German bioinformatics co. establishes US base in Ann Arbor

A German-based bioinformatics company, Genomatix, has established its United States base of operations in Ann Arbor. The division, Genomatix Software, has been operational since the end of May in the Ann Arbor SPARK incubator, although CEO Peter Grant says they will move to a permanent location in November.

The company develops software that helps scientists understand genetic information they have decoded. In Ann Arbor, Genomatix will sell the software as well as train users.

Grant says the company chose Ann Arbor for a myriad of reasons. “They were drawn in part by incentives from the state, in part by SPARK, in part because of Pfizer and the University of Michigan, and in part because I happen to live here. It came together all at the same time.” Grant says that Pfizer leaving does not impact their decision.

Grant “can see” their staff of four growing to 25 in the near future, but can only “speculate” growing even bigger. His goal is to serve Genomatix’s existing US customers while adding new ones to their numbers. He says that, prior to opening the Ann Arbor office, “Doing business in the US was hard from across the ocean. Having a presence here would not only expand our base but grow our business in a manner it should be growing.”

Source: Peter Grant, Genomatix
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh