Lab Automation in Drug Discovery Market Report 2026

The lab automation in drug discovery market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $6.77 billion in 2025 to $7.12 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to adoption of robotic arms in laboratories, increasing investment in pharmaceutical r&d, rise in demand for automation to reduce errors, integration of lab information management systems, growth in high-throughput screening technologies.

The lab automation in drug discovery market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $8.72 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of ai-driven drug discovery platforms, increasing demand for personalized medicine, growth in cloud-based lab management solutions, adoption of advanced robotics for sample handling, rising collaborations between pharma and biotech companies. Major trends in the forecast period include high-throughput screening automation, integrated laboratory workflows, predictive analytics in drug discovery, miniaturization of lab processes, cloud-based lab management.

The growing demand for precision medicine is expected to drive the expansion of lab automation in the drug discovery market in the coming years. Precision medicine, also referred to as personalized medicine, is a medical approach that considers individual differences in genetics, environment, and lifestyle to guide treatment and prevention strategies. Lab automation enhances research speed, increases experimental reproducibility, and improves the efficiency of precision medicine and drug discovery processes, ultimately supporting the development of more effective therapies and diagnostics tailored to individual patients. For instance, in February 2024, the Personalized Medicine Coalition, a US-based non-profit organization, reported that the FDA approved 16 new personalized treatments for patients with rare diseases in 2023, a notable increase from six approvals in 2022. Therefore, the increasing demand for precision medicine is contributing to the growth of lab automation in the drug discovery market.

Major companies operating in lab automation for drug discovery are emphasizing the integration of AI-driven and robotics-based platforms to accelerate formulation development and enhance R&D efficiency. AI-powered and robot-assisted platforms leverage smart algorithms and automated machinery to streamline tasks, increase precision, and accelerate workflows. For instance, in May 2025, Intrepid Labs, a Canada-based research laboratory, launched its Valiant platform, an AI-driven and robotics-enabled system designed to significantly speed up drug formulation development. Supported by over $11 million in total funding, including a recent $7 million seed round led by AVANT BIO, the company aims to replace slow, trial-and-error formulation methods with rapid, data-driven optimization. Valiant autonomously explores full formulation design spaces, reducing timelines from months to days while enhancing therapeutic performance and safety. Since its founding in 2023, Intrepid Labs has formed partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies and CROs and is also developing proprietary oral and long-acting injectable technologies for licensing.

In March 2023, Brooks Automation, a US-based automation solutions company, acquired Aim Lab Automation Technologies Pty Ltd. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Brooks aims to expand its lab automation presence in clinical diagnostics and advance technological capabilities, significantly impacting lab automation in drug discovery. Aim Lab Automation Technologies Pty Ltd. is an Australia-based company that provides robotic automation instruments and modules, along with automation solutions designed to enhance drug discovery laboratory processes.

Major companies operating in the lab automation in drug discovery market are Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Abbott Diagnostics, Roche Holdings Inc., Beckman Coulter, Siemens Healthineers, Becton Dickinson and Company, Agilent Technologies Inc., PerkinElmer Inc., Endress+Hauser, Shimadzu Corporation, Waters Corporation, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., QIAGEN, Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG, Eppendorf AG, Tecan Group Ltd., Brooks Automation Inc., Hamilton Company, Hudson Robotics Inc., OpenTrons Labworks Inc., Quanterix Corporation, The Technology Partnership, HighRes Biosolutions Inc., Biosero Inc., Peak Analysis and Automation Ltd., Aurora Biomed Inc., Synchron Lab Automation.

North America was the largest region in the lab automation in drug discovery market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the lab automation in drug discovery market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the lab automation in drug discovery market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Tariffs have affected the lab automation in drug discovery market by increasing the cost of importing sophisticated robotic systems, instruments, and software, leading to higher operational costs for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Asia-Pacific regions, particularly China, India, and Taiwan, which are major manufacturing hubs for lab automation equipment, are most impacted. Segments such as robotic arms, automated liquid handlers, and ASRS are particularly vulnerable. However, tariffs have encouraged local manufacturing and sourcing strategies, driving innovation and cost optimization in lab automation solutions.

The lab automation in drug discovery market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides lab automation in drug discovery market statistics, including lab automation in drug discovery industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a lab automation in drug discovery market share, detailed lab automation in drug discovery market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the lab automation in drug discovery industry. This lab automation in drug discovery market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Lab automation in drug discovery involves the use of advanced technologies and robotics to streamline and improve laboratory processes related to the development and research of new drugs. It is employed to greatly increase the speed and success rate of drug discovery by automating repetitive tasks and integrating sophisticated instruments and software.

The primary types of lab automation in drug discovery include automated liquid handlers, automated plate handlers, robotic arms, automated storage and retrieval systems, and others. Automated liquid handlers are devices designed to automatically dispense and manage liquids, commonly used in laboratories for precise and efficient tasks such as pipetting and dilution. The various components include instruments, software, and services, which are applied in several areas such as high-throughput screening, compound management, sample preparation, and more. These systems are utilized by a range of end users, including biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, and others.

The lab automation in drug discovery market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as compound screening, assay development, high-throughput screening, data analysis, and optimization of drug candidates. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The lab automation in drug discovery market also includes sales of robotics and automated workstations, screening systems, plate readers, and others. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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