From March 24 to 27, 2026, Munich will become the hub of the digital laboratory world. analytica, the world’s leading trade fair, will focus on data integration and artificial intelligence (AI) to pave the way for the “self-driving lab.”
Laboratory digitization is reaching a new level: moving away from isolated, standalone solutions toward cross-vendor interoperability and AI-powered analytics. Trade show director Susanne Grödl emphasizes that this year’s event places a stronger focus on the practical implementation of this transformation.
IT Highlights and Key Technology Areas:
- Special Exhibition “Digital Transformation”: 18 exhibitors (including Mettler Toledo and Metrohm) will demonstrate the intuitive integration of hardware and software. A key focus is on process automation using cobots, which take over manual tasks such as loading centrifuges.
- Data Bridges & LIMS Integration: Partners such as Qualitype and Splashlake are presenting solutions for the seamless transfer of data from laboratory instruments to LIMS environments—a prerequisite for downstream AI analysis.
- AI in Instrumental Analysis: Market leaders such as Agilent, Bruker, and Shimadzu are integrating machine learning directly into the analysis of mass spectra and spectroscopy data. Strategic alliances (e.g., Thermo Fisher with OpenAI) signal a trend toward generative AI in the laboratory setting.
- analytica Conference: On March 25, experts will discuss the use of AI to control automated laboratories, as well as digital tools in mass spectrometry and photonics, during the “Digital Analytical Sciences” session.
analytica 2026 thus provides the key platform for IT decision-makers and bioinformaticians to discuss interface standards and set the course for a fully digitized laboratory infrastructure.