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Event Information:

  • Mon
    13
    Jan
    2014

    Early Google investor picks Maverix from the genome data analysis crowd

    Standing out in the congested genomics data analysis market is a challenge for startups, with each month bringing news of rivals' fresh investments and products. Maverix Biomics is one of many companies trying to gain a foothold in the sector, but it can boast a differentiating factor: One of Google's ($GOOG) original angel investors has contributed funding.

    The Google angel investor, Andy Bechtolsheim, joined with Asset Management Ventures and Apache Design co-founder Andrew Yang to lead Maverix's $6 million Series A round. Bechtolsheim was a co-founder of Sun Microsystems in 1982. He's also known for having written a check to Google for $100,000 in 1998. His latest investment sees Bechtolsheim enter the genomics data analysis space by promising Maverix the cash it needs to accelerate commercialization of its platform.
    San Mateo, CA-based Maverix says its system--the Maverix Analytic Platform--is already being used by pharmaceutical and diagnostics researchers. Maverix also has a co-marketing deal with Qiagen ($QGEN) that aims to make it easier for researchers to extract insights from next-generation gene expression data. Having finished the Series A round, Maverix will now further promote the platform by talking up its ability to simplify the management, exploration and visualization of genomics data.

    Maverix is far from the only genomics data startup to boast big-name backers, though. Exactly one year ago Sequoia Capital--a fund that backed Apple ($AAPL) Google, LinkedIn ($LNKD) and Oracle ($ORCL)--invested in genomics service provider SV Bio. And Maverix wasn't even the only California-based genomics data analysis startup to raise cash this week. Omicia, based a 40-minute drive north of Maverix in Oakland, raised $6.8 million for its whole genome interpretation system.