Participated · Series C · Nov 2021

Viome Life Sciences, based in Bellevue, WA and led by Founder and CEO Naveen Jain, focuses on longevity and preventative healthcare. The company leverages AI and algorithms to analyze gene expression data from over 600,000 samples to power at-home tests and personalized recommendations. Its product lineup includes custom-formulated supplements unique to each individual, personalized biotic blends for gut health, and oral biotic lozenges for oral microbiome health. Viome intends to deploy new capital toward research and development and retail expansion. Financially, it has raised a total of $175M to date after closing an $86.5M Series C. Investors in the most recent round include Khosla Ventures, Bold Capital, WRG Ventures and others. Viome Life Sciences is a Bellevue, WA-based systems biology company that uses biological data to help individuals improve their health. The company positions itself around systems-biology approaches to personalized health. Public reporting emphasizes its aim to translate biological insights into health-improvement offerings. Financially, Viome has been an active fundraiser, most recently securing a $54M pre-Series C convertible round. This follows a $56M Series B announced in November 2019 and brings total funding to date to over $125M. Returning and new investor participation has supported its continued operations and product development efforts.

Participated · Series B · Apr 2019

Viome combines RNA sequencing, epigenetic biomarker analysis, and artificial intelligence to deliver personalized nutritional guidance, microbiome products, and diagnostics such as its CancerDetect™ test. The CancerDetect™ test is reported to have 90% sensitivity and 95% specificity and has received the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation. The company says it has empowered over half a million users with its AI-driven health insights and offers custom-formulated supplements and probiotics alongside its testing. Viome is expanding into a diagnostics division and plans broader diagnostic capabilities including gut-health assays. Leadership has been strengthened with the appointment of Kal Raman as COO to help scale operations and accelerate the company’s diagnostic and product roadmap. The company also reports a collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline to study the gut microbiome’s link to chronic disease. Viome assesses customers' microbiomes using RNA sequencing and AI to generate personalized nutritional and supplement recommendations. Its product suite includes tests based on blood, stool and saliva, tailored vitamin supplements and diet assessments. The company says its RNA gene-expression technology was developed from Los Alamos research, is clinically validated and exclusively licensed to analyze biological samples at much greater scale than other technologies. Viome reports it has run tests for about 350,000 consumers from 106 countries (roughly 600,000 samples) and claims more than 52 petabytes of sequencing plus clinical metadata powering over 35 predictive models of chronic disease. It also says it holds an FDA breakthrough device designation for saliva-based early-stage mouth and throat cancer detection with ~95% specificity and >90% sensitivity. Viome plans to use the new equity funding to expand existing offerings, launch mouth and dental-health product lines, and pursue retail partnerships such as a deal to sell tests in roughly 200 CVS stores. The company has also faced criticism from some scientists who say certain public claims are misleading. Viome analyzes customers' microbiomes via stool samples and uses RNA sequencing technology (originating from Los Alamos National Laboratory) combined with machine-learning algorithms to generate personalized food recommendations and predict bodily responses to foods. The company says it is running clinical studies across roughly 15 separate diseases — from insomnia to pancreatic cancer — with the stated aim of predicting, preventing and reversing chronic diseases including diabetes, autoimmune disorders, Parkinson’s and some cancers. Viome plans to use the new funding to expand that research and its clinical programs. The company recently acquired personalized nutrition service Habit from Campbell Soup for an undisclosed sum. Viome has nearly 150 employees across six locations, including its headquarters in Bellevue, Wash., and offices in San Diego, Santa Clara, New York, Bangalore and Los Alamos, N.M. Its claims have attracted both prominent endorsements (Deepak Chopra, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Mark Hyman) and public scientific criticism questioning the state of the underlying science. Viome uses proprietary technology licensed from the Los Alamos National Laboratory to identify and quantify microorganisms in the gut and analyze their activity. By applying machine learning to these molecular profiles, it generates personalized nutritional recommendations intended to balance the microbiome and help prevent chronic illnesses. The company plans to use the new funding to launch an at-home health kit focused on the microbiome and to expand market availability. Viome is operating an early beta with several thousand customers and has 45 employees across Cupertino, Los Alamos, and New York. The firm raised $15M in a Series A, bringing total funding to $21M. Leadership includes CEO Naveen Jain, CTO Guruduth Banavar, and CSO Momo Vuyisich, and the company lists several health and longevity figures as ambassadors.