Interactive Software – Achiever LIMS

Best supplier and
end-user partnership

Interactive Software (ISL) and Tropic have forged a highly collaborative, solution-orientated partnership to implement Achiever LIMS, a Laboratory Information Management System, within a pioneering AgriTech environment. The alliance exemplifies the best of supplier and end-user synergy, where strategic alignment, and technical excellence have delivered transformational impact.

Tropic, a UK-based tropical seed company, is developing climate-resilient crops and groundbreaking agricultural solutions, including gene-edited, non-browning bananas. With a rapidly expanding product pipeline and increasing data demands, Tropic required a powerful yet adaptable system to support data traceability, compliance, and operational efficiency.

The partnership with Interactive Software enabled Tropic to adopt a solution that not only met but exceeded their requirements, becoming a showcase of successful implementation, scalable design, and long-term innovation.

The primary objectives of the partnership were:

• To centralise Tropic’s laboratory data management in a scalable, secure system.
• To ensure regulatory compliance and audit-readiness through improved traceability.
• To reduce manual data entry errors and streamline workflows for scientific staff.
• To future-proof Tropic’s R&D operations with a platform that could scale alongside product pipelines and evolving research needs.

A particular challenge was the need to support highly specific workflows associated with gene-edited crop development, ranging from cell transformation to field-ready plant trials, while also ensuring the system’s flexibility to adapt to Tropic’s internal innovations.

The success of the project hinged on the strength of the relationship between supplier and end-user, underpinned by clear communication, shared goals, and technical alignment. From the outset, Interactive Software engaged Tropic in a rigorous three-month discovery and scoping process. This structured approach ensured that every element of the system was tailored to Tropic’s complex regulatory environment and evolving research needs.

Implementation was delivered through a carefully phased strategy, allowing Tropic to manage data migration, onboard users, and refine internal processes without disrupting ongoing work – and Phase 1 achieving Go-Live within 7 months. Each phase was co-developed and reviewed, with open channels of communication ensuring flexibility and alignment throughout.

Ownership of outcomes was equally shared. Interactive Software provided in-depth technical training and support, while Tropic enabled internal champions to lead adoption within their teams. This joint responsibility fostered both confidence and capability across the organisation.

Throughout the process, ISL demonstrated a consistent willingness to adapt the Achiever LIMS platform to Tropic’s requirements. This included workflow-specific adjustments and real-world enhancements, contributing significantly to system usability and adoption.

The partnership has delivered significant benefits across operational, regulatory, and strategic areas. One of the most immediate gains was a 50% reduction in data entry time, as technicians began logging data in real time using tablets. This shift not only alleviated administrative workload but also enhanced overall research productivity.

By moving from fragmented spreadsheets to a single, validated system, Tropic achieved greater data integrity and substantially reduced manual input errors and inconsistencies. This improvement in accuracy supports both research quality and compliance.
Achiever LIMS has also bolstered Tropic’s regulatory confidence. The system provides secure, auditable records for every stage of plant development, helping the company’s preparedness for future audit inspections.

In addition, the management team now benefits from improved visibility into R&D progress. Real-time access to consolidated data supports faster, more informed decision-making and strengthens strategic planning and resource allocation.

Finally, the cloud-based SaaS infrastructure has provided Tropic with a scalable platform. This flexibility ensures the system can be extended to new product lines and international operations without the need for additional physical infrastructure, futureproofing the company’s growth.
What sets this partnership apart is its depth, adaptability, and forward-looking nature. 

Interactive Software brought sector-specific expertise rooted in their experience with regulated environments such as clinical trials and biobanking, allowing them to tailor Achiever LIMS to the unique and evolving demands of agricultural biotechnology. Their approach went beyond deploying an off-the-shelf solution; instead, they collaborated closely with Tropic to co-develop features that reflect real-world R&D needs, including plans for integrating pathology and genotyping data in future phases.

This is not a transactional engagement but a long-term strategic alliance. Tropic and Interactive Software continue to collaborate with an eye on future scientific demands with upcoming phases focused on expanding Achiever LIMS to additional data layers and research programmes. The partnership illustrates how selecting the right supplier, one that aligns not only on technical capabilities but also on values and innovation, can deliver transformative results.

This partnership showcases what can be achieved when a technology supplier becomes a true collaborator. Through strategic alignment, tailored implementation, and shared commitment to innovation, Interactive Software and Tropic have built a future-proof data infrastructure that underpins cutting-edge agricultural research.