Melbourne genetics startup raises $525,000 from big-name backers including Culture Amp co-founder

Genetics and health startup Eugene has secured $525,000 in funding to roll out its home genetic-testing and remote-consulting tech.

Speaking to StartupSmart, Eugene co-founder and chief Kunal Kalro explained the startup’s first testing kits are designed to help prospective parents understand how likely they may be to pass genetic disorders to their children.

Eugene’s testing kits are facilitated through an app, and customers are paired with a genetics counsellor to consult on the results.

Kalro has been working on the technology for a few years, but launched the startup in an official capacity, with co-founders Kate Lanyon and Zoe Milgrom, in December 2017.

“It’s been in development for a long time,” he says.

“Healthcare services are not super easy to bring to market.”

There are regulations to contend with, and in this space it’s important to make sure the product is working and “doing what it says it does”, he explains.

“People are making real-life choices,” he adds. “We want to make sure they do it right.”

It was only recently that the team had a product ready to take to the market, and felt it was time to secure some investment. Read more

Stephanie Palmer-Derrien - Startup Smart - 8 Feb 2019