How would you feel if there was a technology that could help you learn more about your health risks and predispositions? In todays age, we are always hearing about a new technology arising everyday. It all started when Justin Kao, heard about the term “sweet tooth gene”. Justin has always loved cookies sense he was a kid, so he started to think maybe people are actually born with genes like his sweet tooth. Justin who is the cofounder of Helix, a San Francisco-based company that last summer secured more than $100 million in hope to create the first “app store” for genetic information. Helix is a bet to the buyout firm Warburg Pincus, and Illumina, the leading manufacturer of ultrafast DNA sequencing machines. Genomes hold information about our health risks, physical traits, whom we’re related to. The idea behind the DNA app store, is to collect a spit sample from anyone who buys the app. Then analyze the customers’ genes, and digitize the findings so they can be accessed by software developers who want to sell other apps. This will allow apps that would benefit the customer’s health to be sent their way to purchase. Helix predicts that it can decode the most important part of a person’s genome. The cost of the app is substantial less than Helix’s competitors at $100. The engine to power the app store is being assembled a mile from Illumina’s San Diego headquarters. Several miles of data cables strung through the ceiling will be connected to a large farm of sequencing machines, able to process the DNA from a million samples a year. Jay Flatley, the CEO of Illumina said, it could be the largest sequencing center anywhere. In the small scope of things, one would think this is an app for people who want to loss weight and eat health.
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Which is great reason to buy the app, but this could be a huge breakthrough in more areas then that. Just think, if parents are thinking about having a child, but they’re worried the child might be born with a genetic condition. They can purchase the app to test the likelihood they’re child will be born with serious genetic condition. Or if one of the parents has a genetic condition, they can test the odds that will be passed on to their offspring. It can be such a devastating time when a family finds out their child was born with a genetic condition, so being able to know before hand would be very beneficial to their decision. This app will also benefit the general public that …show more content…
Word of the company’s products would spread like wildfire, as it is talked about by people who have purchased the app. Helix needs to patent the technology of the DNA app store, so rival companies can’t copy their product to steal future customers. This is a very advanced system, which makes it a huge target for other companies. One downfall on the app is once someone has purchased the app, they are no longer a potential buyer in the future. I would call this product a “one time buy” type of product. Of course not everyone in the world is going to buy the DNA app store, so as a stakeholder you need to realize that once the company hits its peak value. The product will start to slow down in sales, and the value will start to drop as more and more people don’t need to buy to
Which is great reason to buy the app, but this could be a huge breakthrough in more areas then that. Just think, if parents are thinking about having a child, but they’re worried the child might be born with a genetic condition. They can purchase the app to test the likelihood they’re child will be born with serious genetic condition. Or if one of the parents has a genetic condition, they can test the odds that will be passed on to their offspring. It can be such a devastating time when a family finds out their child was born with a genetic condition, so being able to know before hand would be very beneficial to their decision. This app will also benefit the general public that …show more content…
Word of the company’s products would spread like wildfire, as it is talked about by people who have purchased the app. Helix needs to patent the technology of the DNA app store, so rival companies can’t copy their product to steal future customers. This is a very advanced system, which makes it a huge target for other companies. One downfall on the app is once someone has purchased the app, they are no longer a potential buyer in the future. I would call this product a “one time buy” type of product. Of course not everyone in the world is going to buy the DNA app store, so as a stakeholder you need to realize that once the company hits its peak value. The product will start to slow down in sales, and the value will start to drop as more and more people don’t need to buy to