The Genesis of LigoLab:  What Started as a Shared Vision Between Friends Has Become the Definitive Lab Information System Choice for Modern Laboratories

Over two decades ago, Edward Kharatian met Suren Avunjian and immediately recognized Suren's unique capabilities.

Kharatian was serving as the CIO of Healthline Clinical Laboratories, a rapidly growing operation that had outgrown its 15,000-square-foot facility and was bursting at the seams. To keep pace with the lab's success, the operation needed to move into a new facility nearly seven times larger: a sprawling 100,000-square-foot building. This pivotal moment set the stage for a lasting connection between the two.

"It was a very challenging project because we were dealing with infrastructure issues," said Kharatian, President of LigoLab, an enterprise clinical and pathology lab software company widely known throughout the industry for its all-in-one laboratory information system (LIS software) with an advanced embedded laboratory billing (lab revenue cycle management) module. "All the stations, all the servers, everything had to be moved. So we hired a company to help, and Suren just happened to be working there."

Avunjian embraced the challenge with determination.

"Edward and I connected from the start," said Avunjian, LigoLab's CEO. "We immediately began collaborating, answering each other's questions and working together seamlessly from day one."

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Building California's Largest Privately Held Lab

The move into the new building was smooth and successful. Shortly after this transition, Kharatian offered Avunjian a position working directly with him at Healthline. The offer was accepted, and soon he was supervising the lab's IT department.

The business grew into California's largest privately held lab, processing up to 5,000 specimens daily. The colleagues closely collaborated to develop solutions the industry lacked, laying the foundation for the shared vision that guides them today.

"We started flirting with the idea of starting our own laboratory information system software company," explained Avunjian. "Whenever we brought on a big customer, or when the company experienced big growth due to some of the technologies we had developed, Edward and I would look at each other and say, 'If this is helping one lab, it can help thousands.'"

The idea had taken root, but the demands of day-to-day work kept both of them occupied, forcing them to put the dream on hold for the time being. 

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The Decision That Changed Everything

That brings us to 2006, when Kharatian and Avunjian had helped build a highly successful company that ultimately was acquired by LabCorp. Following the sale, the longtime friends faced a pivotal choice: remain with the newly acquired organization or pursue a path of their own.

They chose to forge their own path.

"When I was CIO at Healthline, I saw a lot of presentations and types of lab billing and laboratory information systems," said Kharatian. "I saw the need for integrated and unified LIS software, especially in the anatomic pathology LIS environment. At that point, there were only a few LIS software vendors. I saw a great need for this, so I decided to move that way."

The partners had a shared vision. With their new direction set, they now just needed a name for their company.

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The Meaning Behind the Name: Ligo

Transforming Labs Into Modern, Data-Driven Organizations

The word "Ligo" comes from Latin and means "to unite" or "to connect," a fitting reflection of the vision pursued when LigoLab was founded. 

"Connecting laboratories is the most important thing," continued Kharatian. "Connecting, merging, and integrating them into something whole between departments through shared medical LIS technology."

The name fit because the mission from the start was to unite every aspect of laboratory operations with a truly integrated LIS system.

"The term encapsulates our goal: one platform, one source of truth," added Avunjian.

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The Early Days: Garages, Trust, and Unwavering Focus 

Like many startups, the early journey came with its share of challenges. Many of those first business meetings took place in Kharatian’s garage, where the foundation of LigoLab began to take shape. The company operated with a bootstrap mindset, generating and reinvesting nearly every dollar back into the business. Much of the early investment supported Tony Oganesian, now LigoLab’s Managing Partner, who initially worked alongside Edward and Suren as a contractor while still employed elsewhere. 

Despite those early challenges, the two allies stayed confident and focused on achieving their vision.

"I saw the success of our company from day one because of the reputation we had built," noted Avunjian. "We were fortunate not to need any outside investors and were known to deliver on our word. When the owners sold the lab, some of the salespeople and VPs from that company joined other labs. The sale was a blessing in disguise. During the acquisition, everyone was shocked, but it worked out well for us because everyone spread out, and many of them came to us for help on IT infrastructure and laboratory information systems shortly thereafter."

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Customers Who Believed Before the Product Existed

The two business partners leaned on the strength of their reputations and made a promise: they would deliver on their vision, but it would take time and patience. 

"From the start, we recognized the huge trust people were placing in us by fronting the money," said Avunjian. "Our early customers were so eager that they paid a year in advance for laboratory information system functions that we hadn't built yet."

The team focused exclusively on developing the LIS software for those first few customers who placed their trust in them.

"We dedicated all our time to ensuring they received tangible value, and they did. Each grew their labs to become highly successful businesses," Avunjian said.

With the support of early customers who believed in and shared the vision, LigoLab grew into a trusted leader in laboratory information systems. Two decades later, the LIS company and its customers continue to define the future of LIS lab innovation. 

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Modern Laboratory Information System Solutions to Combat Real-World Problems 

Today's pathology groups and clinical laboratories are under pressure. Volumes are rising, payers are cutting reimbursements, and modern-day labs must adopt innovative technologies and processes to improve customer relationships, streamline operations, and maximize value.

A Platform Built for Today's Lab Challenges

LigoLab delivers comprehensive LIS software solutions for clinical and anatomic pathology, genetics, and precision medicine. The flexible all-in-one medical LIS and laboratory billing platform continuously evolves through ongoing enhancements and innovation, enabling LigoLab to tailor its solutions to the unique requirements of each customer, regardless of laboratory size, specialty, or testing complexity. 

An LIS Model That Grows With Your Lab

Unlike traditional legacy laboratory information system companies, LigoLab requires no upfront capital investment or licensing fees. Instead, it offers LIS model pricing with tiers that align with a lab's current needs. Through shared risk, this pricing structure enables medical labs and LigoLab to grow together.

LigoLab transforms laboratories, fuels their growth, and optimizes their resources. From order entry and grossing to lab billing and reporting, the enterprise LIS company is there every step of the way.

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Join the LigoLab Community

Choosing LigoLab means partnering with a LIS company focused on helping laboratories thrive through an all-in-one laboratory workflow management system that ensures accuracy and delivers agility in a changing industry.

With LigoLab, you're not simply keeping pace; you're setting the standard. Across the country, innovative laboratories are harnessing the full potential of the comprehensive LigoLab platform to transform diagnostics, improve patient outcomes, and redefine what's possible in healthcare.

Elevate Your Laboratory Operations

The future of laboratory informatics is here, and LigoLab is helping drive it forward. Connect with LigoLab to discover how advanced diagnostic lab software can create new opportunities for growth, efficiency, and long-term success for your laboratory. 

Take Action: Speak With a LigoLab Product Specialist Today!

Frequently Asked Questions About LigoLab's Founding Story and Its Innovative Laboratory Information System Software

How did LigoLab get started?

LigoLab was founded in 2006 by Edward Kharatian and Suren Avunjian, two technology and laboratory operations professionals who met while working at Healthline Clinical Laboratories, which they grew under their leadership into California's largest privately held lab. After LabCorp acquired Healthline, the partners chose to channel their shared expertise and vision into building the laboratory information system company they had always envisioned.

What does the name "LigoLab" mean?

The name Ligo comes from the Latin word meaning "to unite” or “to connect." It reflects the philosophy of the founders to build LIS systems that integrate all aspects of lab operations into a single, unified platform. One source of truth for all laboratory data was the core idea from the very beginning.

How did LigoLab grow without outside investors?

Rather than seeking private equity or venture capital, LigoLab leveraged the strong reputations Kharatian and Avunjian had built during their years at Healthline. Early customers trusted them enough to prepay for LIS systems that the company hadn't yet built, providing the funding and confidence the company needed to deliver on its vision without the constraints imposed by external investors.

What makes LigoLab different from legacy laboratory information system companies?

LigoLab requires no upfront capital investment or licensing fees, offers tiered pricing that scales with lab growth, and continuously updates its platform to reflect customer feedback and industry demands. Unlike rigid legacy LIS systems, LigoLab's all-in-one platform integrates laboratory information systems and lab revenue cycle management functions within a single infrastructure, eliminating data silos and enabling seamless end-to-end workflows.

What types of laboratories does LigoLab serve?

LigoLab serves a wide range of independent medical laboratories, including anatomic pathology groups, clinical laboratories, molecular diagnostics labs, and organizations involved in genetics and precision medicine. Its platform supports labs of all sizes, from growing startups to large enterprise operations processing thousands of specimens daily.

How has LigoLab's founding philosophy shaped its business model?

The founding belief that technology should unite rather than fragment laboratory operations has shaped every aspect of LigoLab's platform, from its unified database architecture and all-in-one LIS and RCM design to its aligned pricing model and customer-first support philosophy. The company continues to reinvest heavily in research and development, releasing new features daily and treating each customer relationship as a long-term partnership.