23 May 2007

Google secures minority stake in biotech start-up

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has given his new wife, Anne Wojcicki, a belated wedding gift, it seems. The world's leading search engine has just invested $3.9 million (2 million pounds) in biotech start-up 23andMe, a company that was co-founded by Wojcjcki.

The deal has commentators across the world wide web posing questions over potential nepotism, but the size of the investment seems to suppose otherwise.

Google will now hold a minority stake in the firm, which focuses on helping customers understand their genome.

Other investors that joined the search giant in the first round of funding included New Enterprise Associates, Mohr Davidow Ventures and biotech giant Genentech.

Some of the money put forward by Google was used to pay back $2.6 million in financing provided to 23andMe by Mr Brin.

Mr Brin, who is one of the world's wealthiest men with an estimated personal fortune of over $16 billion, refrained from commenting on the deal.

"We made the investment because we think there is value in the work they plan to do in genetics," Google spokesman Jon Murchinson revealed.

"Our mission is to organise the world's information, and we think 23andMe developing new ways of helping people make sense of their genetic information will help further our mission."

Mr Brin was reported to have tied the knot recently with Anne Wojcicki in a secret ceremony in the Bahamas.

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