pep_researcher has also been extremely understanding Randy

^this is a joke, lighten up fellas

@gym.rat Honestly, thank you for being so understanding and level-headed.

@Randy Hey buddy let me know here or a DM the cost of vials and shipping, I'll get that sent right over to ya.

"I’m also aware that you’ve identified issues with testing from ILS and Freedom. I have a botched Freedom test sitting in my own email. No lab is perfect, and nobody reasonable expects one to be."

If you were aware of this why allow blatantly false claims to be espoused here when you could have easily countered their statements.

Apologies but I'm not a member here and I'm not sure who is an admin, owner, or moderator but I was under the impression that Randy is in some sort of leadership position? If I'm mistaken I sincerely apologize.

@Stevepep The vial insert does look like it has tentacles, is that what you are referring to or did they actually photoshop something extra? Thank you either way.

@Stevepep Thank you for your understanding and words of encouragement. I'm trying my best to build the business to the best of my abilities but am always open to constructive criticism.

Apologies if I don't respond in the future but I'll check back once in a while.

@Stevepep I think Steve is doing great, but I understand the sentiment. I've also saved him a couple of times from errant testing results from competing labs so quantifying net gain will never be simple.

@vpeptide Just a design choice really. My initial intent was to build a COA page that was able to provide as much testing data as possible.

The COA is meant to be easily digestible by the wide gamut of end-users who have varying degrees of knowledge of the testing process. The actual COA page is supposed to be the home of the entire data package including the COA, extra add-on reports, raw data, along with pictures and video of the testing process.

Frankly I just got extremely busy and the demand wasn't there for it. Usually clients would just download the pdf and upload it to their site because that was what they were used to.

@pep_researcher A client brought this thread to my attention. I wasn't searching for it lol.

I'm not here to convince you or solicit your business. My clientele has continued to grow and you have every right to choose who you purchase product from.

My only reason for responding is to ensure that my side of the story is represented for anyone who may come across this thread.

@stevensanto This makes sense but I will say that I have invalidated all of your favorite labs COAs at least once if not more. Broadcasting these issues would be unprofessional of me so I'd rather leave it to my clients to choose to publicize their issues or not. Naturally they won't because they don't want problems with labs either.

I think it's understandable to scrutinize my business but I think we can all agree that every lab has had their share of mistakes. I will say that I don't think many are taking the steps I am in developing an entire database where every run is stored, analyzed, and compared to our entire history of tests.

I've also made it a goal of mine to reduce user-error by investing in technologies that require minimal human intervention i.e. the Nexus and BacT/Alert systems. Although these instruments carry higher per-sample costs, I believe the investment is justified by the lower error rates, improved consistency, and reduced need for repeat testing.

@pep_researcher Cause it was fun. Maybe don't broadcast publicly, blind tests.

Results weren't returned because after I came on here I wasn't spoken to directly or acknowledged professionally. Frankly if the mod/admin is this unjust and rude I'm not sure my services will be judged fairly. His dispute wasn't countered and his funds were quickly returned.

It sounds like another one of your users, "Commander" used our services without broadcasting his intent. Why not ask him how it turned out?

@Commander DM me your order number and I'll gladly take a look. Reach out on WhatsApp for the quickest direct feedback and support.

Our volume has been increasing dramatically the past few months and I believe all labs have been quite overwhelmed. Still, this isn't an excuse or justification for not responding so apologies for that.

I have implemented submission gating to reduce turnaround times, hopefully this won't be an issue in the future.

@gym.rat “Self-explanatory”? I don’t understand what is supposedly so concerning. Is the vial insert the object that concerns you? It is simply an insert placed inside the vial to facilitate injection while minimizing excess sample waste.

I’m not here to convince anyone. I’m here to provide context for any researchers who may come across this thread.

Competition breeds innovation. Freedom Labs recently announced that it will begin accepting online submissions, and Vanguard has finally moved to online COA verification.

I took out a high-interest loan because I believed there was a need for a modern laboratory in this space. It was clear to me that the industry had remained stagnant. With that loan, I purchased my first HPLC system.

Working out of my basement, I taught myself the chemistry, software, and hardware involved in peptide analytics. My computer science background allowed me to build my own website and online platform. I spent my days working two remote software engineering jobs and my nights building the business.

Using Finnrick’s rankings, I cold-emailed nearly every U.S. vendor on their list with the promise of a modern, easy-to-use online system supported by much-needed personal service.

After weeks of struggles, clients began slowly trickling in. Yes, the original address I posted was a virtual address, but more importantly, it was a commercial mailing address where I could securely receive samples. I’m not sure why this has become such a contentious topic. Many companies begin in their founders’ homes, and virtual commercial addresses exist specifically to support businesses in that stage of growth.

My clients appreciated the level of customer service I provided, as well as the quality of our testing. I’m also not sure why anyone would believe that multimillion-dollar companies would entrust their samples to a laboratory without first conducting proper vetting.

Regardless, our clientele grew to the point that I was able to leave my career behind and dedicate my full attention to Kovera.

We currently operate from a leased 3,100-square-foot facility in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The space is divided into three primary sections. The first contains formal offices, a reception area, and a waiting area. The second is our main laboratory, while the final third is dedicated to receiving and dock operations.

I have had to scale the business rapidly, which has sometimes meant moving into spaces that were not yet formally renovated or completely ready for us. Growth requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to setbacks as they occur.

The “darkness” surrounding Kovera is not because I believe we have something to hide. It comes from my respect for professionalism and my desire to put our best foot forward.

I have seen laboratories publish tours showing customers’ samples stored in Ziploc bags. I would personally be embarrassed to publicize that level of unreadiness, and I shudder to think about the condition of the rest of an operation presented that way.

I grew this business from a single Agilent HPLC system that I could barely afford into a laboratory equipped with eight HPLC systems, two LC-MS systems, an ICP-MS, a BACT/ALERT sterility system, six Charles River Endosafe readers, and additional analytical equipment that continues to expand our testing capabilities. I am investing in a Nexus 200 ($200K) which will facilitate endotoxin testing along with $150K in official lab casework (cabinets and shelving). Everything we've earned continues to be re-invested back into the lab and shortly, we will be open to the public.

Our newest LC-MS system is an Agilent 6546 Q-TOF. I made it a specific goal to acquire this instrument because it allows us to perform comprehensive sample scans and gain a deeper understanding of potential impurities that may be present.

As a researcher myself, I appreciate what peptides have done for my health. I also understand the importance of knowing exactly what we are working with.

Regards,
Aj

Imagine not having a sense of humor.

I came on here to have a 1 on 1 with you guys but it seems like you are more upset at getting "caught". I never said I didn't run the tests but it's clear this isn't a welcoming forum so I'll see myself out.

@Randy Different phone number as well jeez

I'm not sure why any of you haven't tried to reach out to me instead of huddling up on here and speculating.
I'm pretty easy to get a hold of: email, WhatsApp, or TikTok are the preferred means.

@randy I called and was sent to voicemail

This is Aj btw, owner and founder of Kovera Labs. Hope you all have a great week.

[email protected]
wa.me/12245843804
https://www.tiktok.com/@kovera.labs?_r=1&_t=ZP-974Y7lNxJcc

First mistake is entering a batch number of 69696969