Lightship
Lightship is a US clinical trial site organization that runs decentralized, hybrid, and community-based trials for biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions through a 30+ site national network, mobile research units, and dedicated GCP-trained mobile nursing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersEl Segundo, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lightship does
Lightship Inc. is a US-headquartered clinical trial site organization founded in 2018 that delivers decentralized, hybrid, and community-based clinical trials to biopharmaceutical sponsors, contract research organizations (CROs), and academic institutions across the United States and the United Kingdom. The company operates a curated network of 30+ research sites with investigator medical licensure across 26 states (extending to 51 states via its virtual site model), complemented by mobile research units (MRUs) capable of in-community biospecimen collection, IMP storage, ECG, and physical assessments, and a dedicated GCP-trained mobile nursing service that has conducted 1,000+ offsite visits. Its reported operational metrics include 3x patient reach versus traditional brick-and-mortar trials, 2x faster trial startup, 95% patient retention in hybrid/DCT trials, 40% diverse patient enrollment, and 2.5x faster enrollment in decentralized studies.
Lightship firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightship
- Legal name
- Lightship Inc.
- Website
- https://lightship.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Lightship is a US clinical trial site organization that runs decentralized, hybrid, and community-based trials for biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions through a 30+ site national network, mobile research units, and dedicated GCP-trained mobile nursing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightship industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Clinical Trial Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized/Hybrid Trial Enablement (DCT) Platforms (HLACAOAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Decentralized & Hybrid Trial Site Services (Home Health/Nursing) (HLAGACAH)
Keywords
Where Lightship is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- El Segundo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Lightship business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Clinical Trial Services: Lightship generates revenue by providing end-to-end clinical trial services to biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions. Services include decentralized trials, hybrid trials, mobile research units, mobile nursing, community outreach, and site network management. Revenue is earned through service contracts for study delivery.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Lightship product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightship is a clinical trial site organization that delivers decentralized, hybrid, and community-based clinical trials through a network of 30+ research sites, fully equipped mobile research units, and GCP-trained mobile nursing services. The company provides end-to-end trial services including outreach and recruitment, virtual site operations, in-home visits, and traditional site-based conduct for biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions across the US and UK.
Product overview
Lightship is a clinical trial site organization offering a unified platform with multiple service modules for decentralized, hybrid, and traditional clinical trial delivery. The core offering includes: Outreach & Recruitment for community engagement; Decentralized Clinical Trials for fully remote studies; Hybrid Trial Services combining site-based and remote participation; Mobile Research Units (MRU) for community-based visits; Mobile Nursing Services for in-home care; and the Lightship Site Network of 30+ curated research sites. These services can be deployed independently or integrated for end-to-end trial support, from enrollment through close-out, across in-clinic, hybrid, and fully decentralized settings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Outreach & Recruitment Community-driven engagement and multi-channel recruitment strategies that maximize clinical trial outreach through local events, partnerships, and digital outreach to identify, qualify, and refer eligible participants. Designed for biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions seeking representative patient populations.
- Decentralized Clinical Trials End-to-end decentralized services that extend trial reach beyond traditional sites with virtual site models, licensed investigators across 51 US states, and GCP-trained research nurses delivering personalized care at home or participants' preferred locations. Designed for biopharma sponsors needing faster enrollment across geographically and demographically diverse populations.
- Hybrid Trial Services Clinical trial services that blend site-based and remote participation for high-quality research, combining traditional site visits with decentralized elements through a network of 30+ research sites across the US. Targeted at sponsors running trials that require both in-clinic and at-home activities.
- Mobile Research Units (MRU) Fully functional, FDA-compliant portable research sites that bring clinical trials directly to participants, eliminating travel barriers and providing controlled environments for study visits, biospecimen collection, IMP storage, ECGs, and physical exams. Used by biopharma sponsors and CROs to reach communities lacking convenient trial sites.
- Mobile Nursing Services GCP-qualified research nurses providing in-home and alternative-location visits for study activities including patient education, vital sign assessments, biological sample collection, IMP administration, and telemedicine assessments. Designed for sponsors running decentralized and hybrid trials requiring consistent, high-quality home-based care.
- Lightship Site Network A curated network of 30+ research sites across the US with experienced investigators, providing geographic coverage and investigator medical licensure across 26 states with expertise across 10+ therapeutic areas. Used by biopharma sponsors and CROs to run site-based portions of decentralized and hybrid trials.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3x patient access compared to traditional brick-and-mortar trials
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightship
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lightship technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Lightship partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CRIOcoreLightship selected and implemented CRIO's integrated eSource and site CTMS platform to standardize site workflows and strengthen operational visibility across its expanding site network. The platform centralizes study operations, reporting, and oversight workflows for repeatable execution.
- Veda TrialscoreLightship acquired Veda Trials, a company specializing in end-to-end clinical operations in community care settings. Veda's technology streamlines site activation and reduces operational burden for community clinics. Veda's Founder and CEO Lesley Solomon continues in her role reporting to Lightship CEO David MacMurchy. The acquisition expands Lightship's community-based operations and accelerates startup timelines.
- IGC PharmaminorIGC Pharma expanded its Phase 2 CALMA trial with Dominion Medical Associates, a site within Lightship's network. The hybrid trial model enhances participant access, retention, and enrollment efficiency across underserved and rural communities.
- Society for Clinical Research Sites (SCRS)coreLightship joined SCRS as a Global Impact Partner. As a GIP, Lightship participates on the GIP Board and works with SCRS Leadership Council to champion sites within the global research marketplace, shape industry best practices, and advocate for greater site sustainability.
- Circuit ClinicalminorLightship and Circuit Clinical mutually agreed to terminate their previously announced merger agreement following careful consideration of recent developments and thorough review of strategic priorities. Both companies will continue operating as separate entities.
- Dominion Medical AssociatescoreRichmond, Virginia-based clinical research site within Lightship's site network, led by Founder and Principal Investigator Dr. Richard Allen Jackson. Uses hybrid model combining in-clinic assessments with remote and in-home participant activities as part of Lightship's expanded access clinical trial model.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lightship competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Science 37: Direct decentralized clinical trial competitor offering a unified DCT operating model with mobile nurses, telemedicine PIs, and home-based visits. Closest comparable in scope and target customer set to Lightship.
- Circuit Clinical: Hybrid clinical trial site network and former Lightship merger counterparty. Operates community-based research sites and was pursuing a comparable DCT/site network thesis before the merger was terminated.
- Medable: DCT platform enabling decentralized trials through eCOA, eConsent, telehealth, and remote data capture. Competes with Lightship's virtual site and eSource capabilities and serves the same biopharma sponsors and CROs.
- Velocity Clinical Research: Multi-site clinical research site network operating dedicated research clinics across therapeutic areas. Direct competitor in the hybrid trial site network segment with overlapping biopharma sponsors and therapeutic focus.
- Elligo Health Research: Research-ready site network using Goes Direct approach to embed trials into community physician practices. Comparable model of leveraging community providers to expand trial access and diversity.
- Castor: DCT-focused eClinical platform providing eConsent, EDC, eCOA, and decentralized trial enablement. Competes in the technology layer that supports hybrid and decentralized trial execution for sponsors and CROs.
Broad incumbents
- IQVIA: Global CRO and life sciences services giant with extensive DCT capabilities, site network, and biopharma sponsor relationships. Competes broadly with Lightship across decentralized trial delivery at greater scale.
- ICON plc: Global CRO formed through PRA Health Sciences combination, offering decentralized and hybrid trial services alongside full clinical development capabilities. Established incumbent competing for the same enterprise sponsors.
- Labcorp Drug Development: Large CRO with central labs, decentralized trial offerings, and site network capabilities. Competes with Lightship on hybrid trial delivery and patient access for biopharmaceutical sponsors.
- Syneos Health: Global CRO offering clinical development and decentralized trial services. Previously Lightship CBO's prior employer; established player competing on hybrid trial design and execution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lightship social profiles
Digital presenceLightship compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Lightship financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightship leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Lightship subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Lightship funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightship M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lightship
What does Lightship do?
Lightship is a clinical trial site organization that delivers decentralized, hybrid, and community-based clinical trials through a network of 30+ research sites, fully equipped mobile research units, and GCP-trained mobile nursing services. The company provides end-to-end trial services including outreach and recruitment, virtual site operations, in-home visits, and traditional site-based conduct for biopharmaceutical sponsors, CROs, and academic institutions across the US and UK.
Is Lightship a public or private company?
Lightship is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Lightship founded?
Lightship was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Lightship based?
Lightship is headquartered in El Segundo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lightship make money?
One revenue line is on record: clinical Trial Services.
Who are Lightship's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Science 37, Circuit Clinical, Medable, Velocity Clinical Research, Elligo Health Research and Castor. Broad incumbents are IQVIA, ICON plc, Labcorp Drug Development and Syneos Health.
Does Lightship have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lightship.
What industry is Lightship in?
Lightship's product category is Clinical Trial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLACAOAL, Decentralized/Hybrid Trial Enablement (DCT) Platforms, with a secondary code of HLAGACAH, Decentralized & Hybrid Trial Site Services (Home Health/Nursing).