DNA, the Hard Drive of the Future

From Patras to Sophia Antipolis

Originally from Greece, Melpomeni Dimopoulou left her home country in 2016 to join Université Côte d’Azur in southern France. A year later, she began a PhD at the Laboratory of Computer Science, Signals, and Systems in Sophia Antipolis, focusing on long-term DNA data storage.
With her doctorate in hand, she embarked on an ambitious scientific and entrepreneurial adventure: designing a “molecular hard drive” based not on silicon, like traditional media, but on synthetic DNA.

Inspired by life itself

The idea draws on a fascinating reality: DNA, the natural support of our genome, can preserve astronomical amounts of information in a microscopic volume - for thousands of years.
Through molecular biology techniques, it is possible to translate the 0s and 1s of digital data into a quaternary sequence made up of the four nucleotides that form DNA (A, T, G, and C). Exactly what the algorithm developed by Melpomeni Dimopoulou during her PhD in Sophia Antipolis makes possible.
Imagined as early as the 1950s, synthetic DNA technology became a reality about a decade ago. Today, it is a booming field, driven by the promise of an ultra-dense, durable medium capable of withstanding the test of time.

Decarbonizing digital technology

In 2022, Melpomeni Dimopoulou co-founded Pearcode with the ambition of decarbonizing the digital industry by tackling one of its greatest challenges: sustainably storing exponentially growing volumes of data.
According to Pearcode, their DNA memory would offer a capacity one billion times greater than that of conventional hard drives. Once industrialized, this technology could cut data center energy consumption by up to 30 % and reduce CO₂ emissions from storage by 20 to 25 %.
Its exceptional lifespan avoids regular data migrations: over 20 years, that could mean 50 to 70 % savings for companies managing vast amounts of “cold data” (rarely accessed information such as archives or legal documents).
Another advantage: unlike traditional servers, DNA requires no cooling - avoiding the water-intensive systems needed to keep conventional hardware at the right temperature.

Impactful deeptech

At the crossroads of fundamental research and industrial innovation, Pearcode embodies the spirit of French deeptech: developing breakthrough technologies while integrating environmental and societal concerns.
Winner of the 2025 Tech for Future competition in the Data & AI category, Melpomeni Dimopoulou champions the belief that innovation must be responsible.
Her work could transform long-term data management, with applications ranging from heritage archiving through cybersecurity to scientific research.
With Pearcode, she demonstrates that the future of storage is already here. Invisible to the naked eye, but colossal in its positive impact.

“We will be able to offer a prototype within two or three years, for commercialization within seven. […] DNA is the future of data storage.”

(Source : Le Journal des Entreprises)