By the time you’re setting up a wet lab for your biotech startup, chances are you’ve already worked in one. You know your workflows, your assays, and the equipment you need to get moving. This isn’t about figuring out the science—it’s about making smart, strategic decisions to support it.
Whether you’re spinning out of academia, coming out of an incubator, or building from scratch, the goal is the same: create a functional, efficient lab without overspending.
That means prioritizing what’s essential, knowing where to compromise (and where not to), and thinking carefully about how you procure high-value equipment. Leasing, for example, can be a powerful way to stretch capital without sacrificing access or performance.
This post lays out the core equipment categories most wet labs need to launch, and offers guidance on how to get up and running in a cost-effective, milestone-driven way.
Because at this stage, it’s not about discovering what you need. It’s about executing with precision—and making every dollar work for your science.
Define your workflow before you define your wishlist
Before you start adding microscopes and PCR machines to a spreadsheet, step back and map out what your lab actually needs to do in the next 6–12 months.
Are you culturing cells? Running ELISAs? Extracting RNA? Your workflow will determine your layout, storage needs, and—most importantly—your essential equipment list.
Here’s what to clarify upfront:
- Scientific goals: What specific experiments or data outputs are tied to your next milestone?
- Frequency and throughput: How often will you run protocols? Will you need duplicates or backup equipment?
- Biosafety level: Do you need biosafety cabinets, autoclaves, or additional waste handling infrastructure?
- Space constraints: Will you be working in an incubator, subleasing space, or building out from scratch?
- Headcount: Will multiple people be working simultaneously, or are you solo for now?
It’s tempting to model your setup after your old university lab—but don’t. Those labs are built for breadth, not focus. Your startup lab needs to be lean, purpose-built, and aligned with your near-term experiments.
Once your workflow is clear, your equipment priorities will be too.
used before
You’ve likely worked with a lot of equipment already—whether in academia, incubators, or shared lab spaces. And you probably have a pretty clear idea of the tools that support your science.
But now you’re responsible for sourcing it all yourself. That means stepping back and asking: What’s essential for the work I need to do next? And what’s the smartest way to access it?
Most early-stage wet labs can function with core pieces of equipment that fall into a few key categories:
1. Biosafety and containment
- Biosafety cabinets (BSCs): For sterile workflows and handling biological materials safely. Choose based on biosafety level and application.
- Fume hoods: Necessary if you're working with volatile chemicals or solvents.
- Autoclaves: Essential for sterilizing media, glassware, and waste.
2. Cold storage
- Refrigerators and -20°C freezers: For everyday reagents and short-term storage.
- -80°C freezers: Critical for storing RNA, enzymes, and biological samples long-term.
- Monitoring and backup: A power outage shouldn’t mean lost samples—monitoring systems and backup power can be worth the investment.
3. Core equipment
- Centrifuges: Choose tabletop or high-speed depending on your protocol needs.
- Shakers and incubators: For culturing cells or maintaining environmental conditions.
- Water baths, heat blocks, vortexers: Simple tools that keep workflows moving.
4. Molecular biology tools
- PCR machines (thermocyclers): If amplification is part of your protocol, this is a must.
- Plate readers: Especially important for fluorescence, absorbance, or luminescence-based assays.
- Gel electrophoresis equipment: Still widely used and necessary for many workflows.
5. Microscopy
- Standard light microscope: Good enough for basic cell checks and morphology.
- Fluorescence microscope (if needed): Worth the investment only if you’re doing imaging-heavy work or tagged assays.
6. General labware and consumables
- Pipettes and tips: Manual or electronic, depending on your volume and preference.
- Glassware and plasticware: Tubes, flasks, beakers, and plates.
- Reagents and media: Custom to your workflows—buy only what you need to start.
- Safety gear: Lab coats, gloves, goggles, waste containers, and spill kits.
This list will evolve as your science progresses. But in the early days, focus on building just enough capability to execute your first key experiments.
Because even if you’ve used all this equipment before, now you have to justify it. Not to a PI, but to your budget—and your business plan.
Lease, buy, or borrow? Making the right call on major equipment
High-cost lab equipment can eat through your startup budget fast. That’s why choosing how you acquire it matters as much as what you get.
Let’s break down your options:
Leasing: The flexibility-first approach
Leasing lets you get high-quality equipment with lower upfront costs. It's especially useful for:
- Capital-intensive items like centrifuges, -80°C freezers, PCR machines, and biosafety cabinets
- Time-sensitive builds, where you need to move fast without draining your runway
- Milestone-driven plans, where you might outgrow or upgrade equipment in 12–18 months
Many leases include service, warranties, and installation, giving you fewer headaches while you stay focused on the science. Plus, it keeps your balance sheet lighter—something future investors and finance teams tend to like.
Buying: Best for low-cost or high-use gear
If it’s cheap and critical, buy it. Think:
- Manual pipettes
- Vortexers
- Glassware
- Benchtop mixers
These items tend to last and don’t require maintenance contracts. But buying too much upfront locks up capital—so stay lean where you can.
Borrowing or sharing: A great short-term bridge
Incubators, accelerators, or university partnerships may offer shared access to specialty equipment. This can be a smart stopgap before leasing or buying outright—just be sure it doesn’t bottleneck your workflow.
In short: Lease what’s expensive or uncertain. Buy what’s essential and low-risk. Borrow when it makes sense. The mix will look different for every lab—but the strategy stays the same: preserve cash, stay flexible, and build just enough to get to your next milestone.
Mistakes to avoid when setting up your lab
Even experienced scientists can make costly missteps when transitioning from shared academic spaces to running a private lab. Here are some of the most common—and avoidable—mistakes biotech startups make when setting up their first wet lab:
Overbuilding too soon
It’s tempting to recreate the well-stocked labs you came from. But those labs weren’t optimized for lean execution—they were built for breadth, not focus. Startups don’t have that luxury. Build for your science, not someone else’s wishlist.
Underestimating procurement lead times
Freezers, biosafety cabinets, and other essential gear can have surprisingly long lead times. Waiting until the lease is signed to place orders could set you back months. Place priority orders early and ask vendors for estimated delivery timelines up front.
Forgetting about service and warranties
A broken centrifuge is one thing. A broken centrifuge with no service contract is a whole different problem. Make sure you know:
- What’s covered under warranty
- Whether service is included in a lease
- Who to call when something breaks
Buying too much up front
If you're unsure how quickly you'll scale—or whether a piece of equipment will see regular use—leasing or borrowing can buy you time to figure that out. Cash is more valuable than ownership early on.
Not looping in the team
Lab managers, ops leads, and researchers all interact with the lab differently. If you’re the founder, don’t make procurement decisions in a vacuum. Ask the people who will be using the equipment what matters most.
Final thoughts
Outfitting a wet lab isn’t just about having the right tools—it’s about timing, tradeoffs, and strategic decision-making. You probably already know what your science requires. The challenge now is building just enough lab to move forward, without overextending your team or your budget.
Leasing can be a powerful part of that strategy—giving you access to the equipment you need, when you need it, without locking up capital.
Keep your setup focused, your procurement plan flexible, and your milestones front and center. That’s how you build a wet lab that works for your science—and your startup.
Need help sourcing and leasing equipment for your wet lab? Excedr can help you get started, fast—and stay lean while you grow.