nu:lab – Powering 8M Tests with a High-Performance Digital Platform

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, nu:lab needed a highly adaptable and scalable platform to manage mass testing efficiently. With up to 300,000 daily users, the system required automation, seamless government compliance, and real-time processing, all while rapidly evolving to meet changing pandemic needs.

The Deliverables

• UX/UI Design
• ProductManagement
• Software Development

The Challenge

nu:lab required a fast, scalable solution to handle a massive influx of users while ensuring automated test verification and regulatory compliance. The system needed to adapt quickly to evolving pandemic conditions without compromising stability or efficiency.

The Solution

To meet the urgent demands of mass COVID-19 testing, we designed and built a comprehensive digital ecosystem that seamlessly connected users, laboratories, and government certification systems. The platform needed to be both scalable and adaptable, handling an evolving regulatory landscape while ensuring a smooth user experience.

We launched an initial proof of concept (POC) within three months, allowing rapid deployment during the pandemic. Over the next two years, we continuously improved and maintained the platform, refining features based on real-time needs.

Key features of the solution included:

• OCR automation to extract and register test results directly from lab certificates
• QR-certified test verification, ensuring compliance with German government regulations
• A web and mobile platform for users to book tests and access results instantly
• An admin dashboard that enabled doctors and laboratories to manage test approvals efficiently
• AWS-powered infrastructure, built to scale and support peak traffic of up to 300,000 daily users

With a robust tech stack, including TypeScript, NestJS, NodeJS, ReactJS, React Native, and AWS, we ensured the platform operated with high performance and minimal downtime, even under extreme demand.

The Results

The platform successfully scaled to meet the urgent demands of COVID-19 testing, ensuring a seamless experience for both users and healthcare providers. Its automation and scalability enabled efficient operations even during peak usage periods.

• 8 million tests sold
• 300,000 daily users at peak
• Minimal production issues despite rapid scaling
• Multi-million monthly revenue for the founders

Although no longer live post-pandemic, nu:lab proved the impact of rapid iteration and scalable digital health infrastructure, playing a crucial role in COVID-19 testing.