23andMe, once a leader in the consumer DNA testing space, is now struggling. CEO Anne Wojcicki is alone at the helm as all seven independent board members recently resigned. Wojcicki is looking to take the company private.
While the company’s core offering—its DNA test kits—gained attention for its insights into health risks and quirky traits, now the market has shifted. 23andMe’s Ancestry Service, priced at $149 US, offers a comprehensive ancestry breakdown and over 80 personalized reports, but the service is being downgraded. Access to ‘relatives in common’ (aka shared matches) and segment data were recently removed.
Ancestry and MyHeritage offer more affordable genetic genealogy alternatives. However, the company’s core offering may no longer sustain it through the turbulent times ahead as it searches for a revenue model to stem the losses.
This post draws on this article from CNN.