If you had billions in the bank, where would you invest? For some of the world’s wealthiest tech entrepreneurs, the answer is simple – developing life-extending technology so they can stick around a little longer to enjoy their riches. From reversing aging to regenerative medicine, these industry giants are pouring their fortunes into making a longer, healthier life a reality. Here are some of the current investments these titans are making in longevity.
Jeff Bezos
Estimated wealth: $205 billion
Investing in: Altos Labs
Bezos has poured billions into Altos Labs, which is at the forefront of developing therapies to reverse aging through cellular reprogramming. The aim is to restore cellular health by undoing the damage that aging inflicts on the body, particularly by focusing on reversing age-related conditions and chronic diseases. Altos is recruiting some of the top scientists globally to explore how to unlock the body’s regenerative potential. One of their key early breakthroughs has been in partial cellular reprogramming, a process that allows for the rejuvenation of tissues without the risk of over-rejuvenation, which can lead to uncontrolled cell growth or cancer. This process is seen as a potential way to reverse age-related diseases without the risks typically associated with full reprogramming.
Peter Thiel
Estimated wealth: $9.9 billion
Investing in: Unity BioTechnology
Thiel has invested in Unity Biotechnology, a company focused on developing therapeutics to slow or reverse the aging process by targeting cellular senescence—the process by which cells stop dividing and accumulate, contributing to age-related diseases. Unity’s research aims to develop therapies that selectively eliminate these senescent cells, addressing diseases like osteoarthritis, fibrosis, and age-related eye disorders.
Mark Zuckerberg
Estimated wealth: $196 billion
Investing in: Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
Zuckerberg, along with his wife, Priscilla Chan, has invested in longevity through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). One of CZI’s key projects is the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, which funds cutting-edge biomedical research aimed at curing, preventing, or managing all diseases by the year 2100. The Biohub focuses on understanding and combating age-related diseases through advanced diagnostics, molecular biology, and genetic engineering. Their work combines scientific research with high-tech innovation to extend human healthspan.
Sam Altman
Estimated wealth: $1 billion
Investing in: Retro Biosciences
Altman has invested $180 billion in Retro Biosciences, a company tackling the cellular drivers of aging. Retro Biosciences’s mission is to extend the healthy human lifespan by up to 10 years by focusing on reversing cellular aging through autophagy, stem cell rejuvenation, and targeted cellular therapies. Retro Biosciences’s ambitious projects are powered by cutting-edge computational biology and automated systems that accelerate drug discovery. With Altman’s backing, the company aims to develop therapies that can be used to treat various age-related diseases directly in the body.
Brian Armstrong
Estimated wealth: $8.4 billion
Investing in: NewLimit
Armstrong is co-founder of NewLimit, a company focused on reprogramming cells to reverse aging by restoring their youthful functionality. Their technology taps into the mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming to slow cellular aging, allowing them to rejuvenate cells without changing their identity. By targeting specific cell types, they aim to create therapies that could treat diseases associated with aging, such as cardiovascular diseases and immune system decline. Armstrong’s long-term vision is to produce general-purpose medicines to address the fundamental causes of aging.
Craig Venter
Estimated wealth: $300 million
Investing in: Human Longevity Inc
Venter founded Human Longevity Inc, a genomics company that focuses on combining advanced diagnostics, machine learning, and AI to predict and prevent age-related diseases. By mapping the human genome and identifying genetic markers that predict diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, HLI aims to help people live longer, healthier lives. The company offers £25,000 personalised health assessments that use genetic data to develop individualised treatment plans aimed at preventing disease and slowing the aging process.
Christian Angermayer
Estimated wealth: $1.4 billion
Investing in: Cambrian Biopharma
Angermayer – one of the co-founders of the Enhanced Games – is a co-founder of Cambrian Biopharma, a company working on multiple therapies to slow the aging process. By targeting the underlying biology of aging, Cambrian is developing treatments that could prevent and reverse age-related diseases. The company’s focus on cellular repair and regeneration has the potential to transform medicine, with projects exploring ways to address conditions like muscle loss, immune system decline, and neurodegeneration.
Larry Page
Estimated wealth: $136 billion
Investing in: Calico Labs
Google co-founder Page is a co-founder of Calico Labs, a company dedicated to researching the biology of aging and developing therapies to extend lifespan. Calico Labs works on understanding the molecular processes behind aging, with a particular focus on diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular disease. By identifying ways to slow or reverse these processes, Calico aims to develop drugs that will help people live longer, healthier lives. The company combines advances in genetics, molecular biology, and computational science to unlock the secrets of longevity.
Bryan Johnson
Estimated wealth: $400 million
Investing in: Blueprint
Johnson’s personal venture, Blueprint, focuses on using advanced diagnostics and data-driven insights to optimise health and extend lifespan. As a result he has developed a “Don’t Die” philosophy and a cult-like online following. By constantly monitoring his body through biomarkers, Johnson tailors his lifestyle choices to maintain optimal health. Blueprint’s methods include a regimented diet, personalised training plans, and ongoing health assessments to ensure maximum longevity. Johnson aims to bring these tools to a wider audience, giving people access to cutting-edge health technologies that enhance both lifespan and healthspan.
Photography Aurora Mititelu for Google Deepmind
