What do 3-D printing of soft tissues, space travel to Pluto and population screening for rare diseases have in common? One word: innovation. Last week in New York City, some of the brightest minds across the globe gathered for the World Technology Summit, an inspiring two-day event featuring short talks from scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs aspiring to better the world. Speakers included Craig Venter, one of the first scientists to sequence the human genome, Jennifer Doudna, pioneer of CRISPR technology, and our very own, Shivani Nazareth, talking about what Counsyl is doing and why it matters.

Three main themes dominated the stage — environmental sustainability, genomic health, and the future. One panel was aptly titled, “The World in 2025, 2035, and 2045.” What does that look like? It’s world where carbon emissions are reused to create drinkable water, plastic is highly degradable, farms are vertical and sustained in warehouses. On the genetics front, it’s a world where everyone has access to important information about their DNA, and genes can be used to predict more than just health susceptibilities. And finally, it’s a world that expands beyond the earth, perhaps a time when our grandchildren will look at our planet from afar and say, “that’s where my parents’ parents were born.”
At the end of the summit, a black tie gala included awards for innovation in various categories, including “health and medicine” for which Counsyl won. A perfect end to an exhilarating evening, and an award that could not have been earned without the hard work and commitment of each person who makes Counsyl thrive. Well done, team!