Anne Wojcicki

Anne Wojcicki
Born	(1973-07-28) July 28, 1973 Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Occupation	Businesswoman
Years active	2006–present
Known for	Co-founder and former CEO of 23andMe

Anne E. Wojcicki ( ; born July 28, 1973) is an American businesswoman widely recognized as the co-founder of the personal genomics firm 23andMe.

Early life and education

Born in Palo Alto, California, Wojcicki is the youngest among three sisters: Susan Wojcicki, former CEO of YouTube, and Janet Wojcicki, who specializes in anthropology and epidemiology. Their parents are Esther Wojcicki, a journalist and educator, and Stanley Wojcicki, a physics professor emeritus at Stanford University originally from Poland. The family was raised on the grounds of Stanford University.

She attended Gunn High School in Palo Alto, where she served as editor of the school newspaper, The Oracle, earning a scholarship for her work in sports journalism. In 1996, Wojcicki graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology while competing on the varsity women's ice hockey team. Additionally, she conducted molecular biology research at both the National Institutes of Health and the University of California, San Diego.

Career

Following her graduation, Wojcicki took on roles as a healthcare consultant at Passport Capital, an investment fund based in San Francisco, and at Investor AB. Over four years, she worked as a healthcare investment analyst, managing investments primarily focused on companies within the biotechnology sector. Growing dissatisfied with Wall Street's culture and its handling of healthcare issues, she opted against attending medical school and instead pursued biological research.

23andMe

Wojcicki co-founded and led as CEO the direct-to-consumer DNA testing company 23andMe, which provides customers with information about their ancestry and genetic health risks. Established in 2006 alongside Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza, the company’s mission was to make genetic data more accessible to support disease prevention and treatment.

Clients received saliva collection kits that were sent back for DNA analysis, with results delivered through an online platform. The company’s name refers to the 23 pairs of chromosomes found in human cells. In 2008, its genome testing kit was honored as Time magazine’s "Invention of the Year." From 2015 onward, the Food and Drug Administration authorized several health-related tests from 23andMe that assess risks for conditions including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, various cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and coeliac disease.

In 2018, 23andMe formed a four-year partnership with GlaxoSmithKline to collaborate on drug development, accompanied by a $300 million investment. When Wojcicki took the company public via a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in 2021, she was recognized by Forbes as a self-made billionaire. Nonetheless, by 2024 the firm's valuation had dropped to only two percent of its previous $6 billion high. Wojcicki proposed a buyout to privatize the company; however, the board declined her offer and all seven independent directors resigned.

On March 24, 2025, 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Wojcicki stepped down as CEO but retained her seat on the board. Subsequently, on June 13, 2025, she regained control by acquiring nearly all company assets through a $305 million transaction.

Additional professional engagements

Wojcicki is part of the Xconomists, an advisory group associated with the technology media outlet Xconomy. In October 2013, she was recognized by Fast Company as "America's Most Audacious CEO". She co-established and holds a board position at the Breakthrough Prize. In 2020, she was placed 93rd on Forbes’ ranking of the World's 100 Most Influential Women. In August 2021, Wojcicki became a board member of Cazoo.

Wojcicki has been instrumental in revitalizing the commercial area of downtown Los Altos, California. Beginning around 2005, she and her then-spouse, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, purchased several retail properties there. Operating under Passerelle Investment Company, they facilitated community events and supported urban development projects. The company rebranded as Los Altos Community Investments in 2016, shifting its focus toward commercial property development. In 2021, it launched the State Street Market food hall, which later expanded to include an arts-and-crafts shop, a video game arcade, and an indoor play area, all designed to foster community-oriented retail environments.

Personal life

In May 2007, Wojcicki married Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Together they have two children: a son born in 2008 and a daughter born in late 2011. The couple separated in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2015. Both continue to oversee the Brin Wojcicki Foundation and have contributed substantially to organizations such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, donating $1 million to the latter in 2009. In 2022, Wojcicki committed to giving away the majority of her fortune by joining The Giving Pledge. She welcomed her third child via sperm donation in July 2019.

Her grandfather, Franciszek Wójcicki, was elected as a politician during Poland’s 1947 legislative elections. Her grandmother, Janina Wójcicka Hoskins, was a Polish-American librarian at the Library of Congress, renowned for assembling the largest collection of Polish literature in the United States.