American Gut
The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut) is a UC San Diego-affiliated citizen science project that collects microbiome samples from crowdfunded participants worldwide and publishes research on the human microbiome's role in health and disease.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLa Jolla, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What American Gut does
The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut Project) is a citizen science microbiome research initiative hosted at UC San Diego and led by Dr. Rob Knight as Principal Investigator and Co-Founder. It enrolls members of the public globally who donate financially to receive a sample collection kit, return microbiome samples (gut, oral, skin, vaginal), and receive a personalized microbiome report. The core product is a research-grade data platform that aggregates thousands of participant samples across multiple countries and publishes findings in scientific journals, with data having appeared in over 85 publications to date. The initiative also distributes educational content such as the '30 Plants Per Week' gut-health program and maintains a multilingual web presence (English, Japanese, Spanish).
The business model blends consumer crowdfunding (one-time participant donations for kits and reports) with institutional sponsorship from the NIH (core), Danone, and Seerave. Distribution is entirely self-serve via the microsetta.ucsd.edu and microsetta-rest.ucsd.edu portals, with marketing concentrated on organic social channels (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook) and an email newsletter. The project does not sell software, APIs, or licenses commercially. As of February 17, 2026, the initiative paused new crowdfunded enrollment to enhance the participant experience, with kit returns required by March 15, 2026, and a planned reopening later in the year.
American Gut firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Gut
- Legal name
- The Microsetta Initiative
- Website
- https://americangut.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut) is a UC San Diego-affiliated citizen science project that collects microbiome samples from crowdfunded participants worldwide and publishes research on the human microbiome's role in health and disease.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Gut industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Citizen Science Microbiome Research
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microbiome Diagnostics & Biomarker Platforms (gut/skin/oral/vaginal) (HLAAAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microbiome Analytics, Sequencing & Bioinformatics Platforms (HLAAAFAI), Consortia & Defined Microbial Community Therapeutics (HLAAAFAC)
Keywords
Where American Gut is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Jolla
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Gut business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Crowdfunded Participant Donations: The project generates revenue through crowdfunding where participants donate to join the study and receive a personalized microbiome report in return. Enrollment closed for new crowdfunded participants effective February 17, 2026.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
American Gut product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut Project) is the world's largest citizen science microbiome project. Individuals donate microbiome samples (gut, oral, skin, vaginal) and contribute to a crowdfunding-based research study; in return, participants receive personalized microbiome reports. The project generates large-scale microbiome datasets that have been published in over 85 scientific journals and help advance understanding of microbial roles in health and disease, including inflammatory bowel disease and obesity.
Product overview
The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut Project) operates as a single unified citizen science platform focused on microbiome research. The core offering is a sample collection kit program where participants donate samples, and in return receive personalized microbiome reports. The project functions as both a research study and a public engagement initiative, with data published in over 85 scientific journals. The initiative also includes educational components such as the '30 Plants Per Week' program focused on gut health awareness.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Data published in over 85 scientific journals
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use American Gut
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
American Gut technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
American Gut partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
American Gut competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Viome: Viome offers direct-to-consumer gut and oral microbiome testing with personalized nutrition recommendations, paralleling American Gut's participant-paid model and microbiome analysis focus. Both target health-conscious consumers seeking personalized insights from stool/saliva samples.
- Atlas Biomed: Atlas Biomed offers direct-to-consumer gut microbiome and DNA testing with personalized health and nutrition reports. It mirrors American Gut's citizen-participant sample collection model combined with personalized microbiome reporting.
- ZOE: ZOE runs large-scale citizen-science-style cohort studies combined with consumer microbiome and metabolic testing to deliver personalized nutrition scores. It is comparable to American Gut in combining cohort-scale data generation with consumer-facing personalized reporting.
- DayTwo: DayTwo provides microbiome-based personalized nutrition recommendations, leveraging large gut microbiome datasets to predict glycemic response. It competes with American Gut's value proposition of turning microbiome data into actionable health insights.
- Sun Genomics (formerly Thryve): Sun Genomics provides personalized gut microbiome testing and probiotic formulations based on individual sample analysis. Comparable to American Gut in collecting consumer samples for sequencing and returning personalized microbiome insights.
Emerging players
- Second Genome: Second Genome applies microbiome science to drug discovery and therapeutic development, leveraging large microbiome datasets. Comparable in that both organizations sit at the intersection of citizen/clinical microbiome data and downstream translational research.
- Arivale: Arivale offered multi-omic (genomic, microbiome, metabolomic) consumer coaching services integrating large datasets into personalized wellness plans. While it ceased operations, its model is conceptually comparable to American Gut's combination of participant data generation and personalized reporting.
- BIOHM Health: BIOHM Health offers consumer microbiome testing with a focus on gut-and-oral fungal and bacterial communities, addressing total microbiome balance. It overlaps with American Gut's multi-body-site focus and consumer testing model.
Broad incumbents
- Human Longevity Inc. Human Longevity Inc. integrates genomics, microbiome, and other -omics into premium health-focused offerings. While broader in scope, it overlaps with American Gut in applying large-scale -omics data to personalized health insights.
Others
- Psomagen: Psomagen provides sequencing and bioinformatics services including microbiome sequencing for researchers and consumer testing brands. It is an ecosystem enabler — a sequencing infrastructure provider that supports microbiome projects analogous to American Gut.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
American Gut social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Gut financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Gut leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
American Gut funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Gut M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Gut
What does American Gut do?
The Microsetta Initiative (formerly American Gut Project) is the world's largest citizen science microbiome project. Individuals donate microbiome samples (gut, oral, skin, vaginal) and contribute to a crowdfunding-based research study; in return, participants receive personalized microbiome reports. The project generates large-scale microbiome datasets that have been published in over 85 scientific journals and help advance understanding of microbial roles in health and disease, including inflammatory bowel disease and obesity.
Is American Gut a public or private company?
American Gut is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was American Gut founded?
American Gut was founded in -1.
Where is American Gut based?
American Gut is headquartered in La Jolla, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Gut make money?
One revenue line is on record: crowdfunded Participant Donations.
Who are American Gut's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Viome, Atlas Biomed, ZOE, DayTwo and Sun Genomics (formerly Thryve). Emerging players are Second Genome, Arivale and BIOHM Health. Human Longevity Inc. is listed as a broad incumbent. Psomagen is listed as an others.
Does American Gut have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Gut.
What industry is American Gut in?
American Gut's product category is Citizen Science Microbiome Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAFAH, Microbiome Diagnostics & Biomarker Platforms (gut/skin/oral/vaginal), with a secondary code of HLAAAFAI, Microbiome Analytics, Sequencing & Bioinformatics Platforms. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2836.