Anne Wojcicki, the co-founder and former CEO of 23andMe, was once hailed as a revolutionary in personal genomics. As of March 2025, she holds an estimated net worth of $150 million. While her fortune once appeared poised to grow exponentially, recent business downturns and the collapse of 23andMe’s valuation have drastically reshaped her financial landscape. Still, Anne remains a prominent figure in tech and biotech innovation, with a career marked by vision, resilience, and influence.
Early Life and Academic Foundation
Anne Wojcicki was born on July 28, 1973, in Palo Alto, California, making her 51 years old in 2025. Raised in a family of academics on the Stanford University campus, Anne is the youngest of three daughters. Her mother, Esther, is a renowned journalist and educator, and her father, Stanley, was a physics professor and chair of the Stanford Physics Department. Her sisters include Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube, and Janet Wojcicki, a researcher in epidemiology and anthropology.
From an early age, Anne showed both intellectual curiosity and athletic talent. She served as editor of her high school paper and played on the varsity women’s ice hockey team at Yale University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1996. Her academic path included molecular biology research stints at the NIH and UC San Diego.
Career Beginnings and the Creation of 23andMe
Following graduation, Wojcicki began her professional life as a healthcare investment analyst, working with firms like Passport Capital and Investor AB. During this time, she grew disillusioned with Wall Street’s profit-driven approach to healthcare. This discontent sparked the idea to empower individuals through accessible genetic information.
In 2006, she co-founded 23andMe with Linda Avey and Paul Cusenza. The company launched with a mission to offer direct-to-consumer genetic testing, providing insights into ancestry and health traits. Within two years, Time magazine named its home DNA kit the “Invention of the Year.”
Rise to Prominence
Under Wojcicki’s leadership, 23andMe experienced significant milestones. In 2007, the startup received a $3.9 million investment from Google, a company co-founded by her then-husband, Sergey Brin. By 2015, 23andMe earned FDA approval to offer health-related genetic tests, further legitimizing its role in personal genomics.
In 2018, 23andMe secured a $300 million partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), allowing GSK access to aggregated genetic data for pharmaceutical research. Wojcicki viewed this as a leap forward in bridging genetics and healthcare innovation. She also became a co-founder of the Breakthrough Prize, which recognizes achievements in life sciences and fundamental physics.
In June 2021, 23andMe went public via a SPAC merger with Richard Branson’s VG Acquisition Corp, raising nearly $600 million. The company briefly achieved a $6 billion valuation, with Wojcicki owning about 9%, valuing her stake at $540 million on paper.
Financial Setback and 23andMe’s Collapse
Despite the early hype, 23andMe’s financial trajectory turned dramatically. The company, which never achieved profitability, struggled with mounting losses and conducted three rounds of layoffs between 2022 and 2023. By January 2024, the company’s stock had plummeted 99% from its peak. On March 24, 2025, 23andMe officially filed for bankruptcy, and Wojcicki resigned as CEO the same day.
At the time of filing, the company’s market capitalization had dropped to just $20 million, leaving Wojcicki’s stake worth approximately $1.8 million—a steep fall from her earlier $540 million valuation. Nonetheless, with investments, personal assets, and previous earnings, her net worth remains at an estimated $150 million.
Personal Life and High-Profile Relationships
Anne Wojcicki’s personal life has been closely watched due to her relationships and family connections. She married Sergey Brin in 2007 after being introduced through her sister Susan, who was an early Google executive. Together, Anne and Sergey had two children, Benji (born in 2008) and Chloe (born in 2011). The couple separated in 2013 and finalized their divorce in 2015.
Despite their separation, the two continued to manage their philanthropic work together through the Brin Wojcicki Foundation. Their charitable contributions include $1 million to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and $500,000 to Wikipedia. In 2011, they launched a $50 million challenge grant to benefit The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
In 2016, Wojcicki made headlines again when she dated former baseball star Alex Rodriguez for nearly a year. Their relationship ended amicably in late 2016.
Influence, Recognition, and Board Positions
Wojcicki has been honored multiple times for her groundbreaking work. Fast Company named her “The Most Daring CEO” in 2013. Forbes listed her on the “Global Game Changers List” in 2017 and ranked her #25 on its “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” list in 2021.
She is also a member of the Xconomists, a respected group of technologists and business leaders. In 2021, she joined the board of directors at UK-based online car retailer Cazoo, showcasing her broader interest in tech entrepreneurship.
Legacy and Future Prospects
Though the fall of 23andMe has clouded her recent professional chapter, Anne Wojcicki’s impact on consumer genomics and health innovation remains significant. She democratized access to genetic information, built partnerships that changed biotech research, and broke barriers for women in science and business.
As she steps away from 23andMe, her next moves remain unknown, but few doubt that she will re-emerge in the world of innovation, possibly in health tech or biotech again. At 51, with deep industry experience and a legacy of daring disruption, Anne Wojcicki’s story is far from over.
