Kneat 2023: Year in Review

As the calendar turns its pages, it’s time to reflect on the remarkable journey that was Kneat’s 2023. This year was marked by a series of achievements, ranging from exciting developments in our validation platform, Kneat Gx, to fostering a dynamic team culture through conferences, recruitment drives, and even daring feats like abseiling.

To provide a multifaceted view of our achievements, we reached out to four validation industry insiders within Kneat, asking them to share their perspectives on the most significant developments of 2023. Their insights offer a firsthand account of the impact Kneat has had on the validation landscape and the positive ripple effect on our industry.

Ruairi McGarry, Product Manager in R&D

Innovative Features and Enhancements to Kneat Gx

At the core of our success lies the continuous evolution of our digital validation platform, Kneat Gx. Throughout 2023, we dedicated ourselves to pushing the boundaries of validation software, introducing many new powerful features and enhancements over two releases, Gx Version 9.0 and 9.1, including:

• SaaS 3.0 Infrastructure
• Enhanced API Connectivity
• Search User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Upgrades
• Equipment Data Management
• The New Drawing Management Module
• The New Document Management Module
• Paperless Handover Updates
• Business Intelligence Enhancements

These updates streamlined existing processes and opened doors to new possibilities in the realm of validation.

Download the Kneat Gx Solution Overview to learn more about Kneat Gx, its comprehensive suite of validation solutions and market-proven benefits.

Madison Adams, Global Manager, Events & Partner Marketing

VALIDATE Conferences: A Platform for Knowledge Exchange

At Kneat, we believe sharing knowledge about digital validation best practices and including all stakeholders, partners, and vendors, delivers impactful outcomes for highly regulated industries. For Life Sciences it can help bring patient therapies to market faster, lower CQV lifecycle costs and schedules, streamline and harmonize best practices across organizations, and deliver real-time visibility and collaboration across organizations.

In pursuit of this aim, we organized two conferences in 2023, VALIDATE EU and VALIDATE 2023.

VALIDATE EU

Building off the success of the inaugural VALIDATE conference in Boston in November 2022, Kneat held its first European conference VALIDATE EU, in Dublin on April 18-19. Purpose-built for validation, quality, and compliance professionals, the event brought over 150 experts and digital validation leaders together in one place to share their knowledge and first-hand experience. Watch our recap video now to get a taste of VALIDATE!

We had 16 expert-led sessions on the technologies, metrics, and operational strategy required to drive quality with data, some delicious food, and fun networking events in Dublin at the Marker Hotel and the Guinness Storehouse, with insightful panels and workshops led by key leaders and innovators from across the life sciences industry.

The event sold out in record time, so make sure that you don’t miss out on next year’s conference! Sign up now to get notified about VALIDATE 2024!

VALIDATE 2023

VALIDATE 2023 was held on October 4-5 at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay in Florida. While the wind and sun were strong, the real energy was among the knowledge exchange, presentations, and discussions.

“If I could only attend one event a year this would be the one.”

– Carolina Costa, Senior Specialist Multi Site Validation, GSK

The theme of the event showcased cutting-edge insights on digitization, organizational change, and validation best practice, while fostering invaluable connections. Attendees told us that they left inspired and well-equipped for the future of validation and the era of digitization and change.

These conferences served as a vibrant platform for industry professionals, thought leaders, and stakeholders to converge, exchange ideas, and delve into the latest trends in validation. Attendees had the opportunity to gain insights from experts, participate in interactive sessions, and explore the advancements shaping the future of validation. The success of these conferences solidified Kneat’s commitment to fostering a collaborative ecosystem within the validation community.

Caroline Moloney, HR Business Partner & Organizational Cultural Specialist

Welcoming New Team Members

We added many talented individuals to the global team in 2023. Kneat now has over 280 employees and has operations in Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Canada, and the U.S. Our new team members bring diverse skills, perspectives, and experiences, enriching the collaborative environment that defines Kneat’s workplace culture. The infusion of fresh talent aligns with our commitment to innovation and ensures that we remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving validation landscape.

Nurturing Future Leaders

Recognizing the importance of investing in the next generation of leaders, Kneat implemented a new Graduate Program in 2023 which is ongoing. The graduate program consists of rotations across the business where the graduate experiences work in three different functions over an 18-month period, gaining a rounded end-to-end understanding of Kneat.

Our Graduate Program is designed to provide recent graduates with hands-on experience, mentorship, and a platform to develop their skills in the dynamic fields of validation and quality. By nurturing emerging talent, Kneat is not only contributing to the growth of individuals but also shaping the future of the industry.

L-R: Shane Barry, Robin McLoughlin, Fiston Kulimushi, Ciara McCarthy, Kareemat Fasasi-Kaseem, and Yu Meng at Kneat HQ in Castletroy, Limerick

We look forward to continuing our Graduate Program into 2024. Please visit our Careers Portal to learn more about our 2024 Graduate Programs and other open opportunities at Kneat.

Tara Murphy, Associate Quality Engineer

Thrilling Adventures

Beyond the boardroom and software development, Kneat embraces a culture of adventure and camaraderie. A standout moment from 2023 was the exhilarating activity of abseiling at Thomond Park stadium in Limerick, Ireland to raise funds for Down Syndrome Limerick.

L-R: Ruairi McGarry, Patrick Murphy, Gillian Dunphy, and Tara Murphy at King Johns Castle in September 2023

This daring escapade brought team members together in a unique and challenging environment, fostering bonds that extend beyond the confines of the workplace. The spirit of adventure at Kneat reflects our belief in giving back, as well as pushing boundaries, both professionally and personally.

Kneat also sponsored the Tour de Munster and Three Counties Cycle events this year for Down Syndrome Limerick. Team Kneat was represented at the Tour de Munster on August 10 by our CEO Eddie Ryan, Sales Solution Lead Mark Foley, and PMO Project Manager Paul Fahy.

L-R: Barry Rogers (DSL member & cyclist), Ruth Hayes (DSL member), and Kneat’s CEO Eddie Ryan, at the Tour de Munster launch on June 11, 2023

Thoughts to the Future

The cumulative efforts of the Kneat team throughout 2023 have translated into tangible outcomes across our industry network, customer base, and partnerships. The continuous refinement of Kneat Gx has empowered our customers to navigate validation processes with greater efficiency. The VALIDATE conferences facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration, contributing to the collective advancement of the validation community.

In the coming year, we will build off the momentum and hard work from everyone across the company, delivering expanding product offerings, hosting more events, and welcoming even more Kneat team members. Thank you to everyone for making 2023 such an incredible year!

About the Author

Lisa Wright, BA, GDL – Content Writer, Kneat

Lisa is an experienced writer whose work is focused on contextualizing the challenges and opportunities for validation, quality assurance, and compliance professionals operating in highly regulated industries. Outside of the office, she’s committed to education and has completed Kneat Academy End User and Power User 1 digital validation software training.