Breaking Barriers in Genomic Research SökerData, a UK-based digital health startup founded by Dr. Elsa Zekeng and Rakia Finley, is tackling a critical issue in the world of genomics: the severe underrepresentation of African ancestry in genetic research. Currently, only 2% of participants in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have African genetic ancestry, compared to 80% of participants with European ancestry. This imbalance is significant, particularly in diseases like breast cancer, where treatment outcomes vary across ethnicities.
To bridge this gap, SökerData is building a diverse biomarker database, providing the medical research community with a robust resource to enhance drug discovery, precision medicine, and clinical trials for all populations, not just a select few.
A Grant to Fuel Innovation SökerData recently secured a portion of a £6.2 million ($7.8 million) grant from Innovate UK, allowing them to expand their efforts in sourcing and curating critical biomarker data. Their vision is clear: to create a platform that will set new standards for genomic research, particularly in improving healthcare outcomes for underrepresented populations.
How Copper & Vine Supported SökerData’s Journey to Techstars
SökerData’s impressive achievements are the result of not only their mission but also strategic partnership. At Copper & Vine, we collaborated closely with SökerData, providing a full suite of services to refine and execute their vision:
- CTO Without Equity: Copper & Vine’s CTO augmentation provided SökerData with senior-level technical leadership, without requiring any equity. We offered the strategic technology direction needed to build scalable digital products.
- Tailored Workshops & Strategic Roadmap: Through customized workshops, we worked alongside SökerData to define clear objectives and refine their product concept, ensuring every step of the development was aligned with their mission to bridge the genomic data gap.
- Technical Architecture & Development: We designed a scalable, secure backend infrastructure for their biomarker database, incorporating AI and machine learning to handle complex datasets efficiently. Our full-stack development approach ensured seamless integration, allowing SökerData to deliver real-time insights from diverse genomic data.
- Market Research & Validation: We conducted in-depth market research and competitive analysis to validate SökerData’s business model, identifying key opportunities to leverage their platform’s unique value in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.
- Launch & Growth Strategy: Our team guided SökerData through a successful product launch, crafting a roadmap that not only captured market attention but positioned them for long-term growth and scalability.
The Result? SökerData Joins Techstars
With Copper & Vine’s support, SökerData’s innovative platform is now receiving global recognition. Their acceptance into Techstars is a testament to their commitment to using data to drive more equitable healthcare solutions. By blending data science with their biomarker database, they are set to change the landscape of drug discovery and regulatory reporting, making treatments more effective for all populations.
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