SnapGene
SnapGene develops molecular biology software for DNA sequence visualization, cloning simulation, and automatic experiment documentation. It serves academic research institutions and commercial biotech and pharmaceutical labs globally, operating as a subsidiary of Dotmatics with a freemium Viewer and tiered subscription licensing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What SnapGene does
SnapGene is a molecular biology software company that develops tools for DNA sequence visualization, annotation, and cloning simulation. Its core product, SnapGene, enables researchers to design and virtually test cloning procedures before lab work, catching errors before they incur reagent and time costs, and automatically generating a documented history of every sequence edit and cloning step. The software ships with a curated library of over 2,700 annotated plasmid files and is supported by SnapGene Academy, an online learning center containing more than 50 video tutorials taught by scientific experts.
The company serves academic and research institutions as well as commercial biotech and pharmaceutical customers, with adoption at marquee sites including Northwestern University, the University of Cambridge (Gurdon Institute), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Emory University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Distribution is global, with multi-tier annual subscription licensing covering commercial, academic, course, and iGEM competition participants, supplemented by a free SnapGene Viewer that functions as a freemium funnel into paid tiers.
SnapGene operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Dotmatics, a strategic operating company in life sciences informatics, and is marketed as 'SnapGene by Dotmatics' alongside the parent's broader portfolio of scientific software products. The business model combines product-led growth (free trial and free Viewer) with enterprise field sales through academic and institutional licensing programs, with no public funding history or revenue disclosures available in the source data.
SnapGene firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SnapGene
- Legal name
- SnapGene
- Website
- https://snapgene.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- SnapGene develops molecular biology software for DNA sequence visualization, cloning simulation, and automatic experiment documentation. It serves academic research institutions and commercial biotech and pharmaceutical labs globally, operating as a subsidiary of Dotmatics with a freemium Viewer and tiered subscription licensing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SnapGene industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Molecular Biology Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bioinformatics & Multi-omics Analysis Software (HLAGAJAD)
Keywords
Where SnapGene is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
SnapGene business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Annual or perpetual licenses for SnapGene software to commercial and academic users. Multiple pricing tiers available based on user type.
- Course Licenses: Special licensing program for educational institutions and courses, providing reduced pricing for academic use.
- Free Viewer Version: Free version of SnapGene Viewer provided at no cost to enable broader adoption and serve as a conversion funnel for paid versions.
- iGEM Licensing: Special licensing program for iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual/Commercial License |
| Subscription | Annual | Academic/Institutional License |
| Subscription | Annual | Course License |
| Freemium | Others | SnapGene Viewer (Free) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
SnapGene product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SnapGene is molecular biology software used to visualize, annotate, and simulate DNA sequences and cloning procedures. It enables researchers to plan and document cloning experiments, design primers, and simulate restriction enzyme digestion, Gibson Assembly, and Golden Gate cloning workflows. The software also provides tools for plasmid map creation, sequence alignment, and sharing of annotated DNA files within research teams.
Product overview
SnapGene offers a unified molecular biology software product portfolio centered on its core SnapGene application, which provides tools for designing, simulating, and documenting cloning procedures. The offering includes SnapGene Viewer as a free visualization companion with full annotation capabilities, and SnapGene Academy as an educational resource with video tutorials. Together, these products address the full workflow from design and visualization to documentation and skill development in molecular biology research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SnapGene Viewer: Free software that allows users to view data with the same rich visualization, annotation, and sharing capabilities as the fully enabled SnapGene software
- SnapGene Academy
Products and services
- SnapGene Desktop molecular biology software for DNA sequence visualization, annotation, primer design, and in silico cloning simulation. Used by molecular biologists, genetic engineers, and researchers in academic and commercial laboratories.
- SnapGene Viewer Free downloadable companion application that allows users to view, annotate, and share SnapGene-authored DNA files without a paid license. Enables free adoption and file-sharing within the SnapGene user community.
- SnapGene Academy Educational program providing instructors and students with structured courses and lab exercises to teach molecular biology techniques using SnapGene. Course licenses are available for academic institutions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Saves time and money by enabling virtual cloning before physical experiments
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use SnapGene
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
SnapGene technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
SnapGene partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DotmaticscoreSnapGene is owned and operated by Dotmatics, a provider of informatics solutions for life sciences research. The software is branded as 'SnapGene by Dotmatics' and is part of the Dotmatics portfolio of scientific software products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SnapGene competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Benchling: Benchling is a cloud-based life sciences R&D platform that includes sequence design, cloning, and molecular biology workflows as part of a broader ELN/LIMS suite aimed at biotech and pharma enterprises.
- Vector NTI (Thermo Fisher): Thermo Fisher's Vector NTI (now part of Invitrogen Vector NTI Advance) is a molecular biology software suite with sequence analysis and cloning features, historically a direct competitor in the same niche.
- CLC Bio (Qiagen CLC Main Workbench): Qiagen's CLC bioinformatics software suite provides molecular biology and sequence analysis tools as part of a broader genomics portfolio, competing with SnapGene in academic and commercial labs.
Emerging players
- ApE (A Plasmid Editor): ApE is a free, open-source plasmid editing tool used by academic labs for basic cloning design and visualization, representing a low-cost alternative to SnapGene's paid offering.
- GeneStudio: GeneStudio offers molecular biology software for sequence analysis, cloning, and primer design, providing partial overlap with SnapGene's core capabilities in the academic and small commercial market.
Others
- Dotmatics (parent platform): Dotmatics is SnapGene's parent company and offers a broader life sciences informatics platform including ELN, LIMS, and scientific intelligence; relevant as the integrating ecosystem for SnapGene.
Direct peers
- MacVector: MacVector is a desktop molecular biology application for Mac offering DNA sequence analysis, cloning design, and visualization capabilities, directly overlapping with SnapGene's core workflows.
- Geneious (Biomatters): Geneious by Biomatters is a direct competitor offering molecular biology software with DNA sequence visualization, annotation, and cloning tools targeted at the same academic and commercial research audience.
- Clone Manager: Clone Manager is a desktop molecular biology software for cloning simulation, sequence analysis, and primer design, targeting a similar academic and commercial user base as SnapGene.
- DNASTAR: DNASTAR offers Lasergene, a molecular biology software suite with DNA sequence analysis, cloning, and annotation tools directly competing with SnapGene in academic and commercial research labs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SnapGene social profiles
Digital presenceSnapGene financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SnapGene leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SnapGene funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SnapGene 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 SnapGene
What does SnapGene do?
SnapGene is molecular biology software used to visualize, annotate, and simulate DNA sequences and cloning procedures. It enables researchers to plan and document cloning experiments, design primers, and simulate restriction enzyme digestion, Gibson Assembly, and Golden Gate cloning workflows. The software also provides tools for plasmid map creation, sequence alignment, and sharing of annotated DNA files within research teams.
Is SnapGene a public or private company?
SnapGene is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SnapGene founded?
SnapGene was founded in 2012. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is SnapGene based?
SnapGene is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does SnapGene make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are course Licenses, free Viewer Version and iGEM Licensing.
Who are SnapGene's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Benchling, Vector NTI (Thermo Fisher) and CLC Bio (Qiagen CLC Main Workbench). Emerging players are ApE (A Plasmid Editor) and GeneStudio. Dotmatics (parent platform) is listed as an others. Direct peers are MacVector, Geneious (Biomatters), Clone Manager and DNASTAR.
Does SnapGene have an API?
No public API is recorded for SnapGene.
What industry is SnapGene in?
SnapGene's product category is Molecular Biology Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAJAD, Bioinformatics & Multi-omics Analysis Software. Its NAICS code is 51321 and its SIC code is 7372.