Company Profile (AI Text)
Name: Chai
Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/chai
Updated at: 2026-06-02T05:00:03Z

Tagline: Advanced biotechnology accessible to everyone.
Elevator pitch: Chai makes a DNA testing device that anyone can use. Doctors can now test for Zika virus in the field, food manufacturers can ensure their products don’t have unwanted bacteria, and eventually you will be able to test yourself for DNA that may put you at risk for cancer. Chai is 85% cheaper than traditional oversized lab machines and portable enough to carry anywhere.
Description: What we do: Chai makes a DNA testing device that anyone can use. Doctors can now test for Ebola in the field, food manufacturers can ensure their products don’t have unwanted bacteria, and eventually you will be able to test yourself for DNA that may put you at risk for cancer. Why it's a big deal: Before Chai you had to pay > $20k for a 50 pound machine, and have an advanced science degree in order to run DNA tests. Chai’s device is 10% as expensive as the alternatives, a fraction of the size, and will be easy enough for anyone to use. The Global Health applications alone are huge, enabling doctors to definitively diagnose diseases like Ebola and Dengue Fever on location in the field for the first time.

Key claims:
- Total raised on Wefunder: 351501 | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-total-raised
- Total investors: 70 | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-total-investors

Verified facts:
- Total raised on Wefunder: 351501 | observed_at: 2026-06-02T05:00:03Z | expires_at: 2026-06-03T05:00:03Z
- Total investors: 70 | observed_at: 2026-06-02T05:00:03Z | expires_at: 2026-06-03T05:00:03Z

Computed metrics:
- total_amount_raised: 351501
- total_investors: 70
- team_size: 5
- featured_investor_count: 0
- faq_count: 5
- recent_post_count: 2

Quick facts:
- From prototype -> working supply chain in 9 short months. Kickstarter orders fulfilled and now ready to launch first marketing campaigns. | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-fact-1
- 85% cheaper than closest alternative. | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-fact-2
- $200,000 pre-sales in successful Kickstarter. | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-fact-3
- 30 min wait time for scientific results. | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-fact-4
- Select Investors: Naval Ravikant, Mac Cowell, Jude Gomila, Stephen Taylor. | citation: https://wefunder.com/chai#claim-fact-7

FAQ:
- Q: Is the $237,000 revenue including the kickstarter campaign?
  A: Yes, kickstarter plus 2 months additional preorders.
- Q: Google search shows that there seems to be a lot of similar products out there that have the same/lower price point. What is the differentiation between Chai's and those other products?
  A: The device closest to us that is actually selling on the market is the StepOne device which costs about $20k. You may be seeing the endpoint PCR thermocyclers that retail for $2500-$10k, but these devices lack the optical detection system and thus are not suitable for diagnostics. They also require additional labwork post-PCR such as running gels, and so not easy to use nor suitable for our target markets.
- Q: Can you elaborate on the terms of the Chai MOU that was recently posted? Is the MOU official and what does that mean? What is the timing and conditions of the MOU? Why Co-Diagnostics and will they now potentially be the primary client for Chai for the foreseeable future? ( 6 m...
  A: Co-Diagnostics' core competency is in the wetware of the diagnostic -- the chemistry that you put into the qPCR machine. Our core competency is in the hardware and software to run the diagnostic. You need both the wetware and the hardware to successfully complete the diagnostic, and thus our partnership. Co-Diagnostics has explored other options in the past to get access to suitable hardware, and the MOU speaks for itself with respect to their preferred solution. They are not a primary custom...
- Q: Is is possible to accept investment of $1500
  A: $3k is the minimum Wefunder established
- Q: Aren't you concerned that by being open sourced that some other entrepreneur can manufacture your device at fraction of your costs in places like China?
  A: People can copy our design regardless of whether we release the source. Keeping the sources a secret is not the key to our monopoly.

Recent posts:
- Focusing on Cross-Vertical Products, Chai Expands from Labs to Breweries (2018-11-26T20:56:26Z) https://wefunder.com/feed/97348
- Something for Everybody (2015-07-27T15:23:14Z) https://wefunder.com/feed/74092