nir-vana innovation network

A French SME specialized in software programming and digitalization services offers an electronic laboratory notebook for laboratories and R&D structures.

R&D organizations have to deal with challenges related to scientific integrity, capitalization of knowledge and management of scientific data. Digitalizing their laboratory notebook can be a concrete answer to that as it gives the ability to simplify access to reliable information, improve their competitiveness and boost innovation.
The R&D project management is very complex. Capitalizing on past results is certainly one of the most important key to enhance the innovative capability of R&D structures, but rarely used due to lack of a performant software.

It is currently hard for a scientific laboratory and other R&D organization to find a software that fits their operational and management needs. Most of the solutions are either too expensive or too specific to a field of science and doesn’t provide appropriate support.
Some of the softwares are slightly/not maintained, has lack of scalability and/or are not secure enough to protect the data.

The French SME hence created a unique software to digitalize R&D projects and related activities whatever the scientific field (health, biotech, agrofood, chemistry…). This augmented electronic lab notebook is designed by scientists for scientists, in order to reduce costs by improving R&D environment’s efficacity, avoid error risks or data loss, and boost collaborative work and knowledge sharing within organizations.

It easily enables to:
- Manage the programs: save time by centralizing data, plan experimentations, set goals, collect and analyze results, sign study reports, etc.
- Control the quality policy and its implementation: centralize information, ensure traceability and secure strategic data, simplify organization and harmonize internal processes, distribute the last SOPs (standard operating procedures) and best practices, …
- Collaborate in real-time with the team members: simplify exchanges inside the laboratory and remotely, get a clear view of all the projects, and stay notified of the last scientific breakthroughs.
- Supervise the laboratory's equipment: improve the equipment’s management and get alerts of future maintenances

The main features are:
- Project management: laboratory notebook, results tables, link with the equipment, standardization of processes
- Equipment management: dashboard, automation, maintenance reminders and alerts, data exports
- Quality Management: dashboard, validation and distribution of SOPs, reading and follow-up of quality documents, electronic document management.
- Collaborative work: common bibliography, quick link sharing, real-time exchanges, remote access
- Management: follow-up of the objectives, data exports, digital signature, rights management
- Rights and permissions by project, by team, by role, by user
- Security and control: user authentication, logs and metrics monitoring, access rights, management, session management
- Time saving: Search engine, advanced filters, tags and keywords, drag and drop
- Services: support and technical assistance, evolution of functionalities, regular updates, webinars

The company’s prior mission is to make the electronic laboratory notebook an affordable tool, so the maximum of organizations in the R&D ecosystem can easily benefit from it and better valorize their technology. Unlike the other solutions, this augmented electronic lab notebook doesn’t require to pay additional fees for each additional module, it is an all-in-one software (that the unique price covers all the laboratory features). The software can be hosted on-premise (own server) or in the cloud, depending on the company's choice.

The company is offering commercial agreements with technical assistance to SMEs and private or public laboratories willing to digitalize their R&D activities with a unique, efficient and secure software

Advantages & innovations

High-quality and a evolutive software at an affordable price for all R&D organizations. A single solution that allows to simplify and centralize all R&D activities and data. Instead of filling a paper lab notebook, which will be finally stored in a closet for no one, scientists can directly save their note in a digital way directly available for stakeholders. Time is dedicated to better serve projects, as doing experiment design, data analysis and project management. It can be deployed depending on your Informatic policy, on your server or on the data center of your choice. The software harmonize processes, ensure data integrity and traceability, automate tasks and capitalize on laboratory knowledge to reduce costs and spend more time on value-added activities. It is a simple solution, suitable for all scientific fields and designed by scientists, to manage: - R&D projects and related data: notes, documents, results, reports... - Equipment: listing per (sub)family, location, maintenance plan... - Quality documentation: edition, verification, approbation, distribution... - Bibliography: shared to the entire organization, linked to projects and entities... - Users & tiers: rights and permissions by project, team, role… - Stocks: warehouse management, product and batch follow up, link to tests, alert to avoid usual product shortage... This solution allows to base forecasts and decisions on reliable information and quickly use exploitable data in aim to accelerate scientific advances. As a result of using this software: - R&D Teams save a large volume of time previously dedicated to find and record data. - Researchers spend more time on data analysis and experiment design. - Organizations optimize and simplify collaboration between projects and departments. - Projects are accelerated and data is capitalized for future projects. This innovative software paves the way to the exploitation of data science within the organization.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The company is offering commercial agreements with technical assistance to SMEs and private or public laboratories willing to digitalize their R&D activities. The solution is intended to support R&D structures, especially project, data and quality management for both private and public organizations. Without being exhaustive, it can serve domains as wide as agri-food, agro-sciences, biotechnology, medical sciences, veterinary sciences, chemistry, biology, neurosciences, industrial research, metallurgy research, public research center, universities, engineering schools, marine or plant study institute, oncology, cellular or molecular technology, cosmetics, fragrances, etc... The partner can be either a large group or an independent company, with a minimum of 3 users looking for an innovative software to save money, gain efficiency, and capitalize on the previous work done by its whole team to better anticipate the future. The partner can also be a digital council company to support R&D digital transformation, looking for an innovative tool to deploy within companies it is supporting and maximizing their chances of success. Beside the agreement, an initial training of 3 days is provided by the company to allow partner to be quickly operational and productive.