Prologis Labs, a new logistics-related innovation center in San Leandro, California, began running experiments in November. The facility in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area has physical and digital laboratories, providing a sandbox environment to test new technologies, new product ideas, procurement and ancillary services. The space allows Prologis to explore opportunities through experimentation in the lab and provides a realistic setting to demonstrate new product and service offerings to employees, customers, investors, and prospects.

Prologis Labs is set up as a working logistics center with racks, loading bays and everything needed to test warehouse products and services. The research space has high ceilings, ideal for aesthetics and clear heights. It also has a collaboration and showcase area for customer meetings, project working sessions and presentations.

Prologis Labs focuses on five categories impacting Prologis and the logistics sector:

• Digital supply chain/digital warehouse
• Labor and well-being
• Next-generation warehouse
• Transportation
• Urban fulfillment

At the end of 2018, there were 63 experiments in the pipeline at Prologis Labs, each with a specific use case and business benefit. Teams from throughout the global organization—including Construction and Development, Energy, ESG, Essentials, Prologis Ventures and Risk Management—have submitted ideas for consideration.   

By executing iterative experiments, Prologis Labs serves as an incubator for new ideas, products and services. It’s a space to test underlying assumptions, share validated learnings and focus on promising opportunities for Prologis and its partners. 

To determine a priority for experiments, the Prologis Labs team created a framework that analyzes the potential for revenue generation, customer benefits, risk management gains and expense reductions for customers, investors, partners and communities. Currently, there are 16 active experiments running, and pilot scoping is underway with several key customers.

Stay tuned to see what comes out of Prologis Labs as the leader in global logistics real estate continues on a path of innovation to stay ahead of what’s next for our customers, investors and communities.