The Data Storage Crisis: A Biological Fix
The data storage crisis has a biological fix. It starts by making less DNA, not more.
BioCompute aims to store the world’s cold data in DNA. Its unconventional approach suggests that reusing the medium, rather than manufacturing it, is key to ultimately lowering costs. And they back this up with early results.
September 10, 2026 – 11:18 am
Anagha Rajesh, founder of BioCompute.
The Data Storage Problem
The math behind the data storage problem is daunting. Every year, more information is created than can be reasonably stored. Much of it is "cold," meaning it’s rarely accessed but cannot be deleted, leading to accumulation on tape and disk that degrade over time, consume power, and require frequent replacement. This leads to exponential cost growth.
DNA has long been considered a promising solution due to its density and longevity. However, the challenge has traditionally been the cost of writing to DNA.
For years, the focus was on making DNA synthesis cheaper. But BioCompute takes a different tack. They argue that the manufacturing is the problem, not the medium itself.
BioCompute’s Approach
BioCompute’s innovative strategy involves writing data by marking reusable DNA templates instead of creating new strands. This approach reuses the medium, not consumes it, setting them apart from other contenders in the field.
Their success lies in demonstrating a write cost of $1 per megabyte—far below the costs associated with synthesizing DNA. BioCompute is developing a full-stack data storage device that integrates writing and reading data on DNA into one system: an enzymatic write process on reusable templates paired with a nanopore read process they’ve licensed and are optimizing.
The Founder and Vision
Anagha Rajesh, founder of BioCompute, left a PhD in gene therapy at Oxford to start the company. She’s also the author of the first textbook on DNA data storage and writes a Substack on data infrastructure and deep tech. A co-founder brings expertise in signal acquisition and molecular biology, essential for clean writing and reliable reading.
While BioCompute starts with cold storage, their vision extends further: They believe this technology could revolutionize computing itself by utilizing biomolecules for information storage and processing.