The UK’s largest gathering for laboratory professionals returns to the NEC, Birmingham, on 29 and 30 October 2025, bringing together thousands from across the scientific community. Lab Innovations 2025 will highlight sustainability initiatives, the latest in lab technology and a renewed focus on collaboration, with more than 200 suppliers exhibiting to an audience of researchers, technicians and science professionals.
Exhibitors this year include returning leaders such as SLS and Thermo Fisher Scientific, joined by first-time participants like Day2 and Imperial College London. As always, the show draws leading voices from across the sector, including past attendees such as AstraZeneca and Unilever, along with top academic institutions. Organisers expect the 2025 event to surpass last year’s record 4,700+ visitors.
“When selecting the theme for this year’s show, ‘co-LAB-oration’ quickly stood out because it represents the essence of the laboratory community. Collaboration is the backbone of science, innovation and research. Without it, the incredible progress we see today simply wouldn’t be possible,” explained Simon Farnfield, event director for Lab Innovations.
“Consider the Human Genome Project, which required the input of more than 1,400 scientists and specialists to build genomic research capacity globally. We’re proud to provide a space where that spirit of collaboration can come to life. A space where brilliant minds connect, exchange ideas and inspire one another in real time.”
Collaboration remains central to the event’s message: this year’s theme, co-Lab-oration, brings that commitment into focus. Running alongside Advanced Engineering, the event creates a shared space for cross-disciplinary learning and innovation, where scientists, engineers and technical specialists can connect directly and explore new ideas.
At the centre of this is the Lab Square, a dedicated space for conversation, spontaneous connection and peer-to-peer exchange. Whether catching up with familiar faces or meeting someone unexpected, it’s where ideas move fastest and collaborations begin.
Stephen Pygott, territory manager at Eppendorf and 2024 Sustainability Champion, said “We come to Lab Innovations every year because it brings together such a wide mix of customers—from pharma, biotech and academia to emerging sectors like food innovation and lab-grown meat. It’s a great balance of lab managers, technicians and students, and the audience delivers both quality and quantity.”
The Quality Infrastructure (QI) Forum and the Biotech Forum, both introduced in 2024 to great acclaim, return this year to build on their strong debut. Together with the event’s other free-to-attend programmes — the Royal Society of Chemistry Theatre, the Future of Laboratories Stage, the Live Lab— they offer an insight into key developments shaping the lab landscape.
The QI Forum, developed in partnership with UK National Quality Infrastructure members UKAS, the National Physical Laboratory and BSI, will explore accreditation, technical assessment and the growing role of AI in laboratory environments.
The Biotech Forum continues to serve as a key meeting point for the fast-evolving life sciences sector. Sessions will cover biobanking, personalised medicine, genomics, AI’s role in biotech and the sustainability of drug development.
With an exciting lineup of speakers, such as science and natural history broadcaster Liz Bonnin and leading academic researcher Marc Reid, the forum continues to be a must-attend event for those tracking innovation across clinical and research laboratories.
Join thousands of professionals at the UK’s leading lab event to discover the latest innovations, meet suppliers in person, and collaborate face to face. Be part of the future of laboratory science — learn how we are co-LAB-orating in action: www.lab-innovations.com/COLLABORATE
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