Illumina Funded Helix Stores Your DNA in The Cloud
Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) sequencing machines have opened the door for genomics unlike any other company today. Investors who bought shares of ILMN 10 years ago would have enjoyed a share price appreciation so far of over +1100%. With the stock price down -37% from their all-time high of $242 per share seen in mid-2015, it may make sense to start accumulating a position in this $22 billion company as a “picks and shovels” play on genomics. With all the success they’ve seen so far, Illumina isn’t just sitting on their laurels. They’re also investing in startups like the $100 million venture called Grail which is developing a liquid biopsy for cancer testing. One other interesting startup we came across while researching our new position in Illumina is Helix.
About Helix
Founded in August of 2015, Helix has financing commitments in excess of $100 million from Illumina, Warburg Pincus, and Sutter Hill Ventures. Illumina wants to have a strong say on the direction of this startup with Jay Flatley, CEO of Illumina, serving as Chairman of the Board. Helix plans to build one of the world’s largest next-generation sequencing labs which will serve as a neutral platform for other comp
