Noor Siddiqui

Noor Siddiqui is the founder and CEO of Orchid, a reproductive technology company specializing in genetic science. Orchid is recognized as the first company to provide whole genome sequencing reports for embryos created during in vitro fertilization (IVF). The company screens for genetic forms of neurodevelopmental disorders, pediatric and adult-onset cancers, and birth defects, simultaneously analyzing more than 1,200 genetic variants associated with disease. This approach represents a significant advancement over previous embryo screening methods, which typically focused on a single gene and covered less than 1 percent of the genome, compared to Orchid's coverage of 99 percent.

Siddiqui's interest in reproductive genetics was influenced by personal experience, having observed her mother lose her vision to retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative condition. At age 17, Siddiqui received a Thiel Fellowship, a two-year grant supporting young entrepreneurs. She later earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in computer science from Stanford University, where she conducted research in genomics and medical imaging. Prior to founding Orchid, Siddiqui worked as an artificial intelligence researcher at Stanford, focusing on deep learning applications in genomics and computer vision for medical imaging.

Siddiqui previously founded Remedy, a digital health company that enabled doctors to obtain specialist input rapidly. She also served as an instructor at Stanford, teaching the course "Frontiers in Reproductive Technology." Orchid's achievements include sequencing the genome of an embryo from just four cells, marking a milestone in genetic science and IVF technology.

Siddiqui is an active public speaker on technology, genetics, and human health, presenting at events such as Milken Global Conference, WebSummit, and Kaiser Permanente Executive Leadership Summit. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Forbes, and TechCrunch. She hosts the podcast "Conceivable with Noor," which explores topics in artificial intelligence, genetics, and reproductive technology with leading experts. Through her work at Orchid, public speaking, and podcasting, Siddiqui contributes to ongoing discussions about the future of biotechnology, reproductive health, and genomics.