Gen9

About Gen9

Gen9, operating from Cambridge, Massachusetts, established itself as a significant player in the synthetic biology landscape before its acquisition by Ginkgo Bioworks in 2017. The company was founded in 2009 by prominent figures in the synthetic biology field: Joseph Jacobson of MIT, George Church of Harvard University, and Drew Endy of Stanford University. Their collective expertise in synthetic biology, DNA synthesis, and bio-engineering formed the bedrock of Gen9's mission to make high-quality, long-form DNA constructs more accessible and cost-effective.

The company's core business centered on the automated, high-throughput production of synthetic DNA. Gen9's proprietary BioFab® platform, a chip-based DNA synthesis system, was a key differentiator, enabling the massively parallel construction of DNA and positioning the company to serve a burgeoning market. This technology allowed for the production of long DNA fragments, up to 10,000 base pairs, which were critical for clients in industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, biofuels, and even cosmetics and fragrances. The business model was straightforward: clients could order custom gene sequences through an online portal, and Gen9 would fabricate and deliver these sequences. Prior to its acquisition, Gen9 had secured significant funding, including a $25 million financing round in 2014, and had amassed a substantial intellectual property portfolio with over 125 patents and pending applications related to DNA synthesis and assembly.

A key milestone in Gen9's journey was a major partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, which would later become its acquirer. This relationship highlighted Gen9's capabilities but also exposed the challenges of its business model, including difficulties in meeting the high-volume manufacturing demands. Ultimately, the acquisition by Ginkgo Bioworks, its largest customer, was a strategic move. The deal integrated Gen9's BioFab® platform, technology, and expert teams into Ginkgo's organism engineering foundries, aiming to accelerate the design and prototyping of engineered organisms. This event marked the conclusion of Gen9's chapter as an independent entity but underscored the value of its pioneering work in DNA synthesis.