BGI Group
BGI Group is a Shenzhen-headquartered, vertically integrated genomics conglomerate offering sequencing instruments, multi-omics services, clinical diagnostics, and AI-driven bioinformatics to research institutions, hospitals, governments, and consumers across 100+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersShenzhen, China
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BGI Group does
BGI Group (华大集团) is a Chinese multinational genomics conglomerate founded in 1999 and headquartered in Shenzhen, operating as one of the world's largest DNA sequencing service providers. The company is structured around vertically integrated subsidiaries including BGI Genomics (SZSE: 300676, clinical and scientific services), MGI Tech (SSE STAR: 688114, sequencing instruments and reagents), and a network of specialized units spanning spatiotemporal omics (Stereo-seq), nanopore sequencing (CycloneSEQ), forensic identification, IVD diagnostics, cell technology, synthetic biology, and consumer health products. Its multi-omics technology platform combines proprietary DNA Nanoball sequencing (DNBSEQ series), spatial transcriptomics with subcellular resolution, long-read nanopore technology, automated laboratory systems, mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics, and AI/machine learning integration including the Genos billion-parameter human genome foundation model. Operations span more than 100 countries with research and manufacturing facilities across China (Shenzhen, Beijing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Harbin) and an Ethiopia-based COVID-19 test kit manufacturing facility.
BGI Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BGI Group
- Legal name
- 华大集团
- Website
- https://genomics.cn
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- BGI Group is a Shenzhen-headquartered, vertically integrated genomics conglomerate offering sequencing instruments, multi-omics services, clinical diagnostics, and AI-driven bioinformatics to research institutions, hospitals, governments, and consumers across 100+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BGI Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Genomics and multi-omics services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays) (HLAGAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Genetic & Prenatal Testing Laboratories (HLAFAMAH), Transcriptomics & Gene Expression Profiling Services (HLAGANAE), Genomic & Multi-Omic Biomarkers (NGS panels, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) (HLAAAMAJ), Microbiome Analytics, Sequencing & Bioinformatics Platforms (HLAAAFAI), Data Management, Biostatistics & Statistical Programming FSP (HLAGAOAB)
Keywords
Where BGI Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Shenzhen
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices9 records
Markets served
BGI Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Scientific Research and Technology Services: Provides comprehensive genomic sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, proteomics, metabolomics, and other omics services to research institutions, universities, and biotechnology companies globally. Services include whole genome sequencing, exome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and custom omics solutions.
- Clinical and Medical Testing Services: Clinical genetic testing services including NIFTY non-invasive prenatal testing, tumor testing, infectious disease testing (PMseq), newborn screening, and reproductive health testing. Services provided through hospitals, clinics, and directly to patients.
- Sequencing Instruments and Consumables: Sale of DNBSEQ series sequencing instruments, automated sample preparation systems, and related reagents and consumables through MGI Tech subsidiary.
- In Vitro Diagnostic Products: Development and sale of IVD reagents including tumor markers, infectious disease tests, fertility tests, and genetic testing kits.
- Consumer Health Products: Consumer-facing genetic testing products including handheld genetic testing devices (alcohol metabolism assessment kits), cosmetic formulations, and pet genetics services as part of expansion into everyday health markets.
- Judicial/Forensic Identification Services: DNA kinship testing, animal/plant testing, and poison detection services through BGI Identification subsidiary.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise/Institutional Services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
BGI Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BGI Group operates a vertically integrated genomics and multi-omics platform spanning proprietary DNA sequencing instruments (DNBSEQ, CycloneSEQ nanopore), spatial transcriptomics (Stereo-seq), clinical genetic testing services (NIFTY non-invasive prenatal test, PMseq pathogen detection), reproductive and newborn genetic screening, AI-driven bioinformatics (AlphaLab, MegaBOLT, Genos), and AI-empowered laboratory automation through the Huo-Yan network. The company also produces IVD reagent products and serves agricultural applications through BGI Agriculture.
Product overview
BGI Group is a globally leading life science genomics company offering an integrated platform spanning gene sequencing hardware, multi-omics technologies, and AI-powered bioinformatics solutions. The product portfolio includes ultra-high-throughput sequencing instruments (DNBSEQ-T20×2, DNBSEQ-T7+), medium and small sequencers (DNBSEQ-G99, DNBSEQ-E25, T1+), nanopore technology (CycloneSEQ), spatial transcriptomics (Stereo-seq), automated sample preparation systems (MGISP series), and clinical genetic testing services (NIFTY®, PMseq®, EmbryoSeq, SeqHPV®). The company provides both instrument platforms and consumable reagents along with AI-enabled data analysis software including AlphaLab™ Studio management platform, MegaBOLT bioinformatics accelerator, and the Genos foundation model. Services span reproductive health, oncology precision medicine, infectious disease detection, and population genomics research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 华大基因 (BGI Genomics): Global leading scientific technology services provider and precision medical services operator, listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange
- 华大智造 (MGI Tech)
- NIFTY
- 火眼实验室 (HuoYan Labs)
- PMseq
- EmbryoSeq
- Stereo-seq
- GigaScience
- Stereo-cell
Products and services
- DNBSEQ-T20×2 Gene Sequencer
Quantifiable outcome
- BGI's gene sequencing contribution exceeds 50% of global output (Harvard geneticist George Church)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BGI Group
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BGI Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature8 records
BGI Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Omics EmpowercoreOmics Empower launched Xenium In Situ Spatial Transcriptomics services at its Hong Kong Science Park laboratory, becoming the second facility in Hong Kong to operate the 10x Genomics-developed platform. The laboratory supports both 10x Genomics Visium and BGI Group's Stereo-seq technologies, expanding local access to high-resolution spatial transcriptomics capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region.
- Stanford University School of MedicinecoreBGI Life Science Research Institute collaborated with Stanford University School of Medicine and other institutions to publish research in Cell magazine, developing the Stereo-seq algorithm toolkit that marks a revolutionary breakthrough in spatiotemporal omics research.
- Chinese Academy of SciencescoreCo-initiated the ICPBM (International Collaborative Primate Brain Mapping) project, a 25-year global collaboration to create detailed maps of primate and human brains. Multiple joint research projects in genomics and life sciences conducted.
- Belt and Road Countries Government Health ProgramscoreBGI has deployed Huo-Yan (Fire Eye) laboratories and COVID-19 testing capabilities across Belt and Road countries, establishing international health cooperation partnerships. Conducted training programs for health professionals from multiple developing nations.
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Brain Science and Intelligence Technology Excellence Innovation CentercoreJoint research on primate brain cell mapping, non-human primate brain cell atlas, and cerebellum spatiotemporal research. Multiple high-impact joint publications in Nature and Cell journals.
- Multiple International Research InstitutionsminorEarth BioGenome Project (EBP), Thousand Plant Genomes Project (10KP), Thousand Bird Genomes Project (B10K), Thousand Fish Genomes Project (F10K) - co-initiated with international partners including Smithsonian Institution and others.
- African Countries (Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mauritius, Egypt)minorBGI Group is expanding AI footprint in Africa as part of China's AI competition strategy. African countries are leveraging partnerships from both China and US, using dual-engagement strategies to navigate great power competition.
- Southeast Asian CDMOsminorChinese biopharma companies including BGI Group have accelerated engagement in Southeast Asia through COVID-19 vaccine partnerships, genomic collaborations, and investments to diversify supply chains amid US Biosecure Act restrictions.
- Global Healthcare OrganizationscoreHuo-Yan laboratories established international partnerships in Serbia, Brunei, Philippines and other countries. COVID-19 test kit manufacturing facility established in Ethiopia with annual capacity of 10 million kits.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
BGI Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Illumina: World's leading DNA sequencing platform company; develops sequencers (NovaSeq, NextSeq, MiSeq) and reagents serving the same research, clinical, and pharma customers as BGI. Illumina is BGI's primary head-to-head competitor in short-read sequencing, particularly after Illumina acquired the early BGI-related IP that triggered a long-running patent dispute.
- Pacific Biosciences: Developer of HiFi long-read sequencing technology (Sequel IIe, Revio). Competes with BGI's CycloneSEQ nanopore and DNBSEQ platforms for long-read applications in de novo assembly, full-length transcriptomics, and clinical rare disease research.
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies: Direct nanopore sequencing competitor with MinION, GridION, and PromethION platforms. Oxford Nanopore competes head-to-head with BGI's CycloneSEQ-WT02 and CycloneSEQ-WY01 in long-read genomics and real-time sequencing applications.
- 10x Genomics: Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics platform provider (Chromium, Visium, Xenium). Directly competes with BGI's Stereo-seq, Stereo-cell, and DNBelab D4 platforms in single-cell sequencing and spatial omics markets.
- Novogene: Beijing-based sequencing services provider offering whole genome, exome, single-cell, and multi-omics services to global research and pharma customers. Most direct services peer to BGI Genomics; also recently added to the US Section 1260H list alongside BGI.
Broad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Broad life science tools incumbent offering Ion Torrent sequencing, capillary electrophoresis (Sanger), qPCR, mass spectrometry, and clinical diagnostics. Overlaps with BGI across sequencing instruments, clinical testing services, and bioinformatics but addresses a much wider portfolio.
- Qiagen: Molecular biology sample technologies, NGS library prep, and bioinformatics (Ingenuity, QIAseq). Competes with BGI's MGISP automated sample prep, nucleic acid extraction instruments, and bioinformatics tools in the sample-to-data workflow.
- Agilent Technologies: Provides analytical instruments, genomics consumables (SureSelect, Tapestation), and bioinformatics. Overlaps with BGI's laboratory automation, NGS library prep, and clinical diagnostics capabilities.
Emerging players
- Element Biosciences: Mid-throughput sequencing competitor with AVITI platform offering novel avidity-based chemistry. Targets the same mid-throughput segment as BGI's DNBSEQ-G99 and is expanding into higher throughput - emerging pricing threat to BGI.
- Personalis: Clinical sequencing and ImmunoID NeXT platform for tumor profiling and pharma services. Competes with BGI Genomics in clinical tumor testing, especially for pharma clinical trials and immuno-oncology biomarker discovery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BGI Group social profiles
Digital presenceBGI Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BGI Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
BGI Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries13 records
BGI Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BGI Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments13 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BGI Group
What does BGI Group do?
BGI Group operates a vertically integrated genomics and multi-omics platform spanning proprietary DNA sequencing instruments (DNBSEQ, CycloneSEQ nanopore), spatial transcriptomics (Stereo-seq), clinical genetic testing services (NIFTY non-invasive prenatal test, PMseq pathogen detection), reproductive and newborn genetic screening, AI-driven bioinformatics (AlphaLab, MegaBOLT, Genos), and AI-empowered laboratory automation through the Huo-Yan network. The company also produces IVD reagent products and serves agricultural applications through BGI Agriculture.
Is BGI Group a public or private company?
BGI Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BGI Group founded?
BGI Group was founded in 1999. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is BGI Group based?
BGI Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, China, in the Asia region.
How does BGI Group make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Scientific Research and Technology Services are the primary driver. The others are clinical and Medical Testing Services, sequencing Instruments and Consumables, in Vitro Diagnostic Products, consumer Health Products and judicial/Forensic Identification Services.
Who are BGI Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Illumina, Pacific Biosciences, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, 10x Genomics and Novogene. Broad incumbents are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Qiagen and Agilent Technologies. Emerging players are Element Biosciences and Personalis.
Does BGI Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for BGI Group.
What industry is BGI Group in?
BGI Group's product category is Genomics and multi-omics services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAF, Molecular Biology & Genomics Instruments (PCR/qPCR, Sequencing, Microarrays), with a secondary code of HLAFAMAH, Genetic & Prenatal Testing Laboratories. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.