GenoPalate, the Milwaukee-based nutrition company that uses genetic testing to help people make analytics-based changes to their diet, recently secured $4 million from investors.
Since launching in 2016, founder and CEO Sherry Zhang has raised more than $6 million from investors to grow the company. This round marks the company's third and largest so far.
GenoPalate is applying the funds to grow the capacity of its internet platform to service 3,000 or more new customers per day, which is double its current capacity, Zhang announced. The funds will also be applied for digital marketing and research and development.
Nine investors participated in the investment offering, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Current investors include BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation Inc. and gener8tor, one of the top startup accelerators in the nation. GenoPalate was a member of gener8tor’s 2017 Milwaukee accelerator cohort.
“We empower people with their genetic information and other personalized nutrition data insights to walk into a store or shop food online and know which foods are healthier for them,” Zhang said.
Zhang, a 2019 Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and 2020 Women of Influence honoree, earned her doctorate at Marquette University in 2007 and before launching GenoPalate, was a researcher and assistant professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“To truly eat healthy and apply daily food behavior to preventing chronic metabolic diseases, one must personalize his or her nutrition. Genomics is key to our understanding of anyone's food personalization for health,” Zhang said.
