Anne Wojcicki, chief executive officer of 23andMe

Anne Wojcicki, born on July 28, 1973, in San Mateo County, California, is an American entrepreneur renowned as the co-founder and CEO of the personal genetics company 23andMe.

Wojcicki earned her B.S. degree in biology from Yale University in 1996. Her career began as a researcher and investment analyst, but in 2006, driven by a passion for transforming healthcare through personal genetic testing, she co-founded 23andMe alongside American biologist Linda Avey.

Despite the debates, 23andMe quickly established itself in the personalized healthcare sector. In 2008, the company’s retail saliva genetic test was honored as Time magazine’s Invention of the Year. This innovative test provided customers with insights into their genetic traits, including estimates of predisposition to various health conditions, all accessible online.

However, between 2013 and 2015, the company faced a regulatory review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), limiting customers to ancestry-related test results during that period. Meanwhile, Wojcicki implemented several internal changes at 23andMe, ultimately convincing the FDA of the accuracy of the company’s genetic health-related tests.

In 2015, 23andMe received FDA approval to market a genetic test that could detect over 30 autosomal recessive disorders—conditions that arise when two copies of a disease-causing gene are inherited from both parents. These disorders include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs disease.

By 2016, researchers at 23andMe had genotyped more than one million individuals globally. That year, Wojcicki announced the launch of the company's first research-focused module developed with ResearchKit, an open-source software created by Apple Inc. for the iPhone. This module allowed researchers to gather genetic data from 23andMe customers, who could voluntarily contribute their information for scientific studies. This advancement marked a significant milestone in Wojcicki's mission to make the company’s extensive genetic database accessible to researchers.

Wojcicki and her ex-husband Sergey Brin, a Google co-founder, co-directed the Brin Wojcicki Foundation, a private grant-making entity with diverse interests. Additionally, Wojcicki managed a private real estate holding company, Los Altos Community Investments (formerly Passerelle Investment Co.), recognized for its commitment to sustainable growth in Los Altos, California, where she resides.