RainDance Technologies

RainDance Technologies, founded in 2004 by serial entrepreneur Dr. Jonathan Rothberg and scientist Dr. Darren Link, specialized in simplifying complex genetic analysis through its proprietary droplet-based microfluidics technology. Rothberg, a Yale-educated chemical engineer and biologist, is known for founding multiple life science companies aimed at democratizing medicine, including 454 Life Sciences and Ion Torrent. Link served as the company's Chief Technology Officer, leveraging his expertise in microfluidics to develop the core technology. Based in Billerica, Massachusetts, the company secured significant venture capital, raising approximately $112 million over several funding rounds from investors including Mohr Davidow Ventures, Quaker Partners, and Acadia Woods Partners.

The company's business focused on developing and selling genomic tools to major research institutions and laboratories worldwide. Its revenue model was based on the sale of instrument systems, disposable chips, and reagents. RainDance’s core technology encapsulated biological reactions in millions of picoliter-sized droplets, which acted as individual test tubes, allowing for highly sensitive and scalable analysis. This approach enabled non-invasive liquid biopsy applications for early and cost-effective detection of cancer, as well as inherited and infectious diseases.

RainDance's product portfolio included the RainDrop® Digital PCR System, the ThunderStorm® System, and the ThunderBolts™ Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Enrichment System. The RainDrop system provided ultra-sensitive detection of genetic variations, such as rare mutations in tumor DNA, by partitioning samples into millions of droplets for precise quantification. The ThunderStorm system was a fully automated, high-throughput solution for targeted sequencing, allowing researchers to process up to 96 samples and analyze up to 20,000 genomic locations in a single sample. These systems were recognized with "Top 10 Innovations" awards by The Scientist magazine. After operating for over a decade, RainDance Technologies was acquired by Bio-Rad Laboratories in February 2017 for approximately $87 million, a move that integrated its droplet-based solutions into Bio-Rad's portfolio to strengthen their position in Droplet Digital PCR and NGS applications.

Keywords: droplet microfluidics, digital PCR, next-generation sequencing, liquid biopsy, genetic analysis, genomics tools, targeted sequencing, cancer detection, molecular diagnostics, life science research