Startup Mimulus has launched its Glacier Storage Card adopting molecular DNA data encoding technology. This credit-card-sized storage device boasts a maximum capacity of 2.4 exabytes and supports data preservation for over 1,000 years.
As an early-stage VC-backed startup, Mimulus delivers eye-catching capacity figures but lacks detailed product and technical specifications. Notably, unlike mainstream storage vendors, its official team page only lists founders with no senior operational executives with traditional storage industry experience.
Founded in December 2023 by PhD Todd R Nelson who serves as chairman, Mimulus receives investment from NelGaard Capital, where Nelson acts as founding and general partner. Nelson also holds key roles across multiple biotech firms: founder and chairman of mRNA therapy developer Cellari Therapeutics, executive chairman of synthetic biology firm Racer Biosciences, and former founder and chairman of Telesis Bio focusing on automated DNA and mRNA synthesis platforms.
Four other co-founders joined the company in 2025 and 2026, with most having close professional ties to Nelson:
-
Daniel G Gibson: Board member and Racer Biosciences advisor, former CTO of Telesis Bio and Codex DNA, and synthetic biology professor at J. Craig Venter Institute.
-
Tei Newman-Lehman: President and GM of Racer Biosciences, with previous management experience at Telesis Bio.
-
Jasmine Hershewe: Director at NelGaard Capital, chief scientific officer of Racer Biosciences and former senior field application science manager at Telesis Bio.
None of the three above work full-time at Mimulus. NelGaard Capital also invests in Cellari Therapeutics, Racer Biosciences and little-known entertainment-focused DNA tech firm DIENEI Co. As a pre-seed and seed-stage venture architect, NelGaard focuses on synthetic biology and AI technologies, providing capital, IP strategy and operational support for early-stage tech platforms.
The fifth co-founder Colette Patnaude runs artist management firm Expand Entertainment. In February 2025, Expand signed a marketing partnership with Mimulus to exclusively promote and sell its DNA data storage products including Glacier cards. Patnaude stated the DNA storage technology delivers superior security and durability to permanently protect precious entertainment video and audio assets.
Core Technology & Workflow
Mimulus develops proprietary Molecular Archive Technology (MAT) for DNA storage, featuring industry-standard DNA storage strengths: ultra-long data integrity exceeding 10,000 years, ultra-high storage density, malware immunity, air-gapped security, stable chemical properties and zero need for data resilvering with ultra-low power consumption.
Its in-silico file design converts compressed binary data into exclusive Mimulus Code via customized algorithms, which are then synthesized into DNA strands on its self-developed MAT CMOS chip with massive parallel electrode arrays. The firm has not released any official performance test data.
Final synthesized DNA materials are sealed inside glass-based Glacier cards with no built-in drives. Users upload archived files via Mimulus’s online portal and receive physical sealed cards for offline storage. For data retrieval, users need to send cards back to Mimulus; the team will extract, sequence and decode DNA data with proprietary biological primers, and return complete recovered data within 48 hours after receiving the cards.
Strategic Partnership with GenScript
Mimulus has sealed a strategic cooperation with GenScript Biotech Corp, a leading CMOS DNA synthesis provider, to build the world’s first commercial molecular archival storage system. GenScript’s mature chip can synthesize 8 million oligonucleotides in parallel currently, and both parties aim to upgrade the capacity to billions of parallel oligonucleotides to realize large-scale industrial DNA storage production.
Sherry Shao, Rotating CEO of GenScript, commented that high-throughput, low-cost DNA synthesis is the core prerequisite for commercial molecular storage, and both firms are bridging theoretical DNA storage technology and real-world industrial infrastructure.
Todd Nelson criticized traditional legacy storage for failing to match modern AI demands, comparing magnetic tape used for current AI cold storage to steam engines powering rockets. He added Mimulus and GenScript’s joint solution cuts massive data center power consumption, lowers cloud infrastructure costs, and unlocks huge economic value for global AI supercomputers.
Glacier Card Product Line & Existing Doubts
Mimulus offers three Glacier card models: GB version (max 1TB), TB version (max 1PB) and PB version. The official website has conflicting capacity descriptions for the top-tier PB card: marked as both 1EB (equal to 1,001 1TB HDDs) and 2.4EB.
Multiple key operational details remain undisclosed: whether original sealed cards will be returned after data retrieval, customized file retrieval methods, and official file catalog services for massive files stored on single cards. End users cannot read card data independently and must rely entirely on Mimulus for decoding.
Official technical whitepapers and supplementary background materials are still pending release. Overall, Mimulus’s DNA storage solution is currently a well-promoted technical demo. Without public pricing, performance metrics, physical card management specifications and complete retrieval mechanisms, its large-scale commercial application prospect remains uncertain.
Beijing Qianxing Jietong Technology Co., Ltd.
Sandy Yang/Global Strategy Director
WhatsApp / WeChat: +86 13426366826
Email: yangyd@qianxingdata.com
Website: www.qianxingdata.com/www.storagesserver.com
Business Focus:
ICT Product Distribution/System Integration & Services/Infrastructure Solutions
With 20+ years of IT distribution experience, we partner with leading global brands to deliver reliable products and professional services.
“Using Technology to Build an Intelligent World”Your Trusted ICT Product Service Provider!
Your message must be between 20-3,000 characters!
English
