Ever since the domestication of animals thousands of years ago, farmers have had a hand in the breeding of animals. But generally, this is done with a minimal amount of information like very basic knowledge about the parents.
It’s been a dream for decades that a deeper understanding of genetics would greatly enhance animal farming, but the cost has been too high. Current genomics tests — such as next-generation sequencing and SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) chips — are still too expensive… and will likely always be expensive given the fixed cost of the chemical reagents involved.
Aiming to make a huge impact into this space, TL Biolabs has developed a breakthrough in inexpensive genomics. They have created a novel genomics technique that greatly decreases the cost while maintaining the quality of the information gained. The upshot is that while current genomic tests are too expensive for the cost-driven dairy business, a high quality $15 test makes it possible for farmers to test every animal.
On top of the technology, they have a fantastic team: CEO Fred Turner was named UK Young Engineer in 2013 by The National Science + Engineering Competition for his early work developing novel technologies in genomics, and COO Sam Parlett and CIO Savvas Nicholas bring operational expertise and experience leading fast-paced software development teams. I’m excited to announce our investment in TL Biolabs and our partnership in ushering in a new era of low cost, genomics-driven precision farming.
