Hera Laboratory Planners
Hera Laboratory Planners is a privately held, MBE-certified specialty consultancy (founded 1996, St. Louis) providing laboratory programming, planning, design, and construction administration to academic, clinical, forensic, government, and corporate R&D clients across the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSaint Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hera Laboratory Planners does
Hera Laboratory Planners (legal name: Health, Education and Research Associates, Inc.) is a privately held specialty consulting firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The firm provides laboratory programming, planning, design, and construction administration services across five vertical markets: academic, clinical, forensic, government, and corporate R&D. Through its forensic sub-brand Crime Lab Design (operating in long-standing partnership with Harley Ellis Devereaux), it is recognized as a leader in crime lab programming, architecture, and MEP design. The firm operates from six US offices, is certified as a Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) and Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), and reports cumulative project experience spanning more than 26.5 million square feet of laboratory space.
The company's service portfolio is organized into three pillars: Strategic Consulting (master planning, feasibility studies, programming, process mapping, Lean Six Sigma), Design and Construction (lab, vivarium, forensic, simulation, BSL containment planning; equipment planning; custom casework; SD/DD/CD documentation; construction administration; post-occupancy evaluation), and supplementary services (grant proposal assistance, workshop facilitation, peer review, sustainability review). A distinguishing layer of proprietary tools supports delivery: EQ-IPS, an iPad-based equipment planning application backed by a database of nearly 3,000 catalogued items; SABER cost modeling; Process Mapping simulation for clinical, public health, and forensic labs; an interactive Physical Model kit-of-parts that supports collaborative design workshops; and 3D visualization delivered via Autodesk Viewer and Matterport.
Hera monetizes through professional services on a project-by-project, fee-negotiated basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing schedule. Revenue is not publicly reported; the firm is privately held with no institutional equity, no parent company, and no history of outside funding. GTM is enterprise field sales: direct consulting engagements with academic institutions, healthcare systems, federal/state/local agencies, and corporate R&D organizations, supplemented by thought-leadership content marketing, conference presentations, professional association leadership (notably I2SL), and client referrals within the laboratory design community.
Hera Laboratory Planners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hera Laboratory Planners
- Legal name
- Health, Education and Research Associates, Inc.
- Website
- https://herainc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hera Laboratory Planners is a privately held, MBE-certified specialty consultancy (founded 1996, St. Louis) providing laboratory programming, planning, design, and construction administration to academic, clinical, forensic, government, and corporate R&D clients across the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hera Laboratory Planners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Planning and Design Services
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)
- SIC
- Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lab Furniture, Facilities & Utilities (Benches, Casework, Gas/Water Systems) (HLAGAIAM)
Keywords
Where Hera Laboratory Planners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Hera Laboratory Planners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Laboratory Planning and Design Consulting: Professional services revenue generated through consulting engagements for laboratory programming, planning, design, and construction administration across academic, clinical, forensic, government, and R&D markets
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Hera Laboratory Planners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HERA Laboratory Planners provides specialized programming, planning, design, and consulting services for laboratory environments across academic, clinical, forensic, government, and R&D markets. The firm delivers strategic consulting (master planning, programming, feasibility studies), design and construction administration, and uses proprietary tools including EQ-IPS (equipment planning), SABER (cost modeling), process mapping simulation, and 3D visualization. With more than 26.5 million square feet of laboratory project experience, HERA acts as architect-laboratory planner to optimize lab workflows, safety, flexibility, and equipment selection.
Product overview
HERA Laboratory Planners is a specialized laboratory planning and design firm offering a comprehensive suite of services and proprietary tools for creating optimal laboratory environments. Their core offerings include Strategic Consulting (master planning, programming, process mapping, Lean Six Sigma) and Design & Construction services (lab planning, vivarium, forensic, BSL containment). Their innovation portfolio features proprietary tools: EQ-IPS (iPad-based equipment planning application), SABER (cost modeling), Process Mapping (workflow simulation), Physical Model (3D collaborative planning kit of parts), and 3D Visualization services using Autodesk and Matterport technologies. The company serves five primary markets: academic, clinical, forensic, government, and R&D.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Crime Lab Design: HERA's forensic arm recognized around the world as the industry leader in forensic laboratory programming, architecture and MEP design.
Products and services
- Strategic Consulting Strategic consulting services including master planning, feasibility studies, programming, strategic planning, utilization studies, process mapping, and Lean Six Sigma methodologies to optimize laboratory environments for academic, clinical, forensic, government, and R&D clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Equipment budget reduced from $17.5 million to $10.7 million at Eastern Kentucky University
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hera Laboratory Planners
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hera Laboratory Planners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Hera Laboratory Planners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Harley Ellis DevereauxcoreLong-term partnership with Harley Ellis Devereaux through HERA's forensic brand Crime Lab Design, providing integrated services for forensic laboratory programming, architecture and MEP design for over 20 years.
- Behnisch ArchitektenminorArchitectural partner for University of Pennsylvania Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology project.
- Moody NolanminorArchitectural partner for City Colleges of Chicago Malcolm X School of Health Sciences project.
- LS3PminorArchitectural partner for Renewable Water Resources Laboratory & Environmental Education Center project.
- HH ArchitectureminorArchitectural partner for North Carolina Department of Agriculture Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center.
- Breakthrough PropertiesminorDevelopment partner for life sciences projects including R&D facilities.
- ICIscientific, Mott Manufacturing, Northeast Interior SystemsminorManufacturing partners producing HERA's proprietary universal drawer pull design for laboratory casework.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hera Laboratory Planners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SmithGroup: National architecture firm with one of the largest dedicated Science & Technology practices in North America, designing research, healthcare, and academic laboratory facilities. Direct competitor to HERA across the same academic, clinical, government, and corporate R&D lab planning and design verticals.
- EwingCole: Architecture, engineering, and planning firm with a dedicated science and technology practice serving academic, government, healthcare, and corporate research clients. Direct peer in laboratory planning consulting across similar project types.
- Payette Associates: Boston-based architecture and planning firm whose practice is concentrated on science facilities, healthcare, and academic laboratory design. Direct peer in the boutique, planner-led laboratory consulting niche.
- CannonDesign: Integrated design firm with an established Science & Technology practice serving higher education, healthcare, and corporate research clients. Competes for the same laboratory planning engagements HERA targets, especially academic and clinical.
- Flad Architects: Specialized architecture and planning firm focused on science and technology facilities, with deep expertise in laboratory design for academic, healthcare, and corporate research clients. Closely mirrors HERA's planner-led model and five-vertical market coverage.
Broad incumbents
- HDR: Global engineering and architecture firm that built a sizeable laboratory planning practice through the acquisitions of CUH2A, AHA, and others. Broad incumbent competing for major academic, healthcare, and government lab planning mandates.
- HOK: Global architecture firm whose science and technology practice includes the former DOBER lab planning consultancy. Broad incumbent with substantial academic, clinical, and corporate research lab planning capability.
- Stantec: Global engineering and consulting firm with a substantial science and technology practice built through multiple acquisitions. Broad incumbent in lab planning and design for education, healthcare, and public-sector clients.
- Perkins&Will: Global architecture firm with a robust science and technology practice (including the legacy CO Architects lab planning heritage) serving higher education, healthcare, and corporate research clients. Broad incumbent whose overlap with HERA's planning work is significant but not the firm's primary focus.
Others
- Harley Ellis Devereaux: Engineering and architectural firm with a dedicated forensics laboratory practice and HERA's >20-year integrated-delivery partner through the Crime Lab Design brand. Operates simultaneously as a partner on integrated engagements and a competing architectural firm in the broader lab design market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
Hera Laboratory Planners social profiles
Digital presenceHera Laboratory Planners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hera Laboratory Planners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles20 records
Hera Laboratory Planners subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Hera Laboratory Planners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hera Laboratory Planners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hera Laboratory Planners
What does Hera Laboratory Planners do?
HERA Laboratory Planners provides specialized programming, planning, design, and consulting services for laboratory environments across academic, clinical, forensic, government, and R&D markets. The firm delivers strategic consulting (master planning, programming, feasibility studies), design and construction administration, and uses proprietary tools including EQ-IPS (equipment planning), SABER (cost modeling), process mapping simulation, and 3D visualization. With more than 26.5 million square feet of laboratory project experience, HERA acts as architect-laboratory planner to optimize lab workflows, safety, flexibility, and equipment selection.
Is Hera Laboratory Planners a public or private company?
Hera Laboratory Planners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hera Laboratory Planners founded?
Hera Laboratory Planners was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hera Laboratory Planners based?
Hera Laboratory Planners is headquartered in Saint Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hera Laboratory Planners make money?
One revenue line is on record: laboratory Planning and Design Consulting.
Who are Hera Laboratory Planners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SmithGroup, EwingCole, Payette Associates, CannonDesign and Flad Architects. Broad incumbents are HDR, HOK, Stantec and Perkins&Will. Harley Ellis Devereaux is listed as an others.
Does Hera Laboratory Planners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hera Laboratory Planners.
What industry is Hera Laboratory Planners in?
Hera Laboratory Planners's product category is Laboratory Planning and Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAM, Lab Furniture, Facilities & Utilities (Benches, Casework, Gas/Water Systems). Its NAICS code is 541690 and its SIC code is 3821.