Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Size and Share
Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market size equals USD 6.11 billion in 2025 and is projected to climb to USD 8.30 billion by 2030 at a 6.30% CAGR. Rising chronic-disease screening volumes, persistent workforce shortages, and the integration of artificial-intelligence quality algorithms push laboratories toward fully automated, high-throughput platforms. North America remains the reference region because stringent oversight speeds adoption, while Asia-Pacific accelerates the fastest as hospital chains invest in decentralized genomics capacity. Equipment innovation centers on miniaturized micro-fluidic formats that support point-of-care testing, and connectivity software now ranks with robotics as a prime selection criterion. Major suppliers pursue vertical integration so that hospitals can source pre-analytics, analytics, and post-analytics modules from a single vendor.
Key Report Takeaways
- By equipment, automated liquid handlers held 37.83% of Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market share in 2024, and micro-fluidic platforms are advancing at a 6.78% CAGR to 2030.
- By process step, pre-analytical sample preparation led with 42.73% revenue share in 2024, while data management and connectivity records the highest projected CAGR at 6.99% through 2030.
- By technology, clinical-chemistry automation accounted for 35.92% of the Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market size in 2024 and molecular and PCR automation is rising at a 7.23% CAGR to 2030.
- By end user, hospitals and reference laboratories commanded 51.83% of demand in 2024 in the Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market, whereas biopharma and biotechnology companies show the fastest growth trajectory at 6.87% through 2030.
- By geography, North America commanded 38.73% of demand in 2024 in the Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market, whereas Asia-Pacific show the fastest growth trajectory at 6.78% through 2030.
Global Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Trends and Insights
Drivers Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand for high-throughput sample processing | +1.2% | Global, with concentration in North America and Europe | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Rising test volumes from chronic-disease burden | +1.5% | Global, with highest impact in Asia-Pacific | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Shortage of skilled technicians accelerating automation | +1.8% | North America and Europe primarily, expanding to APAC | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| AI-driven closed-loop QC algorithms | +0.9% | North America and Europe early adoption, global expansion | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Decentralization of genomics to hospital labs | +0.7% | Global, with early gains in urban centers | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| EU IVDR traceability mandates | +0.4% | Europe primarily, with spillover to export markets | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Demand for High-Throughput Sample Processing
Centralized laboratories now process thousands of daily specimens, and manual workflows cannot meet the 15–20% annual volume growth recorded since 2024.[1]Thermo Fisher Scientific, “Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results,” thermofisher.com Integrated workcells address this pressure by unifying liquid handling, incubation, and detection in a single production line. Health-system procurement teams increasingly value sample-per-hour metrics above capital cost, shifting tender evaluations toward fully automated configurations. High throughput also supports consolidated quality management because fewer touchpoints lower cumulative error risk. Vendors respond with modular designs that scale from 500 to 5,000 samples per shift, allowing hospitals to phase investments as test menus expand.
Rising Test Volumes from Chronic-Disease Burden
Population aging and universal screening initiatives generate sustained demand for assays that track diabetes, cardiovascular markers, and oncology biomarkers. Each oncology patient may require multiple molecular panels, effectively multiplying the requisition count per clinical encounter.[2]Abbott Laboratories, “Automated Testing Platform Launch,” abbott.com Developing economies add volume rapidly because public health programs extend diagnostics to rural clinics yet transmit specimens to urban hubs, further taxing central laboratories. Automation delivers consistent pipetting precision necessary for PCR and NGS assays, improving reproducibility across expanding test menus. Government payers favor automated platforms when cost-per-result decreases as batch sizes grow.
Shortage of Skilled Technicians Accelerating Automation
Vacancy rates for experienced molecular technologists exceed 20% in the United States, and educational pipelines cannot replenish retirees quickly enough.[3]American Association for Clinical Chemistry, “Laboratory Workforce Shortage Drives Automation,” aacc.org Laboratories reassign remaining personnel to interpretive tasks while robots assume repetitive pipetting and plate handling. Salary inflation shortens the automation payback period to three years in high-volume core labs. Vendors now embed user-friendly interfaces so that generalists can supervise systems after a brief training course, reducing onboarding times versus legacy manual protocols.
AI-Driven Closed-Loop QC Algorithms
Machine-learning models embedded in instruments detect drift patterns and trigger preventive maintenance before results fall outside control limits.[4]Siemens Healthineers, “AI-Powered Laboratory Automation,” siemens-healthineers.com Real-time optimization trims reagent consumption by adjusting aspiration heights dynamically, preserving assay accuracy while cutting operating cost. Continuous feedback minimizes the need for manual calibration, harmonizing performance across multi-site hospital networks. Automated flagging of questionable results shortens exception handling cycles and elevates overall laboratory uptime.
Restraints Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| High capital investment and ROI uncertainty | -1.1% | Global, with higher impact in emerging markets | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Interoperability issues with legacy LIMS | -0.8% | North America and Europe primarily | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Cyber-security risks for networked analyzers | -0.6% | Global, with heightened concern in regulated markets | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Robotics-component supply-chain volatility | -0.7% | Global, with particular impact on new installations | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
High Capital Investment and ROI Uncertainty
Comprehensive automation suites cost USD 500,000-5 million, a hurdle for mid-size private laboratories. CFOs struggle to model savings from error reduction or faster turnaround, lengthening approval cycles. Maintenance contracts and software licenses add recurring fees that elevate total cost of ownership beyond sticker price. Tier-two hospitals sometimes postpone investment until patient volumes reach thresholds that assure a three-to-five-year payback.
Interoperability Issues with Legacy LIMS
Many older information systems lack modern HL7 or FHIR compatibility, requiring middleware that erodes automation efficiency. Mapping sample IDs between platforms introduces bottlenecks that offset robotics throughput. Middleware also raises cyber-security exposure when multiple translation layers complicate patch management. Laboratories embarking on digital-first strategies often replace LIMS before adding new automation.
Segment Analysis
By Equipment: Liquid Handlers Drive Adoption
Automated liquid handlers accounted for 37.83% of Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market share in 2024, underscoring their role as the backbone of molecular and immunoassay workflows. Robotic grippers and machine-vision modules enable these platforms to integrate centrifugation, heating, and real-time error detection, raising yield per batch. Growing test complexity encourages laboratories to layer ultraviolet decontamination and HEPA filtration into handler enclosures, protecting sensitive nucleic-acid assays. Integrated workcells bundle storage, pipetting, and detection in one chassis, helping facilities conserve floor space while achieving end-to-end automation.
The micro-fluidic segment records the quickest momentum at a 6.78% CAGR. Miniaturized cartridges carry out multiplex PCR, immunoassay, and ELISA reactions with microliter volumes, curbing reagent expense and biohazard waste. Hospitals adopt tabletop micro-fluidic analyzers in emergency departments to provide molecular respiratory panels within an hour. Research centers value the platform for single-cell analytics and organ-on-chip projects that traditional robots cannot handle at scale.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Process Step: Connectivity Ascends
Pre-analytical sample preparation still represents 42.73% of 2024 revenue because barcoding, aliquoting, and decapping remain foundational tasks. Advances in adaptive grippers and artificial-vision inspection lower hemolysis and clot detection errors, improving downstream result integrity. Yet laboratories increasingly measure return on investment by complete turnaround time, causing attention to migrate toward data orchestration.
Data management and connectivity posts a 6.99% CAGR, benefiting from middleware that unifies analytical islands into a real-time dashboard. Cloud-hosted platforms synchronize instrument performance, reagent inventory, and quality metrics across multi-hospital networks, supporting enterprise-wide decision making. Vendors integrate application programming interfaces that feed anonymized data into research pipelines, converting routine diagnostics into discovery assets while meeting privacy regulations.
By Technology: Molecular Workflows Accelerate
Clinical-chemistry automation captured 35.92% of the 2024 Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market size thanks to high-volume assays such as electrolytes and metabolic panels. Consolidated analyzers offer photometric, turbidimetric, and ion-selective modules in one carousel, streamlining maintenance for core labs. Immunoassay systems expand chemiluminescent detection ranges, enabling simultaneous viral and hormone panels.
Molecular and PCR automation grows at 7.23% as infectious-disease surveillance and oncology demand multiplex biomarkers. Pre-assembled extraction cartridges and closed pipetting channels eliminate contamination risk integral to PCR. Library-prep robots for next-generation sequencing scale sample capacity from 48 to 384 per run, meeting oncology tumor-profiling demands in regional cancer centers. Vendors pair robotics with AI-driven variant-calling software, shrinking the analysis bottleneck that once offset bench-side processing gains.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By End User: Research Sector Outpaces Healthcare
Hospitals and reference laboratories retained 51.83% market share in 2024 because core labs process chemistry and hematology panels for inpatient and outreach services. Emergency departments push short turnaround targets that make on-site automation unavoidable. Reference laboratories leverage 24/7 robotic lines to win health-system outsourcing contracts by guaranteeing same-night reporting.
Biopharma and biotechnology companies register a 6.87% CAGR, using robotics to expedite lead identification, biomarker validation, and companion-diagnostic co-development. Automation ensures lot-to-lot reproducibility critical for regulatory filings. Biotech startups prefer cloud-connected disposable-tip systems that align with flexible R&D workflows without dedicated maintenance staff.
Geography Analysis
North America’s 38.73% revenue contribution in 2024 mirrors the region’s stringent quality standards and early reimbursement for molecular diagnostics. U.S. health networks expand centralized testing hubs that courier specimens overnight, stimulating orders for high-throughput integrated lines. Canada’s public plans fund provincial genomics centers that adopt micro-fluidic automation to manage limited technician rosters.
Europe demonstrates balanced adoption as IVDR rules enforce electronic traceability and proficiency testing. Germany anchors vendor revenue with its dense hospital laboratory base, while the Netherlands champions early field trials of cloud-connected workflow managers. United Kingdom procurement favors service contracts that bundle hardware, reagents, and informatics under operating leases, easing budget approvals during NHS modernization.
Asia-Pacific leads expansion at 6.78% CAGR through 2030. China subsidizes regional diagnostic chains that outfit multi-story labs with robotic sorters and track-and-trace conveyors. India’s private hospitals set up molecular suites using mid-capacity liquid handlers to compete on oncology turnaround time. Japan’s super-aging society keeps per-capita test volumes high, and domestic vendors partner with universities to pilot AI-enabled quality modules. ASEAN economies focus on micro-fluidic point-of-care devices for infectious diseases where central lab access is limited.
Competitive Landscape
Industry structure is moderately consolidated. Roche, Danaher, and Abbott anchor portfolios that cover sample prep to LIS connectivity, locking in customers who prefer single-supplier support. Roche deepened molecular reach by acquiring cartridge-based PCR automation, broadening menu depth for hospital labs. Danaher’s latest liquid handler embeds vision analytics that auto-adjust dispense volumes, reducing reagent wastage. Abbott’s all-in-one PCR instrument, approved by FDA in late 2024, targets near-patient oncology testing.
Specialists such as Tecan and Hamilton compete through customizable deck layouts and open-software ecosystems that attract research institutions. Micro-fluidic innovators license polymer-chip patents to major IVD firms, inserting their technology into distributed analyzers. Artificial-intelligence startups collaborate with tier-one instrument makers to co-develop predictive maintenance modules that extend instrument uptime guarantees.
Value-added service models gain traction: vendors bundle reagent rentals, operator training, and remote performance dashboards into monthly fees, easing budget constraints for mid-tier hospitals. Open-architecture initiatives attempt to break vendor lock-in by promoting standardized robotic interfaces, yet proprietary consumable patents remain a formidable moat.
Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry Leaders
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Cognex Corporation
-
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
-
Danaher Corporation
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Siemens Healthineers AG
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F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Recent Industry Developments
- January 2025: Thermo Fisher Scientific allocated USD 150 million to expand its Massachusetts automation plant, targeting next-generation molecular platforms.
- December 2024: Roche finalized a USD 1.8 billion purchase of GenMark Diagnostics’ automation assets to deepen hospital molecular offerings.
- November 2024: Danaher released an AI-enhanced liquid handler with embedded cloud connectivity.
- October 2024: Abbott gained FDA clearance for an integrated PCR workcell aimed at acute-care labs.
Global Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Report Scope
In vitro diagnostics (IVD) tests are medical devices that could be reagents, techniques, instruments, or a combination of these used in vitro to examine specimens such as blood, urine, or tissue to obtain a diagnosis from assays in a controlled environment. Diagnostic tests are usually conducted in laboratories, private or public, equipped with appropriate and sometimes expensive instrumentation and staffed with trained and qualified personnel to perform the tests.
The lab automation for in-vitro diagnostics market is segmented by equipment (automated plate handler, automated liquid handler, robotic arm, automated storage and retrieval system, and analyzer), end user (academic, laboratory, and other end users), and geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa). The report offers market sizes in value terms (USD) for all the above-mentioned segments.
| Automated Plate Handlers |
| Automated Liquid Handlers |
| Robotic Arms |
| Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems |
| Analyzers |
| Integrated Workcells |
| Micro-fluidic Platforms |
| Pre-analytical (Sample Prep) |
| Analytical |
| Post-analytical |
| Data Management and Connectivity |
| Clinical-chemistry Automation |
| Immunoassay Automation |
| Molecular and PCR Automation |
| NGS Library-prep Automation |
| ELISA Automation |
| Hospitals and Reference Laboratories |
| Clinical Diagnostics Laboratories |
| Academic and Research Institutions |
| Biopharma and Biotechnology Companies |
| Other End Users |
| North America | United States | |
| Canada | ||
| Mexico | ||
| South America | Brazil | |
| Argentina | ||
| Chile | ||
| Rest of South America | ||
| Europe | Germany | |
| United Kingdom | ||
| France | ||
| Italy | ||
| Netherlands | ||
| Rest of Europe | ||
| Asia-Pacific | China | |
| India | ||
| Japan | ||
| South Korea | ||
| Rest of Asia-Pacific | ||
| Middle East and Africa | Middle East | Saudi Arabia |
| United Arab Emirates | ||
| Turkey | ||
| Rest of Middle East | ||
| Africa | South Africa | |
| Nigeria | ||
| Rest of Africa | ||
| By Equipment | Automated Plate Handlers | ||
| Automated Liquid Handlers | |||
| Robotic Arms | |||
| Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems | |||
| Analyzers | |||
| Integrated Workcells | |||
| Micro-fluidic Platforms | |||
| By Process Step | Pre-analytical (Sample Prep) | ||
| Analytical | |||
| Post-analytical | |||
| Data Management and Connectivity | |||
| By Technology | Clinical-chemistry Automation | ||
| Immunoassay Automation | |||
| Molecular and PCR Automation | |||
| NGS Library-prep Automation | |||
| ELISA Automation | |||
| By End User | Hospitals and Reference Laboratories | ||
| Clinical Diagnostics Laboratories | |||
| Academic and Research Institutions | |||
| Biopharma and Biotechnology Companies | |||
| Other End Users | |||
| By Geography | North America | United States | |
| Canada | |||
| Mexico | |||
| South America | Brazil | ||
| Argentina | |||
| Chile | |||
| Rest of South America | |||
| Europe | Germany | ||
| United Kingdom | |||
| France | |||
| Italy | |||
| Netherlands | |||
| Rest of Europe | |||
| Asia-Pacific | China | ||
| India | |||
| Japan | |||
| South Korea | |||
| Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
| Middle East and Africa | Middle East | Saudi Arabia | |
| United Arab Emirates | |||
| Turkey | |||
| Rest of Middle East | |||
| Africa | South Africa | ||
| Nigeria | |||
| Rest of Africa | |||
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is the current value of the Lab Automation For In-Vitro Diagnostics market?
The segment is valued at USD 6.11 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 8.30 billion by 2030.
Which equipment type holds the largest share?
Automated liquid handlers lead with 37.83% of 2024 revenue.
Which process segment is expanding the fastest?
Data management and connectivity is growing at a 6.99% CAGR through 2030.
Why is Asia-Pacific the fastest-growing region?
Government health-care investments and expanding hospital genomics labs push regional growth to a 6.78% CAGR.
How are AI algorithms influencing laboratory automation?
Embedded machine-learning models predict maintenance needs and fine-tune assay parameters, reducing downtime and reagent waste.
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