At a dinner last night at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 23andMe founders Linda Avey and Anne Wojcicki announced that they are providing 1,000 free 23andMe personal DNA testing kits to conference attendees. Damn, I thought, I already paid $1,000 (more) for my kit (so much for the benefits of being an early adopter). Rumor is the company is also sending 100 free kits to attendees of the TED conference.
Anyway, after long minutes of negotiation regarding a refund since I could now get a kit for free, Linda and Anne agreed to give one more kit out, to give to a lucky TechCrunch reader. Just tell me in the comments why knowing your genetic background is important to you, and we’ll choose a winner. We’ll stop comments after 24 hours and choose then.
The company won’t say how many kits have been purchased, other than commenting that sales are “way above expectations.” Yesterday the company started selling kits in Europe and Canada. And they just recently launched their corporate blog, fittingly called “The Spittoon.”
I just recently got my 23andMe test results back. I’ll be posting highlights next week.
I need to know what, in my genetic background, made me be the first one (I hope) to post here …
I would like one honestly because I am curious to see what the results would be.
Medically, with a history of diabetes and cancer in my family, having something like this to see what diseases or conditions we could be prone to would be incredibly useful to prevention or catching something in the early stages.
I want to know if any of my ancestors created unique products or tools too?
I need to know because I suspect I am the baby ape left by Cornielus and Zera, waiting to rise to power in Conquest for the Planet of the Apes.
I think I may be adopted, predisposed to cancer, and the father of 30-45 illegitimate children.
I’m 24 and losing my hair at a very rapid rate. When I thanked my mom for the genes she got upset, thinking my sister had told me that I was getting Sevens and Luckys for Christmas. When I spelled it out for her (no mom, not THOSE jeans) she told me her father had started losing his hair at 19 and she was surprised mine lasted this long.
Send me the kit so I can determine what other genetic curve balls I have coming my way!!!
Having been adopted it’s a unique opportunity to know myself better genitically and what I need to look out for.
My parents have it tough being forced to immigrant over here. Because of that, they get angry and ignore my requests about anything related to the past. I don’t know about my grandparents because they passed away at a very early age. I really have no knowledge about my background. I’ve tried to ask both of my brothers and sisters, but none of them really know. Born and living in the states, although I enjoy this culture, I would love to know more about my background. I never had much luck prodding for information from my parents.
I am an adopted father of three- I would like to know, for my kids sake, as well as my own, what predispositions I (and possibly, they) have.
I am very interested in learning more about my genetic background because I have a very limited knowledge of my family—my grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and many others were killed in the Holocaust because they were Jewish and the Third Reich wanted to eliminate the “Jewish Race”–what a fitting turn around to be able to learn something about my genetic traits and background through this DNA test.
I want a rundown of my genealogical profile – basically, analyzing the genetic data to determine my comprehensive genetic history, including ethnic origins and biogeographical ancestry. Surnames and family history can go only so far without true DNA fingerprinting…The data would also be useful for exploring human migratory patterns, but i’ll leave that to 23andme…
I wanna know my background because….ummm….. I want to know for how long I was a TechCrunch reader ? lol
Need to see if there are any signs of cancer, in particular genes/proteins associated with brain cancer. My mother passed away at the age of 56 (far too young) and it scares the hell out of me having two young children.
….feel free to donate or read up National Brain Tumor Foundation: http://www.braintumor.org
I’d like to know why my mother and father have brown hair, and mine is blond?
This is quite possible, because we inherit genes from both sides of our families. Sometimes you can have two brown eyed people who produce a blue eyed child. It’s all down to which gene’s dominate at the time. Probably both your parents carry a blond gene, and a brown gene each, and on this occasion blond dominated! Genes can be quite complex sometimes.
Hello,
I would like to know my background because both my origins and development are very mixed. I’ve been currently living in Canada for 6 years, but I am originally from Colombia. My dad’s side, if traced back a couple of hundred years, goes back to the “pais vasco” in spain. My mum’s side can only be traced back to south-amerindians. So, my DNA must have generations of european genetic material combined with south american native DNA. To add a spin, that genetic material is been heavily influenced by the new environment conditions: North America (more specifically Canada), Web 2.0, eCommerce and the MBA degree I am pursuing at HEC Montreal. So, I would really like to know what comes after you put all those things together.
Thanks!
Mauricio
I would like the opportunity because curiosity is the driving force behind progress and given the chance to know; why should it be turned down?
I strongly doubt anyone at Davos will give away his DNA after thinking twice. This public is extremely sensitive to their personal information.
My Father had colon cancer and almost died. My Grand Father had colon cancer and it killed him. While I know this makes me 8 times more likely to have colon cancer, this test could help me avoid having six feet of cold stainless steel shoved up my ass every year until I die of something else…
I want to know my genetic background as a due dilligence for Sergej’s investment strategy
I want to see if I’m related to Michael Arrington.
My father is a retired jockey (5′3″) and my mother, a marine (6′1″).
If anyone needed to see their own source code – it’s me.
’nuff said…
I don’t want the 23andmekit because I’m pretty sure this is what they were talking about in the bible, you know that thing about the mark of the beast. ….- ok just kidding now give me the kit!
I want to see if I’m related to Warren Buffett.
I really want to know what my genes say about me.
My grandpa told me that we are linked to the 1st emperor of China, I need a confirmation so as not to spread the same lie/truth to my future generation.
Contact me and I’ll let you know where to send the kits.
Interesting business. But for $1000 for the kit, they couldnt make the shipping free? Sheesh!
i just want to see if it works. what is all the hype about?
@ #1 Pierre – I was going to post a reason but yours was so funny you should get it.
my mother was artificially inseminated in the early 70s, when records weren’t kept. i know nothing whatsoever about half of my genetic makeup and have no way to find it out other than genetic sequencing. no idea of heritage, no idea of genetic illnesses, no idea how many half-siblings i may have.
even on my mother’s side, little is known about our family history beyond a few generations for various reasons.
i was planning to have a full sequence done once these services become more affordable, but i’d sure love to do it sooner.
All of this is woven together, but I will try and separate it some.
Selflessly, I would like to know so I can share with children, spouse, and family so that there might be a better glimpse of the future for all. What part am I playing and contributing and what can I share with those who have some of the same cards as I do. For my family, what parts of my example and story can I tell as a warning and what parts of our identity can I learn?
Selfishly, I am interested in knowing who I am and what I am. I am fascinated with the question of where have I come from to hope to have a better understanding. This curiosity is a fire. I want to know, understand, compare, examine, and ponder. There is fear and hope in the idea of finding things out, of the unknown, but also a necessity of metaphorically sweeping back a bit of the fog.
Objectively, the demanding questions in each case are of material ailments and perhaps what struck some of my ancestors down at early ages is detectable and preventable. Is part of my machinery broken in some way?
Fundamentally, I just want to know. I think this is the core motivation. It is why I am here telling personal thoughts to you and the other strangers who will read this. The idea of tests like this is that–within statistical bounds–we will see part of the future of our lives and those we have create written out. I don’t think it writes the story but it does shade in some of the background and the rules.
I’d like this tool to learn and share what I find.
I want the kit because I recently read that one in 5 children born in the world is Chinese. I have 2 sisters (Michelle and Emily) and 2 brothers (Peter and Xiang Hou) … I have an awful feeling that I might be the one that is Chinese. Then again, it might be Peter. I need to know – it’s driving me crazy!
too funny
My uncle claims that the family is descended from a mixture of Mongol hordes and African slaves. That would be a trip for a family of eastern european jews. Anyway, wouldn’t that be kind of fun to find out?
I would like the kit because I really have no clue where my ancestry is from. I would like to know the what makes me who I am. I’ve often thought it would be awesome to spend $1k to look into my DNA, but I have a family to support and unfortunately it would be foolish to spend it at this point of my life.
Thanks for the opportunity to get the kit for free…
Wow, many interesting reasons why one needs that DNA checking. Well, I “need” one because our family is plagued with cancers and I want to know whether there is some sort of mutation running around in our gene pool. I lost two grandparents to cancer, two siblings of my father already had a cancer (breast and testes) and my mother and her sister both were diagnosed with breast cancer in the last three years.
I’m curious to see what recessive genotypic traits and/or disorders that I’m pre-disposed to, so that I can take precautions to avoid expressing them.
I’d also like to know if I’m really related to the ancient pharaohs of Egypt…wouldn’t that be cool
I believe that I may be inbred. My mother and father bear an uncanny resemblace to each other, both had the same last name before they were married and they tell me that I can only meet one pair of grandparents.
I have been plagued by bad health and learning disabilities my entire life and I am cross-eyed. At school, my classmates tease me and say that I’m missing a chromosome. I sort of look like Larry Page except I’m even more deformed looking.
If I am truly inbred, it is likely that I have genetic abnormalities that may cause serious medical conditions and could very well cut my life short. This is problematic for me since my only dream since the 1st grade was to have my own Web 2.0 startup. I started coding my Web 2.0 application when I was 7 and I expect that I will have an alpha version ready by 2010. I hope to then apply for YCombinator or TechStars.
23andMe can not only provide the confirmation that I am the result of an immoral act, but can tell me if this has left me with deficient genes. Michael, this could be my only hope. I work as an assistant manager at Harvey’s and all my free time is spent trying to code Ruby on Rails. Therefore I don’t have the ability to earn enough money to pay for a 23andMe kit. Please find it in the kindness of your heart to give me this kit. I would do anything for you if you give me this one chance to find out my fate. I’d even go so far as to hook you up with a free Angus burger with onion rings.
Sincerely yours,
Inbred Canadian
Knowing my genetic background is important because the composition of my genes counts for everything and my life long experiences count for nothing…?
/barf
It would just be cool I guess
FTW!!
My father immigrated to the US from the Philippines but died when I was young. I don’t know much about his side of the family. My mother is Native Hawaiian, Asian, and European. So I’m pretty mixed up. I love to see what the results of the tests show for my ancestry. I just spoke with one of my sisters tonight and tonight she actually told me her friends and family remark that I look nothing like my three sisters. Maybe my mom wouldn’t like the results of this type of test. I doubt I’d blog about the results (figure you are looking for this), but I will share the results with my family. Maybe a way to get us to talk a bit more about important stuff like ancestry. I’ll also share the results with you guys. Heh, perhaps 23 & me also needs some rare mixed-up Hawaiian, Asian, & European DNA to put their markers to the test. Thanks for offering it to your readership.
I’d like to know if I’ll live longer than you, Mike.
A Harvard Medical researcher recently proved that the alcoholism is strongly genetic. Me folks died o’ liver failure when I was young from years of heavy drinking. However, I’ave good reason to believe I may be adopted.
I have never had even a drop of god’s medicine in me entire life, but my 21st birthday is just a month shy. So I really need yer aide.
If it turns out I wasn’t adopted, I’m really gonna need this test. The $1,000 I can get for it on eBay will help me pay my bar bills.
I should be getting some free kits too! At least I’m going to Davos too, on friday
But well I’d love to know where I’m descendent from!
I want to be part of the 1000 genome project. Hence I need to know first hand whether I qualify
Do I get it ???
http://www.genome.gov/26524516
I wonder if I have an addictive personality for gambling, lottery, and sweepstakes.
I’m just really curious about it and I don’t have the money to spare, but i have saliva in spades !
I’m planning on starting a startup called mememe, not meme, but mememe. All employees will be clones of myself. In order to properly form a business plan I need to know everything about my employees, particularly how much I can expect to spend on health care, and what their particular aptitudes might be.
I promise to advertise on TechCrunch once we get funding.
A London cabbie recently told me that I must be Jewish because ‘It takes one to know one’ and the guy who came to install my phoneline, for some reason, thought I was a Rabbi. There is no record of my family having any Jewish ancestry but my grandfather was from Ukraine so there’s always the slight possibility. It would be nice to know either way.
For a long time I have wanted to find out more about my genetic heritage.
My mother is Polish and my father’s family originally come from Russia and Ukraine, but for some odd reason I look very little like my father. All “the milkman is your father” jokes aside (yes my parents do joke about it – haha), research has shown that our tribe likely mixed with Genghis Khan’s (although I have also read that this is not uncommon in the modern world given the size of the Mongolian empire) and I am keen to know how significant this percentage of my heritage is.
That aside, I would also like to know about my potential health problems and susceptibility to cancer etc. One of my grandfather’s died very young of a heart attack, so only half of my genetic picture is complete and it would be nice to know whether that may be a fate I should preemptively deal with or if that was merely down to his non-genetic health.
Thanks,
Alex
I’d like to have the free kit just to throw it away
Actually, I think that giving one’s DNA sample to a private company could be quite dangerous. So, as part of my effort in boycotting this concept, I’d like to have that free kit and throw it away, so that they have one customer less
If you selected me, I would leverage the press associated with winning by re-offering the kit (in a public statement) to the current lot of Presidential hopefuls. Each candidate would be notified concurrently and the first candidate who responded favorably would then be able to leverage the press associated with that moment to achieve the following:
1) Provide the public better health knowledge of themselves than any other candidate
2) Demonstrate that the truth of what is known is more powerful than the fear of the unknown.
For TechCrunch, this enables you to further promote and place your brand in a year where politics will compete heavily for your readers’ attention without necessarily awarding ‘airtime’ to any one candidate over another.
For 23andMe, they would reap national exposure with historical proportions. Imagine how pivotal this moment will be when historians cite the first Presidential candidate (possiber the winner, too) to provide the public with a complete genomic map.
Yeas, I’d like to know more about me. But something in my genes is telling me that the future of our race will rest in the hands of one of ‘them’. I’d like to know how trigger-happy those hands are.
i’d like to take a peek at my source code to do some quality testing. I’m hoping to do a few speed hacks and write some new efficiency algorithms. Would also like to refine my search processes and truncate my db.
all this of course will lead me to be able to port my code to write a sweet semantic facebook friending tool which will basically be a digital version of me.
What do you say Mister Arrington?