Cost You—Literally
Every shared lab expects some hiccups. But when downtime becomes routine, it starts eating into your value proposition.
Tenants in shared spaces rely on predictability. If key equipment goes down regularly—or HVAC, electrical, or IT systems can’t keep up with demand—you’re not just dealing with complaints. You’re facing real opportunity costs: delayed timelines, frustrated teams, and even lost revenue if startups decide to leave.
If you're tracking downtime (and you should be), watch for patterns. Frequent service calls, out-of-spec calibrations, or increased demand for temporary workarounds are all red flags.
Upgrading doesn’t always mean a total overhaul. Swapping out high-failure equipment, adding redundancy, or modernizing serviceable units through leasing can dramatically reduce disruption—without blowing up your facility budget.
3. Your Lab Can’t Keep Up with New workflows
Startups evolve fast—and so do their needs. If your lab layout, equipment mix, or software tools haven’t changed in years, there’s a good chance they’re out of step with how tenants actually work today.
Are your fume hoods always overbooked, while other gear collects dust? Are researchers using laptops in hallways because there aren’t enough ergonomic workstations or IT-ready benches? Are automation requests growing, but you’re stuck with mostly manual tools?
Modern science demands flexible, tech-enabled spaces. If your facility isn’t adapting to new workflows—like high-throughput screening, cloud-connected instruments, or streamlined sample handling—you risk falling behind.
Reassess your layout and equipment through the lens of current tenant needs. Leasing can make it easier to experiment, add capacity, or swap in newer tools as demand shifts—without being stuck with gear that no longer fits.
4. Maintenance Costs are Quietly Growing
It’s not always the big breakdowns that hurt you—it’s the slow drip of service calls, part replacements, and downtime that add up over time.
Older equipment doesn’t just wear out—it becomes harder and more expensive to maintain. Replacement parts take longer to source, vendor support drops off, and calibration becomes a constant chore. If you're starting to see maintenance as a monthly line item rather than a quarterly one, it's a sign the equipment may be past its prime.
Even when something still “works,” it might be dragging down efficiency, consuming excess energy, or failing to meet newer regulatory or performance standards.
Rather than waiting for major failure, many labs are shifting toward a more proactive model. Leasing gives you access to newer, more reliable instruments—with fewer surprises and often with service, calibration, and warranty support bundled in.
5. You’re Losing Old & New Tenants
Startups talk. Whether it’s on LinkedIn, at meetups, or via referrals, word gets around about which shared labs are easy to work in—and which ones feel like a grind.
If you’re starting to hear that teams are outgrowing your facility, putting equipment complaints in their feedback, or opting for newer spaces down the street, it’s worth asking why.
Often, the decision to move isn’t just about square footage or rent. It’s about reliability, flexibility, and support. Does your lab feel like a launchpad—or like something tenants have to work around?
Investing in key upgrades—especially ones that support high-impact, everyday workflows—can make the difference between a waitlist and a vacancy.
Leasing allows you to modernize without waiting for grant cycles or capital approvals, helping you stay competitive in a growing market for shared lab infrastructure.
What Else Should You Keep in Mind?
Upgrading a shared lab isn’t just about replacing outdated equipment—it’s about future-proofing your facility.
As workloads increase and tenant expectations evolve, lab managers and facility directors need to think more holistically:
- Energy efficiency & sustainability: Aging HVAC systems and power-hungry equipment drive up operating costs. Newer lab equipment is often more energy-efficient, and leasing lets you upgrade without major upfront investment.
- Regulatory compliance: Falling behind on calibration, biosafety, or workspace standards can cause major issues—especially for tenant companies working toward clinical or regulatory milestones.
- IT needs & digital infrastructure: More labs are integrating automation, LIMS platforms, and cloud-connected devices. Ask yourself: is your current infrastructure ready to support that?
- Flexible workstations: As workflows change, so should your lab design. Modular workbenches, mobile fume hoods, and ergonomic upgrades can go a long way in improving tenant satisfaction.
Whether you’re supporting life science, healthcare, or R&D tenants, planning for these shifts helps ensure your lab isn’t just functional—it’s future-ready.
Final Thoughts
Shared lab facilities sit at the heart of today’s innovation ecosystem. When they’re well-run, well-equipped, and forward-thinking, they can shape the success of dozens of early-stage companies—not to mention the next big breakthrough.
But keeping your lab competitive means more than patching old fume hoods or replacing a centrifuge here and there. It means thinking proactively about lifecycle, usability, cost control, and future growth.
Leasing gives incubator directors, academic cores, and lab managers a powerful tool: the ability to scale, modernize, and adapt—without blowing through capital or waiting on approval cycles.
Whether you’re tackling outdated instruments or planning for the next generation of tenants, Excedr can help you upgrade smarter. Let's talk.