Wexford Science & Technology, LLC, a national developer specializing in partnering with universities, healthcare systems, research institutions, and innovative companies to develop spaces and communities to accelerate discovery and impact, has launched Connect Labs by Wexford in Charlotte, NC. Located in The Pearl, a partnership between Wexford and Advocate Health, Connect Labs brings scale-in-place lab and innovation infrastructure to support emerging and growth-stage companies across medical devices, biomedical engineering, life sciences, artificial intelligence, and data science.  

“Connect Labs strengthens the value of Wexford’s Knowledge Communities, like The Pearl, both for our partners and for the companies growing within them, by providing the critical infrastructure and lab-ready environments today’s emerging life science and technology companies require,” said Travis Sheridan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Connect Labs by Wexford. “With the opening of Connect Labs Charlotte, we continue to build on a network of creative and productive environments that provide access to great talent and research; facilitate collaboration; engage communities; and make discoveries.”   

Connect Labs Charlotte anchors the district’s early-stage innovation ecosystem offering private turn-key wet and engineering labs, shared equipment rooms, secure offices, and well-equipped meeting and collaboration areas with a purposefully curated set of amenities, services, and programming.  

“Connect Labs at The Pearl brings entrepreneurs and industry leaders together so they can work side by side and turn ideas into real-world solutions,” said Eugene A. Woods, CEO of Advocate Health. “It’s part of a growing community of innovators at The Pearl focused on accelerating discovery and making the latest breakthroughs more accessible to everyone.”

Spanning a total of more than 30,000 square feet, Connect Labs Charlotte provides a range of flexible lab configurations—from a single bench to private labs up to 3,500 square feet—along with office suites accommodating single-desk to three-desk layouts. Each space is secure, private, fully furnished, and designed to meet the rigorous needs of scientific and technology-driven companies. 

“Charlotte is rapidly becoming a destination for life sciences and advanced technology companies and Connect Labs Charlotte will play a pivotal role in ensuring that research and innovation emerging from our universities, health systems, and entrepreneurs can scale locally,” said Shahid Rana, Director of Economic Development, City of Charlotte. 

"Leasing momentum has been strong, with several companies already joining Connect Labs Charlotte, including founding members Tract Bio, Pentax Medical, TBM Labs, Coddle Creek Capital, Telemedicine, and Cushman & Wakefield,” according to Craig Scharton, Site Director at Connect Labs Charlotte. "Adding to this early energy, gBETA Charlotte Health—a health-innovation pre-accelerator supporting early-stage healthcare and digital health startups—will also call Connect Labs Charlotte home." 

At full capacity, Connect Labs will house approximately 25 to 35 companies and more than 150 researchers, scientists, and entrepreneurs.  

"Joining Connect Labs Charlotte at The Pearl positions Tract Bio at the center of a rapidly expanding life sciences community,” said Rick Russel, CEO of Tract Bio. “The ability to scale our operations within a purpose-built environment, surrounded by partners, talent, and shared resources, will accelerate our mission to bring transformative therapies to patients.”  

 “Connect Labs Charlotte provides the infrastructure and community that enable companies like ours to push boundaries in medical technology,” said Cat Pereira-Sanders, Chief Commercial Officer of PENTAX Medical, Americas. “We’re proud to be part of a district that is shaping the future of healthcare innovation in Charlotte and beyond.”