Gene sequencing giant Illumina has joined investors Warburg Pincus and Sutter Hill Ventures to raise in excess of $100 million to form Helix, a consumer-focused genomics company based in the San Francisco Bay area. Helix will provide affordable exome sequencing and database services. The content will come from Helix's partners: applications developed on genomics-related topics such as medical education, nutrition and wellness, and genealogy. In this way, using an app store model, Helix will give entrepreneurs the ability to create new opportunities for consumers to use genomics without the burden of developing a laboratory and data security infrastructure. People will be able to make repeated inquiries of the data Helix secures and stores, which Helix hopes will stimulate the creative use of genomics information and lead to connections not yet envisioned. Helix will provide oversight to ensure that no inappropriate content is included, such as medical advice given without US Food and Drug Administration review. Helix has announced two initial partners: the Mayo Clinic and clinical testing giant LabCorp.