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At just 24, Anagha Rajesh is building a technology that could change how the world stores digital information.
She is the founder of BioCompute, a deep-tech startup working on DNA-based data storage. Founded in Bengaluru in 2024, the startup has spent the last two years developing its technology and has raised more than ₹5 crore from investors including WTF Fund, Grad Capital and 1517 Fund.
Now, Anagha is moving BioCompute's next phase to San Francisco, USA.
According to Anagha, one of the major challenges for deep-tech startups in India is access to sufficient capital for long-term research and development.
Key Highlights
Anagha Rajesh founded BioCompute in 2024 at the age of 24.
BioCompute is developing DNA-based technology for storing digital information.
The startup built an end-to-end prototype capable of storing and retrieving data using DNA.
BioCompute has raised more than ₹5 crore from WTF Fund, Grad Capital and 1517 Fund.
Anagha believes deep-tech startups require more capital and long-term risk-taking.
BioCompute is now moving its next phase from India to San Francisco.
The company's long-term goal is to develop DNA data-storage chips.
What Is BioCompute Building?
BioCompute is working on DNA-based data storage, a technology that uses biological molecules to store digital information instead of relying only on conventional electronic storage hardware.
In simple terms, digital information can be encoded into synthetic DNA and later retrieved.
Synthetic DNA refers to DNA produced in a laboratory. BioCompute's approach aims to use the extremely high information-storage density of DNA to create a new form of data storage.
The idea becomes particularly relevant as the amount of digital information generated globally continues to grow.
From an Idea to an End-to-End Prototype
BioCompute began in 2024 with Anagha building a team, establishing a laboratory and conducting experiments.
Over roughly two years, the team worked on developing the technology and eventually built an end-to-end prototype capable of storing and retrieving data using DNA.
This represents a significant step for a deep-tech startup because the company had to move beyond theoretical research and demonstrate that the technology could work as a complete system.
BioCompute Raised More Than ₹5 Crore
The startup attracted investors while developing its technology.
According to the information shared about the company, BioCompute raised more than ₹5 crore from WTF Fund, Grad Capital and 1517 Fund.
The funding helped the team build its laboratory, develop the technology and conduct experiments toward its prototype.
However, Anagha believes the next stage of development requires substantially more capital.
Why Is BioCompute Moving to San Francisco?
The decision to move BioCompute's next phase to the United States is linked to the capital-intensive nature of deep-tech development.
According to Anagha, Indian investors often place greater emphasis on revenue, business growth and profitability, while deep-tech companies may require years of research and development before reaching commercial scale.
She believes the US provides a stronger environment for companies working on technologies that are still at the research and development stage, particularly when significant capital and long-term risk-taking are required.
For BioCompute, the move is therefore not simply about changing locations. It is about accessing the ecosystem that Anagha believes can better support the company's next technological milestone.
Why Deep Tech Requires a Different Funding Approach
Unlike many software startups, deep-tech companies often require substantial investment before they can generate meaningful revenue.
They may need
Specialized laboratories
Scientific research
Hardware development
Highly skilled technical teams
Multiple rounds of experimentation
Long development cycles
Significant research and development spending
This can make traditional startup metrics such as short-term revenue growth less useful during the earliest stages.
For a company like BioCompute, proving that the underlying technology works can be one of the most important milestones before commercialization.
The Future of DNA Data Storage
The amount of digital data being created is increasing rapidly, particularly with the growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services.
Traditional data-storage infrastructure requires physical hardware, energy and large facilities.
DNA offers a fundamentally different approach because biological molecules can store enormous amounts of information in extremely small physical volumes.
BioCompute is attempting to turn this scientific possibility into practical technology.
Its long-term ambition is to move from its current technology and prototype toward developing DNA data-storage chips.
From India to San Francisco: A Bigger Bet
Anagha's journey highlights a larger challenge for India's deep-tech ecosystem.
India has helped BioCompute reach the prototype stage, build a team and conduct extensive experimentation. But according to Anagha, taking the technology to the next level requires greater access to capital, risk-taking and long-term investment.
Now, she is taking that next step from San Francisco.
The move represents a bigger bet on DNA-based data storage—and on whether a young Indian founder can build a globally significant deep-tech company from a different ecosystem.
What Anagha Rajesh's Journey Teaches Founders
BioCompute's story highlights an important lesson for deep-tech founders: the funding ecosystem you choose can matter as much as the technology you build.
For capital-intensive startups, founders need to think beyond simply raising an initial round.
They must consider where they can access
Long-term research capital
Specialized talent
Scientific infrastructure
Strategic investors
Global partnerships
Customers and technology ecosystems
BioCompute's move shows how founders may choose to change ecosystems when the requirements of the next stage become significantly different from those of the first.
Summary Takeaway
💡 Key Takeaway:
- Anagha Rajesh built BioCompute in India, raised more than ₹5 crore and developed an end-to-end DNA data-storage prototype in just two years. Now, she is moving the startup's next phase to San Francisco, believing that deep-tech innovation requires greater access to long-term capital, risk-taking and research-focused investors.
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