Ultima Genomics

Ultima Genomics is a next-generation sequencing (NGS) company that has developed a high-throughput sequencing instrument and software platform, the UG 100, for genomic analysis. The instrument’s sequencing architecture was designed based on new approaches to flow cell engineering, sequencing chemistry, and machine learning. The UG 100, the company’s first NGS instrument, was built on this new technology architecture and can sequence the human genome for USD 100 (USD 1 per Gb) according to Ultima.

Ultima also claims its UG 100 platform can conduct a complete sequencing in 20 hours, at a lower cost and larger scale than available technologies. Its instrument and software were available to select users via an early-access program, and the firm had planned a broader commercial roll-out in 2023. It is focused on serving the life science research market, including academic institutions, and genomic research centers as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Key customers and partnerships

The firm’s early-access program was available to Broad Institute, Whitehead Institute, the Baylor College of Medicine, and other users to obtain early proof of concept demonstrating its sequencing technology's benefits. Ultima also has partnerships with Sentieon and Google DeepVariant to identify genetic variants in sequencing data using deep learning and to support secondary analysis. The two companies have developed Ultima-specific machine learning models to process data generated from Ultima’s platform at no cost until the end of 2022.

In April 2023 , the company partnered with bioinformatics startup Genome Insight to bring affordable whole-genome sequencing solutions to cancer patients

Funding and Financials

In May 2022, Ultima raised USD 600 million in funding, launching out of stealth mode, five years after it was established. Participants in the financing round included General Atlantic, Andreessen Horowitz, and Khosla Ventures.