Austin, Texas Attracts BillionToOne Project
BillionToOne, a next-generation molecular diagnostics company, has announced its expansion from Menlo Park, California, to Austin, Texas. This expansion marks a significant life sciences addition to the Austin region, building on the city’s status as a hub for innovation. Tarlton Properties, a tier-one life sciences developer, is leading the expansion to the Austin region. Tarlton owns and manages more than three million square feet of Class A life sciences and mixed-use properties in the San Francisco Bay area, including Menlo Park Labs where BillionToOne is currently located.
“We’ve been working with BillionToOne for more than six years. BillionToOne originally started in our Menlo Park Labs incubator, and we’ve partnered with them to meet their evolving facility needs. We’re grateful to expand our partnership with BillionToOne to the Austin market and to continue to provide them space tailored to their goals,” said John Tarlton, CEO of Tarlton Properties.
At approximately 220,000 square feet, the new facility will meet the strict requirements of being a CLIA-certified facility under the Public Health Act, along with the infrastructure and technology to offer the company the flexibility to grow. BillionToOne’s Austin facility will be completed in 2026, and when fully staffed it will employ more than 1,000 employees. Positions will include a range, from laboratory technicians and clinical laboratory scientists up to automation engineers and post-doctoral researchers.
“Austin’s vibrant culture and high concentration of exceptional STEM graduates from its nearby universities make it the ideal location for our expansion,” said Oguzhan Atay, CEO of BillionToOne. “We’re excited to continue our mission of transforming molecular diagnostics—making them more powerful, accurate, efficient, and accessible—from our state-of-the-art Austin laboratory, which will have a capacity of processing up to 6 million high-complexity molecular diagnostics tests every year.”
BillionToOne’s expansion to Austin will accelerate the scaling of its technology, including its Quantitative Counting Templates™ (QCT™) platform, which is revolutionizing molecular diagnostics. This technology enables more accurate and accessible diagnostic tests, particularly in prenatal and oncology fields.
The new facility will be in EastVillage, a 425-acre master-planned project developed by Reger Holdings, LLC, on East Parmer Lane. It is an ideal location for this life sciences expansion with its already completed multi-family and retail/restaurant spaces, and at complete buildout, will consist of eight unique multi-family communities totaling 2,400 units, three hotels, a 150-acre park with miles of hike and bike trails, 466 Single-Family homes, and a 1.5 million-square-foot life science campus.
Opportunity Austin’s CEO, Ed Latson, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome BillionToOne to the Austin region. Their decision to expand here aligns with the strategic focus outlined in our new Life Science Study conducted byMcKinsey. This move not only strengthens our position as a burgeoning life sciences hub but also showcases Austin’s unique technology foundation that continues to attract world-class companies.”
The collaboration between the City of Austin, Opportunity Austin, and the local business community was instrumental in this company expansion. Mayor Kirk Watson recognized the company’s cutting-edge work in molecular diagnostics and the significant investment in our city’s economic growth while enhancing the region’s reputation as a leader in life sciences.
Austin Mayor, Kirk Watson, welcomed BillionToOne to the city, stating, “Today’s announcement exemplifies what happens when city leaders and staff, economic developers, industry pioneers, and innovative thinkers come together to align on a shared vision for the future. It exhibits the success of our culture and talent and allows a streamlined process to work, allowing the company to move quickly and do what it does best.”
STG Design is playing a pivotal role in the project’s architectural vision. Jeff Ervin, Principal at STG Design, noted, “As a precision diagnostic company with a singular goal to detect disease, BillionToOne required a design that was custom in function and contemporary in feel. STG is honored to have met those challenges.”
Neel White, Chairman of White Construction, emphasized the alignment of values and mission in their collaboration on the project: “We are honored to partner with the City of Austin, Reger Holdings, Tarlton, STG Design, Opportunity Austin, and others to support BillionToOne’s mission to revolutionize disease detection on a global scale. We are humbled by the opportunity to build a space that will advance the well-being of humanity.”
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