Kinetic Labs in Waterford is positioning the southeast as a serious player in life sciences and lab-based innovation, offering flexible, high-spec laboratory and clean room space to startups, SMEs, and multinationals.

Director Patsy Carney explains that the core idea is simple: companies rent fully compliant lab space as an operating expense rather than sinking scarce capital into building their own facilities. Kinetic Labs provides ten configurable ‘white box’ units, finished to pharmaceutical standards, and then project manages the specific fit-out each client needs.

When a tenant moves on, the space can be easily reconfigured for the next user, keeping the infrastructure in productive use.

A standout success is Negate Carbon, a Trinity College Dublin spin-out that came to Waterford once its time on campus ended. It began in one of Kinetic Labs’ smaller spaces, proved its concept, then expanded into larger semi-commercial and office space within the neighbouring Work Lab complex, a model Carney sees as the ideal growth pathway.

The story of Kinetic Labs itself is rooted in post-crash job creation policy, European funding, and a crucial partnership with Work Lab founder Seamus Kilgannon, whose building provided the office and co-working environment to wrap around the labs.

Now, a new memorandum of understanding with Southeast Technological University (SETU) formally links Kinetic Labs with cutting-edge research capability in centres like PMBRC, creating a joined-up ecosystem to support spin-outs and scaling companies across the southeast.