Dentsu Inc. Ventures, a venture fund managed by Dentsu Inc., has invested in Twist Bioscience, a U.S. company that has developed and holds proprietary technology for enhancing DNA synthesis efficiency.

The text of the Dentsu Inc. news release distributed on November 15 is as follows.

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November 15, 2017

Dentsu Inc. Ventures, a venture fund managed by Dentsu Inc., invests in Twist Bioscience, Inc., a U.S. company that has developed and holds proprietary technology for enhancing DNA synthesis efficiency.

Dentsu Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Toshihiro Yamamoto) announced that its corporate venture capital fund, "Dentsu Ventures 1 Global Fund" (hereinafter "Dentsu Ventures"), has invested in Twist Bioscience Corporation (Headquarters: San Francisco; CEO: Emily LeProust, hereinafter "Twist Bioscience")

Twist Bioscience possesses proprietary technology enabling DNA synthesis with high efficiency, short turnaround times, and low cost compared to conventional manufacturing processes, providing DNA tailored to various customer needs. The company has revolutionized the process by synthesizing DNA on its proprietary silicon plates instead of conventional plastic plates. This enables rapid, high-quality DNA production, opening new possibilities in fields such as drug discovery, new material production, agriculture, academic research, and medical diagnostics. Furthermore, Twist Bioscience plans to expand its business domains by applying its DNA synthesis technology to drug discovery and data storage utilizing DNA as a high-capacity storage medium.

Moving forward, Dentsu Ventures will support Twist Bioscience's growth strategy as it develops technology applicable across diverse fields, from pharmaceuticals to biocomputing. Specifically, it will contribute to the company's development of innovative businesses by facilitating alliances with client companies and partner firms within the Dentsu Group.

Overviews of Twist Bioscience and Dentsu Inc. Ventures are as follows.

＜Overview of Twist Bioscience Corporation＞
Company Name: Twist Bioscience Corporation
Headquarters: San Francisco, California, USA
Representative: Emily LeProust (CEO)
Business Description: Development of proprietary technology to streamline DNA synthesis
URL:https://twistbioscience.com


＜Overview of Dentsu Inc. Ventures＞
Name: Dentsu Ventures Global Fund I
Total Fund Size: ¥10 billion
Fund Formation Date: April 2015
Operation Period: Planned for 10 years until March 2025
Investment Regions: Global investments including the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Asia
Investment Stage: Primarily seed/early stage, while also including mid/late stage for a broad, balanced investment approach
Investment Areas:
(1) Areas with the potential to transform the broader marketing/communications business
(2) Innovative, high-potential new domains, even if not fitting the above
URL:http://dentsu-v.com/

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