# Kilobaser **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/kilobaser **Vertical:** Healthcare **Subcategory:** General **Tier:** Emerging **Website:** kilobaser.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Vienna Austria YC W21 desktop DNA synthesizer enabling on-demand oligo production in research labs at $3.1M revenue 2024; $1.99M BioTools Innovator-backed "Nespresso for DNA" at $35.5-49.5K competing with IDT and Evonetix for benchtop DNA synthesis. ## Company Overview Kilobaser is a Vienna, Austria-based biotechnology hardware company — backed by Y Combinator (W21) with $1.99 million in total funding from BioTools Innovator — providing research laboratories and life sciences companies with desktop DNA and RNA oligonucleotide synthesizers that enable individual scientists to produce custom synthetic DNA sequences directly on their benchtops without sending samples to commercial synthesis services, generating $3.1 million in annual revenue in 2024 with consistent revenue growth since the 2014 company founding. Positioned as the "Nespresso Machine for DNA," Kilobaser offers the Basic Edition synthesizer ($35,500) and Extended Edition ($49,500) — compact, affordable instruments that democratize access to on-demand DNA synthesis for research labs that need rapid turnaround on custom oligonucleotide sequences for PCR primers, CRISPR guides, sequencing adapters, and synthetic gene construction. Kilobaser's desktop DNA synthesis model addresses the supply chain bottleneck created by commercial oligonucleotide synthesis services: research labs currently order custom DNA sequences from commercial providers (Integrated DNA Technologies, Twist Bioscience, Genewiz) and wait 24-72 hours for overnight shipping of the synthesized oligos — a turnaround time that creates calendar friction in experiments requiring iterative sequence optimization (CRISPR guide RNA screening, primer optimization, aptamer selection) where the researcher wants results in the same day. Kilobaser's benchtop synthesizer (automated solid-phase phosphoramidite chemistry in a compact instrument format) enables on-demand synthesis of custom 8-30mer DNA sequences within 3-4 hours in the researcher's own lab — supporting the rapid design-synthesize-test cycles that accelerate research. The cartridge-based reagent system (comparable to Nespresso's pod approach) simplifies the chemistry consumable management that makes traditional DNA synthesis instruments impractical for non-specialist labs. In 2025, Kilobaser competes in the benchtop DNA synthesis instruments, oligonucleotide manufacturing, and life sciences research equipment market with Twist Bioscience (NASDAQ: TWST, synthetic DNA and oligo pools), Integrated DNA Technologies (Danaher subsidiary, NYSE: DHR, large-scale commercial oligo synthesis), and Evonetix (benchtop DNA synthesis instrument, $30M raised) for research lab on-demand DNA synthesis adoption. The democratization of DNA synthesis (making gene construction tools available to individual researchers rather than only centralized synthesis facilities) is a recurring theme in life sciences tool innovation — Kilobaser's benchtop instrument follows the pattern of PCR (made accessible by low-cost thermal cyclers), DNA sequencing (made accessible by benchtop sequencers like Oxford Nanopore's MinION), and cell counting. Y Combinator W21 backing positioned Kilobaser in the biotech tools investor community. The 2025 strategy focuses on growing the academic lab market (individual PI labs at universities), building the RNA synthesis capability extension (for siRNA and mRNA research), and expanding the reagent cartridge subscription revenue model. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Kilobaser? Kilobaser is a biotechnology company founded in 2014 that manufactures desktop DNA and RNA synthesizers that enable individual scientists to easily produce synthetic DNA sequences on their benchtops, positioning itself as the 'Nespresso Machine for DNA' with compact, affordable DNA printers for rese ### What does Kilobaser make? Kilobaser makes a benchtop DNA synthesizer designed for individual labs and research teams. Unlike industrial DNA synthesis services, Kilobaser's device lets researchers synthesize short DNA oligonucleotides on demand in their own lab without sending orders to external providers. ### What is the advantage of on-demand DNA synthesis with Kilobaser? On-demand synthesis eliminates the 1-3 day shipping delay from commercial oligo suppliers, allowing researchers to iterate faster on experiments. It also reduces costs for labs with high routine oligo consumption. ### What types of oligos can Kilobaser synthesize? Kilobaser synthesizes standard DNA oligonucleotides used for PCR primers, sequencing primers, and other routine molecular biology applications, with synthesis capabilities covering common lengths and sequences needed in everyday research workflows. ### How large is the Kilobaser instrument and what lab space does it require? Kilobaser is designed as a compact benchtop device that fits in standard lab environments without specialized infrastructure requirements, making it accessible for individual research groups rather than only core facilities. ### How does Kilobaser's pricing compare to external synthesis services? For labs with high oligo consumption, Kilobaser's per-synthesis cost becomes competitive with external services when factoring in shipping time and costs, while the speed advantage provides additional research productivity value. ### What software does Kilobaser use to manage synthesis runs? Kilobaser provides companion software for designing synthesis runs, managing reagent inventory, and tracking synthesis quality, integrating the instrument into standard lab workflows with minimal manual management. ### Who are Kilobaser's target customers? Kilobaser targets academic research labs, biotech startups, and pharmaceutical research teams that run frequent PCR and sequencing experiments and want to eliminate the logistics of ordering oligos from external providers. ## Tags healthtech, north-america, b2b --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*