Interview by Bionity.Space
Lots of people think starting a biology startup in Ukraine is a mission impossible. But we disagree. We’d like to introduce you to Dariya Loseva, an amazing woman who along with two colleagues started her own company – MyHelix. They do genetic tests to determine various factors that could affect your health.
How it all began
Dariya grew up in picturesque Cherkasy, a city some three hours south of Kyiv. Because her mother was a doctor, she always had access to anatomy books and could ask her anything about human physiology. As she grew older, she became interested in biology, and genetics in particular. After all, the 1990s were when Dolly the sheep was cloned, the human genome was being sequenced, and biotechnology grew rapidly.
When it was time to choose a profession, Dariya had to pick between biology and medicine. But with all the regulations and protocols in modern medicine, she realized she wanted to do research and opted for biology. While a student at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the future scientist met many of the people who would later become her trusted business partners.
But Dariya wanted to study genetics in depth, so she transferred in her third year to the Educational and Scientific Center "Institute of Biology & Medicine" of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and earned a master’s degree in genetics. In addition to her studies, she attended summer schools and had internships, some of them abroad.
“Summer schools aren’t just an opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills, you also meet specialists and make new friends,” she says. These friendships helped Dariya on numerous occasions.
Where did the idea come from?
After graduation, Dariya and her friend, Ruslana Shadrina, took a trip to Odesa. One night, while walking along the beach, they started talking about various science topics. They dreamed about mastering genetic testing, but this field wasn’t well developed in Ukraine at the time. They didn’t let this stop them: they decided to hack reality and create their own startup.
After visualizing their ideas, Dariya and Ruslana put together a business plan and outlined the movement of their services from developer to customer. They understood genetics, but they lacked business savvy. That’s why they turned to 1991 Open Data incubator as well as incubators in Germany and Poland.
“Accelerators are a great way to get the necessary business education, ask specialists the right questions, get expertise and media support, and some institutions even offer financial investment. But read the terms before you apply to any accelerator,” says Dariya.
Her business acumen is certainly not in doubt – MyHelix is the market leader in its field. Dariya’s visit to TechCrunch Disrupt in California had a big impact on her growth as a businesswoman. “These events, where thousands of people come from around the world to present their ideas, inspire and expand your way of thinking.” Meeting the founders of companies in the same field from all over the world, some with a decade of experience, had a major influence on Dariya as an entrepreneur.
What does MyHelix do?
The company offers several one trait DNA tests: lactose tolerance, Alzheimer’s disease, caffeine addiction, alcohol metabolism and nicotine addiction. There is also an extended test that analyzes 52 genes to provide the customer with personalized recommendations from a nutritionist. The results give you insight into your genes and how to change your habits for the better. After all, it’s no secret that your health is 75% lifestyle and 25% genetics. MyHelix gives people a comprehensive approach.
MyHelix currently has 12 permanent staff and several freelancers working in 4 departments:
- Development: creating the final product, from packaging to the information on their website. This group also includes the product owner, designer, and programmer.
- Science: experts in medicine, genetics, nutrition, biotechnology and bioinformatics
- Client services: manager, call center, SMM, logistics
- Marketing
Hiring criteria
A specialist needs to have the right skills and be a quick learner. But no less important is the fire for generating ideas, a desire to grow and the ability to emotionally complement the existing team.
And what does the CEO do? Dariya answers immediately: “motivates the team to enjoy what they do.” A true manager is someone who can delegate responsibilities without micromanaging, finds time to solve strategic problems, looks for investment, provides media support and handles legal issues.
She's a fan of lean startup, the central methodology of their company, so lots of attention is given to communicating with customers, getting feedback, and design thinking.
Dariya is currently pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics, under director Prof. Yaroslav Blume, a well-known academic and geneticist who is doing much to revive Ukrainian science.
Dariya jokes that she’s a bad example – you have to decide whether to devote yourself to science or business. But she’s not ready to give up science until she’s exhausted all her scientific ambitions.
Dariya says that you need to take a strategic approach to life, and she was inspired by Barack Obama, who planned his life many years in advance when he decided to become President of the United States.
So take inspiration from the stories of people who have done great things, visualize and create your own path in life.
- The Bionity Team & Dariya Loseva
Photos from https://www.facebook.com/dariya.loseva and https://www.facebook.com/myhelix.com.ua
Bionity.Space student initiative is a partner of the US-Ukraine Foundation Biotech Initiative.