It had been too long since I last visited downtown Amsterdam. The Lab of the Future conference was a perfect reason to come back.
My first impression: the future really is bright. Digital and AI are moving fast, and leadership and labs are both eager to scale their work. But there’s also caution. Many users remain sceptical about GenAI and agentic AI. In regulated environments, examples need to be transparent and tangible to be truly helpful.
On a building next to the Beurs I saw the words: “de cost gaet voor de baet uyt.” A fitting reminder that investing first — in expertise, in collaboration, in building together — is how we reach the real lab of the future.
That was echoed in the sessions. Kåre Buch Petersen reminded us: “Scientists aren’t data experts, so think slow and act fast. Data cannot be an impediment to progress.” Siping Wang pointed out how rare “cyborgs” are – people with the skillset to actually build valuable tech assets often leave biotech for big tech. And Béatrice Perron put it simply: “Buy smart and build together for the last mile.” Especially in compliance and security, you need the right expertise.
My takeaway? The sector is ready to move, but integration is key. Too many teams still juggle fragmented tools. Off-the-shelf software often doesn’t fit, because vendors don’t spend enough time understanding the real problem. Scientists are not data experts and they shouldn’t have to be.
That’s why “build together” resonates so much with me. Digitalization and automation of lab data is difficult and I heard a big pharma speaker literally say they leave it for last ‘because it’s difficult’ while immedeately adding that is where most value is expected. That’s a shame.
At DataChaperone, that’s exactly the space where we step in, so teams don’t have to tackle it alone.
The venue itself added something special. The Netherlands had the world’s first stock exchange, and the Beurs van Berlage is a reminder of that history. Walking into such a classic building, with its brick walls and high halls, and then spending the day talking about AI, digitalization, and the lab of the future — an inspiring contrast!
