SPT Labtech

Based in Melbourn, UK, SPT Labtech is a manufacturer and designer of automated liquid handling, Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (“Cryo-EM”) sample preparation, and storage instruments, as well as corresponding consumables and support services for life science research. The Company was founded in 1997 and spun out from TTP Group and has local presence across Europe, North America and Asia.

SPT Labtech’s instruments automate process steps for genomic and structural biology applications and in the drug discovery process which are otherwise done manually hence eliminating costly process errors / sample losses in research and freeing up capacity of highly educated and expensive researchers for more value-add analyses.

Market trends and drivers

Supported by strong secular megatrends, SPT presents a highly thematic investment opportunity within EQT’s prioritized Life Science Tools subsector. The automation of research, miniaturization trends (more analyses with the same sample volume) and a broader adoption of multi-omics will support SPT’s core liquid handling business for years to come.

SPT is the leader in resilient and fast-growing market niches, including in its core segment, the low-throughput liquid handling market and is strongly positioned in in the Cryo-EM segment, a cutting-edge technique supporting the research of new drug targets within novel modalities like cell and gene therapy, as well as mRNA. SPT helps researchers save time through automation and enables labs to research for example chronic illnesses and provide treatments or find cures for previously untreatable conditions.

Investment potential

Under EQT Private Equity’s ownership, the Company will benefit from EQT’s strong advisor and expert network as well as the inhouse digital team. EQT will further support the Company in new product innovation, expansion into existing and new geographies and end-markets (e.g., catering to the in-vitro diagnostics market, doubling down on APAC and accelerating Cryo-EM) as well as selective M&A to further strengthen SPT’s market position.