gener8tor Founder Series Spotlight: John Schmitt, Co-Founder & CEO of iXpressGenes
In this episode of the gener8tor Founder Series, John Schmitt, the Co-Founder and CEO of iXpressGenes (iXG) joins Troy Vosseller to share how his company is redefining trauma care. Based in Huntsville, Alabama, iXpressGenes has developed the Trauma Autoimmune Indicator (TAI™) test, a highly precise blood test that uses RNA transcriptome analysis to detect inflammation and immune responses linked to PTSD, anxiety, and autoimmune conditions—often before symptoms appear.
As John explained in the interview, the company’s story began with his Co-Founder, Dr. Joe Ng, a professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville who survived a mass shooting on campus. That experience led Dr. Ng to explore the immunological effects of trauma, research that became the foundation for iXpressGenes’ groundbreaking diagnostic tool.
The conversation touched on iXpressGenes’ rapid momentum: an oversubscribed $2.4M equity round, a second VA contract for a large-scale study at VA Birmingham, and 66 customers onboarded just weeks after launch. John also recently testified before Congress in support of a VA pilot program to deploy the technology nationwide.
Reflecting on his time in the gBETA Huntsville program, John credited the accelerator with sharpening the company’s pitch, expanding its network, and connecting him with a mentor who is now iXpressGenes’ in-house counsel.
John closed with an ask for the Founder Series audience: introductions to healthcare policymakers and payer decision-makers who can help bring the TAI™ test into broader clinical use.
🎥 Watch the full interview here:
