Is the GENXT the future of genetic genealogy? (RootsTech Innovator) 

QOTD: Have you heard of GENXT before this video?

This is not aimed at the Big 4 (or 5), it is aimed at the little companies that have way, way smaller databases, and that simply can't compete. What GENX does is break down the barrier and become the broker that allows these small companies to sell DNA matching as a bonus, something they can't really do now, nor will they ever absent a tool like this. If those companies see the value of GENX, this might actually grow to have a larger database than GEDmatch, and maybe even FTDNA. And maybe break the oligopoly of the Big 4. Maybe like the Apple Newton or GM's EV1, this product is ahead of it's time. But it may well be that one of these days, the price tag of genome sequencing machines will get low enough that small town lab will be able to have one, and something like this will be necessary to allow these soon-to-be-a-million-companies to provide genetic genealogy services to their clients, without losing control of the genetic material, which may be subject to privacy laws. Of course to do that, GENX must expand their product beyond a bridge between companies but to actually do everything that the Big 4 do currently: provide a website where you can see your match list, and allow for things like chromosome browser, auto clusters, etc. As the product currently is, it requires that the individual companies develop this on their own, and I don't see them having the necessary budget for that.

We are still in the early stages of DNA and genetic genealogy when viewed across a wider time frame. At present we have a fractured patchwork of companies who offer a variety of functions but without one overarching all encompassing central hub. A comparison could be made with the development of electricity companies a century ago- so many competing companies using different voltages and different kinds of plugs. There was no national grid and no agreed uniform plug/socket or voltage across the country. Through time common sense and practicality prevailed and rather than a Balkanised competing confusing number of suppliers we ended up with a uniform system that everyone worked to. I know this analogy is far from perfect but I do hope it helps explain where we currently stand with this "new" technology and how we can best use it going forward. The current arrangements where we can only access the matches on a site we've subscribed to rather than an international regulated "United Nations" DNA "Interpol" library that despite who we subscribe to we can all access the combined resource. That will be a massive step forward rather than operating on parallel lines. We have only managed to unlock a fraction of the data carried in our DNA and I'm excited to discover where we will be in 10 or 20 years time as technology advances. We are to do things today that re science fiction and fantasy just a couple of decades ago. I must say this particular organisations very opaque badly designed website does not install confidence in what they might have to offer... or maybe there will be a big all sinning all dancing "reveal".

Was watching them live at RootsTech and couldn’t agree with you more Andy. Company buy in was talked about as if it was an easy and likely thing to happen. Nice underpinning of privacy and security as part of their “mission” but not much real world practical concept/reality, was my overall impression. Not sure if it is all about academic grants and not actual end results, or am I being a tad too cynical?

Hello, Andy and everyone on this channel! Thank you for taking the time to review GENXT. We introduced Cross-Database DNA Matching at RootsTech 2023, and we appreciate that not everything might be clear given its novelty. We would like to answer some of the questions that you raised. 1. Is this for companies or consumers? We confirm that we are a ‘business-to-business’ service aimed at helping personal genomics companies to deliver greater value to their customers. 2. Why would large companies want to participate? Great question! We believe there are several strong commercial reasons for this. Firstly, a significant proportion of large companies’ revenues are subscriptions and there is a constant need to enhance their value as to boost the number of subscribers and/or reduce churn rate. Cross-Database DNA Matching could be an excellent addition for these purposes. Alternatively, large companies may choose to introduce a separate low-price subscription or even add it as a free feature to attract more customers. Secondly, large companies will be able to create new B2B revenue streams by letting smaller companies search for DNA relatives in their databases without any genetic data disclosure. Finally, if we consider all five companies that you mentioned, they differentiate slightly in terms of target geographies and services, so the case of all of them being connected to the cross-database search does not diminish their comparative advantages. On the other hand, it benefits them financially and supports their core values of delivering comprehensive services. 3. Most companies provide limited genealogy or health-related information and do not have DNA Matching. Where is the market gap then? The main reason why smaller companies don’t offer DNA Matching is an insufficient database size. Most companies have up to 100,000 customers and it does not make sense to search for DNA relatives, all the more to spend resources on complex product development. Moreover, a lot of such companies operate in countries where big companies have little or no presence, for example, Asia or Africa, so there is a mutual interest in searching for long-lost DNA relatives across continents. We are now discussing pilots with a number of companies and expect to bring exciting news soon. Best regards, GENXT team.

Yep, I saw this and got a bit bummed out when I realized it was for other companies. I would love to see a feature in Ancestry like at 23andMe's Relative List that shows both mine and their relationship cM levels.

Thanks for the info. Looks like GEDMatch is still the way to go.

I hadn't heard of them until I saw this video. On the face of it, I can't see GENXT being a game changer for genetic genealogists.

Packaged as it is now....agreed, it is not going anywhere. If this is NOT a planned bait and switch perhaps for not the best reasons, then this is simply following the money drain on down to failure. WHAT THEY COULD DO...is partner with at least TWO of the Big Five, brokering a private comparison to find shared matches, and sell that to consumers, the profits being split between the partners in an equitable way. I don't see that happening for various legal and ethical reasons. GEDmatch is free. Hard to compete with free.

Well, think about it. Privacy is the one thing Ancestry always holds out why they won't implement more helpful features. Even comparing *within* Ancestry alone would be huge - seeing how much someone else is sharing with someone vs yourself. But to do that alone combining all the companies would be great to have it all in one place. I know Ancestry has been wanting to figure out a way to make more $ off of a 'once done' dna test, and that to me would be a great help. MyH added the cluster thing to their website, I don't see why Ancestry couldn't add this in.

there was a company that did this already... it was a small company and I think they still exist? DNA Affairs (I think) but Ancestry sent them cease and desist if I remember right

Since this Video Says, feature of DNA Test. I would like to know, if DNA Sites, can fine out, who that person is, or was, by handwriting. Meaning...what Ethnicity, does that Handwriting belongs to. And also, find out that, this handwriting, belongs to ancestors, who were born with, so and so Ethnicity. And their more likely, to, have, ancestors, who lived, in this country, or that Country.

About, Beard Traits. Can you get your, Beard Gens, other then, getting it, from your Father? Meaning, Not from, the Y DNA, Father's Father's Father and so on. What I mean is, can your Beard Grow, like your Mother's Father? Or Some, Male Grandparent, on your Mother's side. (Or) some male Grandparent, on your Father, Mother's side?

I think that it's way too early to say whether or not it would be useful. It's just not showing me enough information as to why it should exist. With GEDmatch, we already have an "all-in-one" matches company. Having another that's not just involuntary, but that other companies have to link to (which will probably increase their prices) is just not feasible to me. There's just no reason for it to exist.

No

The noise over, makes it really hard to hear the presenter!