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Gilad Almogy

Gilad Almogy is the founder and CEO of the DNA sequencing company Ultima GenomicsUltima GenomicsUltima Genomics is a U.S. DNA sequencing technology company founded in 2016 by Gilad Almogy that develops high-throughput, low-cost sequencing platforms built on silicon wafers.Open the full entry; he was previously a senior vice president at Applied MaterialsApplied MaterialsApplied Materials, Inc. is a supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and services headquartered in Santa Clara, California.Open the full entry and founded the solar module company Cogenra Solar.

Contents10 sections
Key facts

Education

Gilad Almogy earned a BSc in mathematics and physics through the Talpiot program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in applied physics from the California Institute of Technology.⁠[1][2]

Early Career: Orbot and Applied Materials

Almogy worked at Orbot and joined Applied Materials through its 1997 acquisition of Orbot. At Orbot and Applied Materials he led the development of wafer inspection systems that came into wide use in semiconductor fabs.⁠[1][2]

He later became a senior vice president of Applied Materials, leading the Process Diagnostic and Control Group and then the Display Group, a business with more than $1 billion in annual revenue. He is the inventor on more than 80 U.S. patents.⁠[1][2]

Through 2015: Cogenra Solar

Almogy founded the solar module developer Cogenra Solar, a maker of shingled solar modules, and served as its CEO from inception until its acquisition by SunPower in 2015.⁠[1][2]

Founding Ultima Genomics

In 2016 Almogy founded the DNA sequencing company Ultima Genomics with the goal of steadily lowering sequencing costs to support data-driven healthcare.⁠[1][2]

Ultima Genomics Emerges From Stealth

On May 31, 2022, Ultima Genomics emerged from stealth, announcing about $600 million in funding and a $100 whole-genome sequencing offering. Almogy said: “Our architecture is intended for radical scaling, and the $100 genome is merely the first example of what it can deliver.”⁠[3]

The same day he said: “We believe genomics will be the first line diagnostic across diseases.”⁠[4]

Joining the SolarEdge Board

SolarEdge appointed Almogy to its board of directors effective January 6, 2025; he also joined the board’s Technology Committee.⁠[2]

Launching UG 100 Solaris

In February 2025 Ultima Genomics introduced UG 100 Solaris. Almogy noted that it came only one year after the commercial launch of the UG 100 sequencing platform and said that “UG 100 Solaris showcases the scalability of our unique architecture.”⁠[5]

Launching the UG200 Series

In 2026 Ultima Genomics launched the UG200 Series sequencers and Solaris 2.0 workflows. Almogy called them “a major milestone in our mission to drive sequencing at scale.”⁠[6]

Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts

Ultima Genomics: Official website: https://www.ultimagenomics.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[1]

Sources

  1. Gilad Almogy, PhD: Founder and Chief Executive Officer (opens in a new window)
  2. SolarEdge Appoints New Directors to its Board of Directors (opens in a new window)
  3. Ultima Genomics Delivers the $100 Genome. Emerges from Stealth with $600 Million in Funding. (opens in a new window)
  4. Ultima Genomics claims $100 full genome sequencing after stealth $600M raise (opens in a new window)
  5. Ultima Genomics increases output by over 50% and lowers sequencing costs by a further 20% with the introduction of UG 100 Solaris™ (opens in a new window)
  6. Ultima Genomics Introduces the Next Generation of Sequencing at Scale with the Launch of the UG200™ Series and Next Generation Solaris 2.0 Workflows (opens in a new window)