BillionToOne

BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company with a mission to make molecular diagnostics more accurate, efficient, and accessible for all. BillionToOne’s first product, UNITY™, is the first and only noninvasive prenatal screening that tests fetal cell-free DNA for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, sickle cell disease and other conditions through a single sample of the mother’s blood. Other diagnostics tests currently in production or development include an RNA extraction-free COVID-19 test and liquid biopsy products.

BillionToOne was co-founded in 2016 by Oguzhan Atay, Ph.D., and David Tsao, Ph.D. The company moved to Tarlton’s Menlo Park Labs life science incubator in late 2018, just as it was starting to get the data from its initial clinical studies.

Since then, the diagnostic company obtained a high-complexity CLIA license for its laboratory within the incubator, commercialized UNITY™, and quickly grew from 6 to 60 employees.

BillionToOne and Tarlton worked to manage the company’s growing need for space as they expanded in the incubator.

“Because our ops team recognized BillionToOne as being particularly astute in their business, we allowed them to grow faster and larger in our incubator than we normally would,” said Tarlton COO Ron Krietemeyer. “We felt that they had an amazing combination of management team and science and were excited to support their growth.”

When the company closed its Series A and A+ financing in 2019, Tarlton moved forward with discussions for BillionToOne to take a substantially larger space at Menlo Park Labs, with the company ultimately leasing 36,000 sqft at 1035 O’Brien Drive.

“When I met with Oguzhan about next steps for space for the business, I was really blown away - it was without a doubt the best presentation I had seen in 30 years,” added Tarlton CEO John Tarlton. “Oguzhan had a command of not only the science, the business, and the finances, but also of the nuances of the market and how to position the company for substantial strategic advantage. It was a unique marriage of scientific and business savvy at a level that I had not previously seen in one person.”

The Tarlton team worked closely with BillionToOne to develop a floor plan and budget that met the company’s current needs and provided optimal functionality for its business down the road. With BillionToOne’s multiple platforms and plans for a portfolio of products, it was essential to build significant flexibility into the design, with the ability to expand and reconfigure its labs as the business evolves and grows.

The resulting space includes a lab suite with R&D, Pre, Post, Reagent, Accessioning, and Amplification labs; a mix of private office and open desking area with seating for up to 150 employees; conference rooms that can accommodate 4-50 people; and a break area with seating for 80 people. The space also features designer-selected interior finishes and furnishings that combine elements of wood, metal, glass, and greenery to emphasize BillionToOne’s corporate branding and messaging throughout the space.

"Tarlton has been a great partner since Day 1. They were extremely supportive and flexible throughout our journey,” said BillionToOne co-founder and CEO Oguzhan Atay, Ph.D. “Thanks to Tarlton's flexible accommodation, we were able to grow from a single room, to 10+ lab and office spaces, to building out our own building from scratch in under two years. Our growth would not have been this smooth without Tarlton's continuous support and flexibility."

Click here to see our new BillionToOne project at Union City Labs.