Anne Wojcicki Keynote Speaker

Anne Wojcicki is an innovative biologist and the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the personal genomics company 23andMe. 23andMe provides rapid genetic testing for individuals curious about their ancestry and genetic make-up, and is a platform for researchers looking for study participants. It has one of the world’s largest databases of individual genetic information.

From her vantage point, Anne saw a need for creating a way to generate more information – especially more personalised information – so that commercial and academic researchers could better understand and develop new drugs and diagnostics. Anne brings to 23andMe a 10-year background in healthcare investing, focusing on biotechnology companies. Disillusioned by the culture of Wall Street and its attitude towards health care, Anne left the investing world with the hope that she could have a positive impact on research and medicine through 23andMe.

The company’s novel, web-based research approach allows for the rapid recruitment of participants to many genome-wide association studies at once, reducing the time and money needed to make new discoveries. 23andMe’s personal genome test kit was named Invention of the Year by Time magazine in 2008, and in 2013, The Fast Company named Anne as “The Most Daring CEO”.