GeneTree Family Networking Site

GeneTree is a new category of family networking site designed to help people understand where their personal histories belong within the greater human genetic story. The GeneTree site creates unparalleled opportunities for unlocking genetic heritage and identity, connecting with ancestors and living relatives, and sharing meaningful information and experiences to help preserve family histories.

GeneTree is to help users extend their concept of family, expand their knowledge of their genetic heritage beyond the reach of written records, connect and share with others, and preserve their family histories. The vision for GeneTree emerged from the recognition that there is a longing shared by people throughout the world to belong: to experience a greater connection with their genetic and cultural identity and to be a part of a larger, closer community. The site uses genetic testing and analysis to extend the concept of family to include many relatives users didn’t know they had.

Collaborative Power

GeneTree utilizes exceptional tools and resources from organizations at the forefront of their respective industries. These include:

• Sorenson Media, developer of the world’s leading digital video compression and encoding software and of innovative tools that enable the development and publishing of user-generated video that help reinvent participants’ Internet experience. The company’s technology has been installed on more than a billion computers worldwide, with users ranging from individuals to major corporations and top Hollywood studios.
• The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) is a non-profit organization building the world’s foremost collection of DNA samples correlated with genealogical information, gathered from individuals in more than 170 nations.
• DNA testing is performed by ISO-accredited a lab.

Unparalleled Tools and Resources for Discovery and Sharing

By marshalling the capabilities of these industry leaders, GeneTree is expanding the concept of family, extending knowledge of genetic origins beyond the confines of traditional historical records, and reinforcing the connection shared by all people as members of a single human family.

GeneTree places an unprecedented combination of innovative tools and resources at the disposal of the site’s users, including:

• Innovative systems for creating homepages for living and deceased individuals
• Interactive, searchable family trees
• Control of privacy, access and collaboration settings for each individual’s homepage
• High-quality DNA testing services
• Intuitive drag-and-drop media sharing capabilities for video, audio, photos and documents
• Informative visual representations of an individual’s genetic family history, through snapshots of ancestors’ geographic location at various points in time.