23andMe to Lay Off 100 People For This Reason

DNA testing company 23andMe is laying off 100 of its workers as DNA test sales have declined. This represents about 14% of the company’s staff.

According to the company’s CEO Anne Wojcicki, there is no clear explanation for why DNA tests have declined but she did cite a variety of factors which includes recession fears and privacy concerns.

The CEO said to CNBC that she was ‘surprised’ to see the market turn.

Wojcicki said she anticipated that DNA testing would explode when she co-founded the business in 2007.

The company’s layoffs include the operations teams as well as other teams.

Wojcicki said she is downsizing because it’s “what the market is ready for.”

“This has been slow and painful for us,” she said.

“I think the tech world needs to own this better communicate privacy standards to build trust,” she said. “I want to jump in and really own it.”