Helix has closed a $200 million financing round and said it plans to expand its personal genomics marketplace to accelerate consumer adoption of genomics. The San Carlos, California-based startup launched the Helix marketplace in July 2017 to collects and sequence a DNA sample once, and then store and protects a customer’s data so they can access additional DNA-powered products and services from the Helix store without providing another saliva sample. Helix CEO Robin Thurston said the financing will enable it to expand its health-related product offerings as it competes with other genetics companies, such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA. Thurston added that Helix also works with research partners such as the Healthy Nevada Project on community health projects built on Helix Exome platform. The Helix store includes 35 products from 20 partners and that number is expected to grow to more 50 products in 2018 with major launches including new products from partners such as Mayo Clinic. Helix has sealed deals with 47 companies to run tests on the Helix platform. Tests are available for $20 and others cost hundreds of dollars. DFJ Growth, with participation from all its founding investors, which include Illumina, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Mayo Clinic, Sutter Hill Ventures, and Warburg Pincus, led the funding round. Barry Schuler, Partner at DFJ Growth and former chairman and CEO of America Online, will join the Helix Board of Directors.
US start - up Helix has raised $ 500 m to expand its online banking service , which collects and sequences customers ' DNA before providing access other products from the Helix store . CEO Robin Thurston said the extra money would help the company develop its products to compete with rivals such as AncestryDNA . The funding round was led by DFJ Growth , with participation from others including Illumina , Mayo Clinic and Warburg Pincus .