GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Gainesville is home to many successful startups and has been for years. Rapid Genomics is no exception. The idea for the tech-based genomics group was formed by a group of University of Florida grad students almost 20 years ago.
“We always liked the idea of technology and incorporating genetics into agriculture which is what we were studying back then,” Leandro Neves, CEO of Rapid Genomics, said.
They now service clients around the world … from analyzing DNA for academic and pharmaceutical companies to providing information in vaccine detection and even helping maximize the best research for plant and animal breeding.
“It’s a very fast-paced field,” Neves said. “We generate so much data worldwide as a community. Especially, being on an industrial scale — which is what we do — you have to be on-par with what’s happening with technology and evolve very quickly. So, we have to be constantly updating and developing new things. That’s why we have a research and development team whose focus is solely to be either making something completely new or faster, better and more effectively.”
And it’s not just a few samples that they work with.
“We’re talking about processing dozen of thousands of samples on a routine basis,” Neves said.
At the end of the day, it’s a demanding and always-evolving industry, but the hard work pays off.
“It’s very motivating to be in an environment where you’re applying technology to the benefit of the world,” Neve said. “Starting a company is an uphill battle every day but we want to grow more and help the community … that’s our vision.”
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