Informatics: Esther Dyson of EDVentures on Genetic Information: Extended Interview

Esther Dyson, a catalyst-investor in numerous technologies, believes that knowing more about our own genetic makeup allows us to make better decisions about our lives and our health. That in turn will lead to a raft of new companies and products that will provide us with better information and recommendations tailored to our unique genetic makeup and physical characteristics.

Esther Dyson is a long-time catalyst of start-ups in information technology in the U.S. and other markets, including Russia. Since selling her company, EDventure Holdings, to CNET Networks in 2004, she has taken on newer challenges in private aviation and space as well as in health care (as a director of 23andMe, a consumer genetics company). Her IT investments have included Flickr and del.icio.us (both sold to Yahoo!), and Medstory (sold to Microsoft), as well as Meetup Inc., Eventful.com, Boxbe and Voxiva. She is also an active investor in air and space, with holdings in Space Adventures and Zero-G Corporation, as well as XCOR Aerospace, Constellation Services International, Coastal Technologies Group, Dopplr.com, Airship Ventures and Icon Aircraft. She was recently honored with the Aenne Burda Award for Creative Leadership at the DLD Conference in Munich.