2025 R&D layoffs

While the broader economy shows gains in health care and retail, our tracking indicates that biotech, advanced software, and other R& D-driven sectors are strategically realigning.

For example, leading biotech players Intellia and Galapagos announced workforce reductions of 27% and 40%, respectively, while advanced software giant Microsoft cut less than 1% of its staff and the newly formed Cloud Software Group (owner of Citrix) began layoffs.

Building on the significant wave of layoffs documented in our 2024 roundup (which documented 200,000 layoffs across 101 major companies), we look at the most recent R&D and tech-focused cuts announced in 2025—ranging from biotech to software companies and carbon capture innovators.

Even though the general labor market appears resilient—3.9% wage growth in December—these specialized R&D roles can be slower to rebound. We’ll keep tracking new developments in carbon capture, cell therapy, and advanced manufacturing, as both investors and companies weigh near-term cuts against longer-term innovation goals.