MyHeritage DNA helps millions of people discover their past using sophisticated matching technologies, a huge database filled with international historical records, and at-home, easy-to-use DNA tests.The company was founded by Gilad Japhet, who leveraged the latest technology to make researching and preserving family history more convenient and accessible for everyone worldwide. Two decades later from working at his garage, he has built a multinational company with hundreds of employees and millions of users
Founder and CEO Japhet has been passionate about genealogy since his youth. While taking a break from his career in software and product development, he decided to focus on family history research. However, he became frustrated with the family tree-building software available at the time.
Japhet knew he could create something better, so he assembled a team and founded MyHeritage in 2003. Together with his team, he created a family tree builder app that can help anyone research their family history, build a family tree, discover historical records, and more. Fast forward 21 years later, the company now provides cutting-edge tools, available across devices, which help people connect to their roots, like a DNA test that reveals their unique ethnic background and matches them with newfound relatives.
MyHeritage leverages superior technology to innovate solutions and bring value to its users. The company boasts a suite of genetic genealogy tools like a family tree builder and Smart Matches. A huge international records database is built into its online genealogy platform, accessible via desktop, tablet, and mobile.
MyHeritage also boasts 20.3 billion historical records, which include vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) from 48 countries, census and immigration records, gravestone and burial records, etc., ensuring users can research their family history and potentially reunite with lost loved ones.
MyHeritage DNA has more of a global focus than other software providers in the family history industry. The genealogy platform is available in 42 languages with a diverse user base. It holds 8.2+ billion profiles and 49 million family trees.
The company integrated sophisticated technologies into its software so users can find matches between family trees and historical records easily. Once a name is entered into the family tree, the technologies identify matching family tree profiles and historical records in MyHeritage's diverse database and deliver new insights directly to the user.
Committed to High Standards
MyHeritage takes the experiences of its users very seriously in order to meet the high standards set for its services. The company conducts rigorous quality assurance for the entire process of analyzing and calculating DNA results at the lab. Preserving the security and privacy of user data is also a top priority.
Company with a Heart
The entire company rests on the foundation of love for family history, evidenced by the passion of the CEO for the field and understanding of the users' needs. As the SVP of Product at MyHeritage, Ran Snir, said, "We are a company with a heart." The employees excel at their jobs and express genuine concern and care for the customers they serve. Everyone comes to work fully committed to making a positive impact in the field of genealogy and improving the lives of the customers.
The results of their commitment and passion are evident in the countless users who have reunited with lost loved ones. Many have made significant discoveries about themselves or their ancestors thanks to the MyHeritage DNA test and its family history service. The company ensures that every new feature is oriented towards facilitating those discoveries and reunions.
Materializing the Vision
Running a multinational company demands a lot from its leaders and employees. Snir mentions fostering a culture of innovation and creativity to materialize the company vision is very important. MyHeritage allows its employees to challenge the status quo, propose bold new ideas, and try new things.
As the company continues to expand and innovate new solutions, bringing value to the customers remains, first and foremost, a priority. "Ultimately," Snir mentions, "the best way to grow your business is to offer a great product that your customers love." MyHeritage focuses on making better products to offer more value to the users.
All products developed by MyHeritage are oriented towards the same goal: making it possible for anyone, anywhere, to know where they come from and connect to their roots. Each product and service the company offers supports a different aspect of the goal, such as how Smart MatchesTM and Record Matches reveal new family tree connections, records, and other documents about a user's ancestors.
Future Plans
MyHeritage plans to incorporate new technologies in the future to improve users' experiences and give them more insight into their genetic makeup. Snir expresses confidence that the company will continue to grow and is looking forward to exploring the potential of DNA for helping people discover their origins, as new developments also surface that change the field of genealogy and DNA testing.
When asked for personal advice for anyone looking to start a business in the field, Snir mentions that it's crucial to prioritize transparency and ethical standards, especially when it comes to data privacy and security. However, aspiring founders or leaders must also stay up-to-date with the science because DNA is a rapidly developing field with a constant stream of exciting new innovations.
They should also be careful of getting distracted by "shiny objects" or whatever is new; instead, they should "stay focused on addressing the needs and interests of the users." Snir emphasized the importance of developing products that provide real, evidence-based value to the users.
Learn more about yourself through your family history with MyHeritage DNA. Start a 14-day free trial and access billions of historical records to discover more about your ancestors.
