A striking green moss wall. It is the first thing that catches a visitor's eye in the lobby of diagnostics company Genomill. There is plenty more to see in the premises even after that – especially if you know something about laboratories.
The development company Genomill, which focuses on cancer diagnostics, moved to new premises on the 7th floor of PharmaCity in 2022. The company had previously operated in the same building, but in Werstas Labs a few floors down, where it had a laboratory of approximately 30 square meters at its disposal.
New premises became necessary when Genomill grew too large for its old laboratory. Because the company's goals are high, the facilities must also be in line with the operations, says the company's CEO Kalle Koskinen.
– Our goal is to develop precision diagnostics for cancer, intended for liquid biopsies, to be licensed to major operators. Our main market consists of diagnostics and sequencing platform companies based in the United States. Since our products represent very high-level technology, it is important that our employees enjoy themselves and that the space creates a good atmosphere, Koskinen says.
In addition to a spacious laboratory, Genomill's 259-square-meter premises include a meeting room, a kitchen, a lobby, and Koskinen's own office. The company's six employees enjoy working at the office even more now, and lunch is often enjoyed together in their own kitchen. The facilities are designed to allow room for an increase in the number of employees.
The style of the office space is a combination of Scandinavian and Asian. The style was also considered in the laboratory, where, instead of the traditional yellow plastic mat used in laboratories, they wanted vinyl parquet. For the walls of the lobby and kitchen, Koskinen found inspiration online.
– I had pictures on Pinterest of the style we wanted, for example, wooden slats, green walls, and indirect light. Based on these, Teknologiakiinteistöt created a timeless space for us, which could certainly just as easily serve as a law firm. The solutions were implemented cost-effectively, and all old materials were sent for recycling.
A lot of effort has also been put into sound management and good ventilation in the space. Natural light is provided by windows facing two different directions. According to Koskinen, the best part of the space, however, is the laboratory.
– Our wishes and ideas were fully realized in the renovation. Our laboratory is truly excellent; there aren’t many like it – even in the world's most prominent hubs. For us specifically, this is incredibly good, Koskinen concludes.
Genomill
Industry: Biotechnology
Founded: 2016
Employees: 10
Slogan: "Impossible is nothing"