Change the World 2023
Startup Biobot Analytics, in Cambridge, Mass., analyzes wastewater to track the spread of disease and substance use, then transforms the data into public health insights. In 2022, Biobot partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze COVID-19 concentrations in communities across the country—and make that data available to the public, helping authorities prepare for possible outbreaks. The Biobot-CDC partnership now also includes mpox and norovirus analysis, and covers 60 million people across 400 communities in 50 states. In addition to infectious diseases, Biobot also helps communities track opioid use with its High Risk Substances program. A wastewater monitoring program launched in 2018 in Cary, N.C., yielded neighborhood-level insights on opioid use, helping local officials target community outreach efforts about proper disposal and security of medications. The partnership helped dispose of 2,511 pounds of medication and reduce opioid overdoses by more than 40% in one year. The first company in the world to commercialize wastewater-based epidemiology, Biobot says it tripled its annual revenue and more than doubled its headcount in 2022.
