HomeFundingDNA-based Personality Test: Swiss startup Karmagenes secures angel funding

DNA-based Personality Test: Swiss startup Karmagenes secures angel funding

Karmagenes, a Swiss startup that creates a DNA-based personality test, today announced that it secured CHF 260K from a group of angel investors from 4 different countries, with a potential follow-on investment of CHF 290K.

In the next 2-4 weeks Karmagenes will also release the beta version of a game that will be an online gamification strategy where an individual can build his real personality profile through interactive processes based purely on psychology and scientific evidence. According to the young company the new game is kind of “Biology meets Technology, Nurture meets Nature, Psychology meets DNA and Perception meets Reality”. Karmagenes was founded in 2015 and is based in Monthey.

The main product of the young company is the Karmagenes genetic test, which involves examining specific regions of DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) linked with behavioral characteristics. Karmagenes provides an innovative approach of how people can learn more about themselves and connect with others in an avant-gardist way.

Karmagenes goal is to make the general public understand that DNA, genetic tests and science in general, can also be used in a modern, comprehensible, positive and scientific way. By no means Karmagenes genetic testing results should be seen as a final and definite description of your behavioral characteristics. It should be stressed that the results are based on what your DNA is telling regarding these specific behavioral characteristics based on current scientific studies. However, characteristics are also influenced by the environmental factors in your life. While your genetic background will always remain the same and underlies your personality traits, the environmental factors such as your family, your school and your cultural background will also contribute to the definition of your behavioral characteristics, your personality and who you are today.

The core team of Karmagenes includes 5 biologists with a PhD ranging from neuroscience to genetics and molecular biology from accredited Universities such as Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Imperial College in United Kingdom and University of Lausanne in Switzerland. The young company links specific Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) related to behavioral characteristics and it constantly checks for updates. Based on their expertise the Karmagenes team give a score of how strong each SNP is linked to each characteristic. Their proprietary algorithm also uses a polygenic approach meaning we link at least 2 different genes and multiple SNPs to each characteristic.

Finally, the scores are normalized and you get a final score of Very Low-, Low- Moderate or High-Very High. Since environment plays also a big role on shaping our behaviour, the company’s psychologist links the DNA findings with psychological findings based on the Big 5 traits, the most recognized categorization of personality types. Karmagenes aims to have the highest standards and take into account all existing scientific research in the field; to achieve the best accurate results based on current scientific research.

The goal of Karmagenes is to convey genetics to the general public in a comprehensible, positive and modern scientific way. You can check out their scientific blog were they explain selected scientific papers from top-notch peer reviewed journals or just check out the video below to learn more about their DNA-based Personality Test:

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Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr
Thomas Ohr is the "Editor in Chief" of EU-Startups.com and started the blog in October 2010. He is excited about Europe's future, passionate about new business ideas and lives in Barcelona (Spain).
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