To make science education accessible to any student with an internet connection and a laptop. To help teachers educate and empower the next generation of scientists to change the world.
Reimagining the future of education
Learn about Labster, our vision, our mission and meet our founders and the team
What is Labster?
Labster is an education platform dedicated to creating fully interactive advanced and curriculum-aligned laboratory simulations, developed by a team of skilled in-house scientists.
Labster virtual simulations are based on mathematical algorithms supporting open-ended investigations. Combined with gamification elements such as an immersive 3D interactive learning environment, engaging storytelling and a scoring system the simulations pique students’ natural curiosity and highlight the connection between science and the real world. Apart from the full-length simulations, Labster provides additional learning content, such as short-form simulations, a library of science animations and lab supplements.
The same way astronauts use simulators to train before they travel to space, students are able to use Labster virtual lab simulations before they step into a wet lab. Labster gives students the ability to make mistakes in a risk-free environment and learn while staying engaged.
The labs have been used by California State University, Harvard, Gwinnett Technical College, MIT, Exeter University, University of New Haven, Stanford, University of New England, Trinity College, University of Hong Kong and Berkeley, among others internationally.
Our vision
Our mission
To create a revolutionary, engaging, and accessible STEM learning experience that is globally scalable. To accelerate science teaching experience and learning outcomes by continuously upgrading our education platform.
Our Founders
Michael Bodekaer Jensen
& Mads Tvillinggaard Bonde
Calling himself “a self-taught geek with a big capital G,” Michael has always been interested in new emerging technologies and gaming. Through his early experience working in an Internet cafe, where people played video games, he met Mads. They bonded over the love of Counter-Strike and Starcraft II.
As a Ph.D. student in charge of the Biotechnology lab at the University of Copenhagen, Mads found that students were having difficulty staying engaged and arriving prepared for lab work. At the same time, Michael was also teaching while pursuing a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences, which he later had to stop because Labster started growing so fast. Through their teaching experience, both Mads and Michael understood what needed to be changed to teach science effectively. They decided to transform the way science is taught.
“It was tough to engage the students and make them excited about a topic that we thought was super exciting, like science. How do you design outstanding immersive experiences where students truly learn? By adding engaging storylines and missions, project-based learning, it’s where you really start to see huge learning outcome benefits from the same amount of time spent.” – Michael Bodekaer Jensen, co-founder of Labster.
Further inspired by flight simulators training, Mads and Michael thought, “Why not apply simulations to teaching science?”. And, that’s how Labster was born.
“The ultimate dream is that 10–15 years from now, the Nobel Prize winner who has solved a major global challenge, such as global warming, or cancer, goes up on stage and tells the audience that it all started with Labster.” – Michael Bodekaer Jensen, co-founder of Labster.
Reasons why you’ll love Labster
As an educator, you have the flexibility to teach your students with Labster according to your own principles and methods, whatever your pedagogy.
Student learning assistant in all simulations
Quiz questions with each simulation
Individual adaptive student progression
Unlimited student re-plays of simulations
Individual adaptive student progression
Interactive 3D animations for complex concepts
Storylines to engage students in their learning
Automated save games and check-points
Trusted by over 2,000 institutions
“Labster helped open the doors to a more inquiry-based style of presenting.” - Dr. Kambiz Hamadani, California State University
“I don’t think there’s anyone who has the same expertise in-house that Labster has. I haven’t seen anyone else working in the field have this level.” - Dr. Philippos Savvides, Arizona State University
“Labster allows a dynamic visualization of chemical reactions so that students can practice and better understand these concepts.” - Dr. Sabine Matallana-Surget, Stirling University
“The virtual labs really help the students become familiar with the material before they engage in the class.” - Dr. Paul Kasili, Bunker Hill Community College
“It’s a great way to understand the concept of biological processes and different laboratory methods as well as to prepare for entering the lab.” - Dr. Pirjo Spuul, Tallinn University of Technology
“Labster can teach my students some of what I can, but it can do so at any time, at any place in a way that supports the diversity that I see in such a very large class.” - Prof. Tom Haffie, Western University
“The virtual labs have proven to stimulate students’ natural curiosity, knowledge retention and outcomes.” - Dr. Brian Harfe, University of Florida
“All collaborators provided positive feedback about the enriched experience that Labster created for their learners.” - Dr. Laurie Harrison, University of Toronto
“Albert Einstein once said: ‘The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.' In my opinion, Labster has managed this task!” - Dr. Carmen Nußbaumer, Management Center Innsbruck
“What I think is the greatest advantage of a virtual lab is that you can do basically anything.” - Dr. Mike Angilletta, Arizona State University
“Personally I look forward to the sessions with Labster, because I see more liveliness and activity than I do in most of my other lessons.” - Dr. Harmony Clayton, Taylors College
“Right from the beginning, I have found the customer service with Labster to be nothing short of outstanding.” - Dr. Joel Yager Humphrey, Cayuga Community College
“I think simulations are going to be a really big part of the future. There’s really no other way to go about it.” - Dr. Suzanna Katz, Staten Island Academy
“Labster is the only virtual set of labs that I know that do a marvelous job with the molecular components of genetics.” - Dr. Marta Frisardi, University of New England
“Within 20-30 minutes, students could evaluate a technique that normally takes hours and is quite boring and dry.” - Dr. Caroline Smith, Westminster University