Metagenom Bio Life Science

What Metagenom Bio Life Science does

Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc. (MBLS) is a privately held Canadian biotechnology firm headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, that provides DNA sequencing services, proprietary extraction kits, and bioinformatics analysis focused on environmental — rather than human — microbiome samples. The company's core technical stack centers on the Illumina MiSeq platform for amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA, eukaryotic 18S, and fungal ITS markers, supplemented by Oxford Nanopore Technology for shotgun and long-read applications, and a proprietary Sox DNA Extraction Kit engineered specifically for soil and other difficult environmental matrices. Bioinformatics is delivered through a three-tiered service (Level 1 alpha-diversity and taxonomy, Level 2 beta-diversity and metadata-driven comparisons, Level 3 phylogenetic novelty, indicator species, and functional mining) with optional metagenomics workflows covering assembled genomes and gene annotation.

The company monetizes through three coordinated revenue streams: (1) professional services fees for sequencing and bioinformatics engagements priced by quote; (2) direct e-commerce sales of the Sox DNA Extraction Kit via shop.metagenom.com; and (3) recurring monthly subscription pathogen monitoring services (Pathogen+ and Pathogen Mini) delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech, targeting controlled environment agriculture operators. Customer segments split between academic researchers (with documented engagements across University of Waterloo, McGill, Laurentian, Guelph, and Manitoba) and commercial CEA clients such as Vertité, supported by a direct sales motion, an online client portal for sample submission, and an active social and content marketing presence.

Operationally, MBLS employs 11–50 staff and has remained grant-funded rather than equity-funded to date, with non-dilutive capital sourced from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, NRC-IRAP, and the Weston Family Foundation's Homegrown Innovation Challenge ($50K CAD Spark Award in September 2022). The company maintains ISO 27001-aligned data hosting and is PIPEDA and GDPR compliant, and operates a small ecosystem of partners (Earth Microbial, MetaCycler BioInnovations) alongside Canadian university and government collaborators.

Name

Metagenom Bio Life Science

Legal name

Metagenom Bio Life Science Inc.

Website

https://metagenom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Metagenom Bio Life Science is a Canadian biotech firm providing DNA sequencing, a proprietary Sox DNA extraction kit, and tiered bioinformatics analysis for environmental microbiome research, serving academic researchers and controlled environment agriculture operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbiome Sequencing Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Microbiome & Metagenomics Services (HLAGANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbiome Analytics, Sequencing & Bioinformatics Platforms (HLAAAFAI), Bioinformatics & Multi-omics Analysis Software (HLAGAJAD), Bioinformatics, Multi-Omics Data Analysis & Interpretation Services (HLAGANAI), Public Health Genomics & Sequencing (WGS/Metagenomics) Networks (HLAJAIAK)

Keywords

• Microbiome sequencing services
• DNA extraction kits
• Bioinformatics analysis
• Environmental DNA testing
• Agricultural pathogen monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. DNA Extraction Kit Sales: Sale of proprietary Sox DNA Soil Extraction Kit through online shop for researchers performing their own DNA extraction and sequencing. One-time product purchase.
2. Sequencing Services: Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing services including library preparation and sequencing. Pricing based on reads per sample and assay type. Quote-based pricing for custom requirements.
3. Bioinformatics Analysis: Tiered bioinformatics services (Level 1, 2, 3) providing taxonomic analysis, diversity metrics, and custom workflows. Can analyze data from samples sequenced elsewhere.
4. Subscription Services: Through subsidiary Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech, provides subscription-based pathogen monitoring services (Pathogen+ and Pathogen Mini) for hydroponic growers with recurring revenue model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Metagenom Bio Life Science is a biotechnology company that provides end-to-end DNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis solutions for environmental microbiome research. The company sells a proprietary Sox DNA Extraction Kit, performs amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, ITS) on Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore platforms, and delivers three tiers of bioinformatics analysis from basic taxonomy to metagenomics. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech, it also offers subscription-based pathogen monitoring services for controlled environment agriculture growers.

Product overview

Metagenom Bio Life Science is a biotech company providing DNA sequencing and analysis solutions for the environmental microbiology landscape. Their core product is the Sox DNA Extraction Kit, which outperforms competitors on DNA yield and quality from environmental samples. Their service portfolio is organized as a unified workflow from study design through sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Amplicon Sequencing services utilize the Illumina MiSeq platform (with Oxford Nanopore for long-read applications) to sequence taxonomic marker genes (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, ITS) and custom PCR amplicons. Bioinformatics Analysis is offered at three levels: Level 1 (alpha-diversity and taxonomy), Level 2 (beta-diversity and metadata comparisons), and Level 3 (indicator species and phylogenetic novelty), plus metagenomics. Specialized services include Wastewater Pathogen Surveillance and Early Plant Pathogen Detection through the subsidiary Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech, which uses machine learning and a curated pathogen database.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech: A subsidiary company dedicated to providing innovative genomics-based pathogen monitoring services to hydroponic growers to enhance prediction of crop diseases and assurance of food safety.

Products and services

• Sox DNA Extraction Kit Proprietary DNA extraction kit designed for soil and a wide variety of environmental samples, outperforming competing kits on DNA yield and quality. Sold directly to researchers and labs performing their own DNA extraction and sequencing.
• Amplicon Sequencing Service DNA extraction and amplicon sequencing services using the Illumina MiSeq platform (30,000 reads per sample, 2x250 cycles standard) and Oxford Nanopore Technology for shotgun and long-read applications. Supports bacterial/archaeal (16S V4 or V4-V5), bacterial ITS, fungal ITS1, eukaryotic 18S V4-V5, rbcL, mitochondrial 12S/16S, COI, and phototrophic markers. Targets academic and industry clients performing environmental microbiome research.
• Bioinformatics Analysis Three-tier bioinformatics service: Level 1 (alpha-diversity and taxonomy), Level 2 (beta-diversity, sample comparison, and metadata integration), and Level 3 (phylogenetic novelty, indicator species, specific taxonomic data mining). Metagenomics services include assembled genomes, gene annotation, functional enrichment, and bioprospecting. Can also analyze data from samples sequenced elsewhere.
• Wastewater Pathogen Surveillance Identification and tracking of microorganisms in wastewater samples, highlighting pathogenic species and strains that pose public health concerns. Serves environmental services companies and public health agencies.
• Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech Pathogen Monitoring Subscription-based pathogen monitoring and microbiome surveillance service for commercial hydroponic growers, greenhouse operators, vertical farms, and container farms. Uses PCR, high-throughput sequencing, qPCR, machine learning, and an in-house curated pathogen database to predict crop diseases and ensure food safety. Includes access to the Growers' Portal for trend tracking.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Healthy Hydroponics InnoTechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2022Wholly-owned subsidiary of MBLS incorporated in September 2022. Headquartered in Waterloo sharing space with MBLS. Applies MBLS's microbiome analysis technology to the controlled environment agriculture industry. Provides pathogen detection and microbiome surveillance services using PCR, high throughput sequencing, machine learning, and proprietary curated database. Contact: [email protected], Office: +1 844-947-0650.
• Healthy HydroponicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgritech company providing plant pathogen and foodborne disease detection and monitoring for hydroponic farms to ensure healthy crops and food safety. Uses MBLS technology for microbiome analysis services.
• University of WaterloocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Trevor Charles from UW leads Homegrown Innovation Challenge project with MBLS as collaborator. Trevor Charles is also CEO of MBLS. Partnership involves microbiome research for sustainable agriculture.
• McGill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as collaborator on MBLS website. Co-Investigator in Homegrown Innovation Challenge project alongside UW and other institutions.
• École de technologie supérieureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as collaborator on MBLS website. Co-Investigator in Homegrown Innovation Challenge project.
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as collaborator on MBLS website with Ontario Greenhouse logo shown.
• Ontario Greenhouse Growers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as collaborator on MBLS website. Partnership related to controlled environment agriculture sector.
• VertitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHydroponic strawberry farm in Montreal collaborating on Homegrown Innovation Challenge project. MBLS and Healthy Hydroponics will evaluate microbiomes of their hydroponic systems.
• VertitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHydroponic strawberry farm in Montreal. Growers collaborating on Challenge team led by Dr. Charles from UW with MBLS.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MR DNA (Molecular Research LP): Shallowater, TX-based molecular research lab offering amplicon sequencing (16S, ITS, 18S) and bioinformatics for environmental/agricultural microbiome studies. Comparable on Illumina-based amplicon services for environmental samples.
• CD Genomics: Shirley, NY-based CRO offering amplicon sequencing (16S/18S/ITS), shotgun metagenomics, and bioinformatics pipelines. Closely comparable as a microbiome sequencing services provider with similar marker-gene panels and tiered analysis.
• Zymo Research: Irvine, CA-based provider of DNA/RNA extraction kits (including environmental sample kits like Soil/Fecal DNA kits) and microbiome/nucleic acid services. Direct comparison to MBLS on both consumable (DNA extraction) and service (sequencing/bioinformatics) lines.
• RTL Genomics: Texas-based microbiome genomics services lab offering 16S, ITS, 18S sequencing and metagenomics with bioinformatics pipelines. Closely comparable service catalog and bioinformatics tiering structure to MBLS.
• Microbiome Insights: Canadian microbiome services lab (Vancouver, BC) offering 16S, ITS, 18S, shotgun metagenomics and bioinformatics. Similar in geography, target market (academic/industrial), and service stack to MBLS.

Emerging players

• Agdia: Elkhart, IN-based provider of plant pathogen diagnostic testing (immunoassay and molecular). Adjacent comparator for Healthy Hydroponics InnoTech in plant pathogen detection, though focused on assays rather than sequencing-based surveillance.
• CosmosID: Germantown, MD-based microbial genomics company offering NGS-based microbiome identification and a curated microbial database. Comparable bioinformatics/database asset and overlap on pathogen detection for agricultural and environmental clients.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Genomics: Global commercial life sciences services provider operating Eurofins Genomics sequencing and bioinformatics offerings. Represents the large established competitor that environmental microbiome service providers such as MBLS compete against on price and scale.
• LGC Biosearch Technologies: Global genomics services and reagents provider (formerly Biosearch, integrated with LGC). Comparable in offering amplicon sequencing, custom oligos, and bioinformatics tools across agricultural, environmental, and clinical markets.

Others

• Earth Microbial: Canadian biofertilizer partner listed on MBLS's website. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor — uses similar environmental microbiome science to develop agricultural biofertilizers, complementing MBLS's analytical services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/metagenombio
• Facebookfacebook.com/MetagenomBio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metagenom-bio-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/metagenombio

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Metagenom Bio Life Science