Kern Systems YC Application
Kern Systems went through Y Combinator in the Summer 2019 batch as a Healthcare company. Below: what the company does, who founded it, and its application to YC, reconstructed question by question in the real YC form.
- YC batch
- Summer 2019
- Industry
- HealthcareIndustrial Bio
- Team size
- 3
- Status
- Active
- Launched
- 2019
Founders
Henry LeeFounder
What Kern Systems does
DNA has emerged as a compelling data storage medium due to its density, longevity, and eternal relevance compared to current memory technologies. However, the high price of synthesizing DNA remains a major bottleneck for adoption of this promising storage solution. We are pioneering new approaches to synthesizing DNA for data storage with enzymes and custom digital codecs. We are building an interdisciplinary team to build the world's most scalable information infrastructure in DNA. We seek technical experts in enzyme engineering, chemistry, hardware engineering, and information theory. We also seek business development to identify emerging markets for early use cases of our technology.
Kern Systems's YC application, reconstructed
Y Combinator application
Kern Systems, Summer 2019 batch. The real form questions, answered from public data.
- Founders2
- Company7
- Progress7
- Idea4
- Equity3
- Curious2
- Batch Preference1
Company
Kern Systems
Using DNA to store data.
We are developing a new DNA synthesis platform optimized for data storage. Our product uses enzyme-driven methods combined with custom digital codecs to reduce costs and improve scalability. This approach targets industries needing ultra-dense, long-term data archival beyond what traditional storage can provide.
We live and operate in Boston, MA. After YC, the company will remain based in Boston to leverage local expertise in enzyme engineering and genomics.
Boston has a concentration of biotech and genomic research talent critical for our enzyme synthesis and chemical development. Staying here keeps us close to collaborators and the specialized workforce we need.
21 more answers in the full application
Founders, Progress, Idea, Equity, Curious, Batch Preference are in the full version. Create a free account to open it in YC Insights, next to every other YC batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the real Kern Systems YC application?
No. Y Combinator keeps submitted applications private. This is a reconstruction: the real YC form questions, answered from Kern Systems's public data (launch notes, founder backgrounds, product description). It shows how a company like Kern Systems would present itself to YC, not the text they submitted.
What YC batch was Kern Systems in?
Kern Systems was part of the Y Combinator Summer 2019 batch.
Who founded Kern Systems?
Kern Systems was founded by Henry Lee.
What does Kern Systems do?
Using DNA to store data.
How do I read the full reconstructed application?
Create a free Round Funded account. The full 26-answer version of Kern Systems's application, and every other YC batch, is in YC Insights.
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