Ultrawealthy Pile Money Into Longer Lifespans

“How much would you invest in the possibility of living to 150 or beyond? Or having 20 extra healthy years?

 

For the ultrawealthy, it's more than $5 billion over the past 2 1/2 decades, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of longevity investment deals in PitchBook, public company statements and regulatory filings.

 

Silicon Valley giants Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, Yuri Milner and Marc Andreessen are among the boldface names behind the influx of money in the longevity industry. Thiel's quest for longer life spans nearly a dozen companies -- some of which were funded by his venture firm and others by a nonprofit foundation he backed -- that raised more than $700 million, according to the Journal's analysis.

 

They and other wealthy investors have helped push what was once something of an academic backwater into the cultural mainstream.

 

Many companies ultimately fail, but the ultrawealthy and other enthusiasts are following the money and the science to decide where to invest and what to take.

 

These companies are part of a constellation of more than 200 startups and nonprofits involving nearly 1,000 investors. Together they raised more than $12.5 billion in the past 2 1/2 decades from not only the ultrawealthy but social-media influencers, celebrity scientists and actors chasing a breakthrough, according to the Journal's analysis.

 

Thiel's mentee, OpenAI CEO Altman, placed a big bet -- $180 million -- on Retro Biosciences, which aims to develop drugs to rejuvenate and reprogram aging cells. Retro CEO Joe Betts-LaCroix previously worked for Halcyon Molecular, a former biotech funded by Thiel's Founders Fund.

 

Thiel's fund also backed NewLimit, co-founded in 2021 by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.

 

NewLimit, with a focus on reversing cell aging, raised more than $200 million from ultrawealthy investors including at least nine billionaires or their funds such as Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla. Peter Diamandis, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and longevity enthusiast, also invested in NewLimit.

 

Lonsdale's firm, 8VC, backed cellular rejuvenation startup Altos Labs, which drew support from Robert Nelsen's Arch Venture Partners and tech investor Milner.

 

Not all longevity bets pay off. Unity Biotechnology raised $355 million since 2013 to develop medicines targeting cells linked to aging, according to company filings. The company was recently delisted from Nasdaq and announced plans in June to dissolve.

 

Khosla's firm invested in several longevity startups, which collectively raised more than $1 billion, the Journal's analysis shows.

 

Khosla Ventures and venture capitalist Andreessen's fund invested in BioAge Labs. Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff and Khosla's fund invested in Viome Life Sciences. BOLD Capital Partners, a venture fund co-founded by Diamandis, also invested in Viome.

 

Longevity startups are increasingly backed by celebrities and other well-connected people.

 

Function Health, which focuses on lab tests and lifestyle suggestions, attracted investments from Kevin Hart, Matt Damon and Dr. Casey Means, President Trump's pick for surgeon general.

 

Money has been pouring in from some of the wealthiest investors, fueled by these personal connections and passions.

 

Armstrong's fundraising for NewLimit includes a $130 million round in May. Among the company's investors are the funds of fellow billionaires Khosla and Thiel.

 

Altos, launched in 2022, raised $3 billion -- the most of any company identified by the Journal -- to develop technology to rejuvenate cells. Artificial-intelligence drug discovery company Insilico Medicine, which is backed by Diamandis's BOLD Capital, raised more than $500 million to treat multiple age-related diseases. Another company, BioAge Labs, which is developing drugs to treat diseases of aging, raised $559 million, which includes investments from Khosla Ventures and Andreessen's a16z fund.

 

BioAge's chief executive, Kristen Fortney, met investors interested in her research at a Stanford lab and through her involvement in a salon for longevity enthusiasts run by Betts-LaCroix.

 

BioAge went public in 2024, raising the funds to develop an obesity drug and other programs. A trial of an obesity drug halted later that year over safety concerns. BioAge launched a new trial of a different obesity drug this year.

 

"A lot of people already make it past the age of 100 and they're healthy. So why can't that be achievable for all of us?" Fortney said.

 

That concept has taken hold and is helping drive investors, with the average fundraising round for longevity companies growing by more than 20% in the past decade to nearly $43 million this year, by the Journal's calculations.

 

Many of the ultrawealthy individuals flooding the longevity space are motivated by highly personal reasons.

 

Naveen Jain says his father's death from pancreatic cancer led him to found Viome Life Sciences, which has raised over $230 million. Viome sells at-home health tests and analyzes the data to make personalized nutrition and supplement recommendations. Jain, a billionaire, invested $30 million of his own money in Viome. Benioff and Khosla Ventures are also investors. "I want to make aging optional," Jain says.

 

Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, tried a diet designed to mimic the effects of fasting developed by longevity scientist Valter Longo [1].

 

Bancel later led a $47 million funding round for Longo's company L-Nutra, which develops fasting nutrition programs.

 

"I want to be able to have the biggest impact," says Bancel.

 

Khosla through his firm is one of the most prolific longevity investors identified by the Journal, with each of the investments focused on different aspects of aging. "At 70, someone should feel like a 40-year-old," he said during an interview with the Superteam Podcast, a group of cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

 

There is no consensus on what makes something a longevity company. The Journal identified three key areas the ultrawealthy are focused on, by companies' publicly reported missions: Efforts to reverse or change aging, develop treatments for age-related diseases, or sell products or services claiming to improve health and extend lifespan.

 

The quest for ways to "reprogram" and rejuvenate cells is one of the biggest generating buzz in Silicon Valley circles.

 

The idea of returning people to a more youthful state is propelling Altos, Retro, Juvenescence and more than 80 other companies to raise some $5 billion. Retro says it is trying to raise another $1 billion.

 

Companies seeking treatments for diseases linked to aging include BioAge Labs. Nearly 60 biotechs in this space have raised nearly $5 billion.” [2]

 

1. The diet is Valter Longo's Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) or the associated Longevity Diet, a plant-based, low-calorie, low-protein, and high-fat dietary program designed to trigger the body's fasting state without complete food abstinence. It involves a 5-day period of specific eating to mimic the effects of a water-only fast, aiming to promote cellular regeneration, longevity, and reduce the risk of age-related diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. 

 

How it Works

 

    Mimics Fasting:

 

The FMD achieves a fasting state by providing controlled nutrition, leading to reduced levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), glucose, and other markers associated with aging.

 

Promotes Regeneration:

It's designed to activate stem cells and promote a rejuvenating effect on various organs, which is believed to contribute to increased healthspan.

 

Reduces Risk Factors:

 

By inducing a fasting-like state periodically (e.g., once every three to four months), it can reduce risk factors for several age-related diseases.

 

Key Characteristics

 

    Plant-based:

 

It focuses on plant-based foods like vegetables, healthy fats, and some fish.

Calorie, Protein, and Sugar Restricted:

The diet is intentionally low in calories, protein, and sugars to keep the body in a fasting-like metabolic state.

High in Healthy Fats:

It is rich in unsaturated fats from sources like nuts, seeds, and olive oil.

 

How to Use It

 

    Periodic Cycles:

    The 5-day FMD is typically followed periodically, such as once every three or four months.

 

Integration with Daily Diet:

It's often combined with an everyday diet, the "Longevity Diet," to support long-term health.

Consult a Professional:

It's crucial to follow the FMD under the supervision of a doctor or registered dietitian, as it's not suitable for everyone, especially individuals with certain health conditions.

 

Potential Benefits

 

    Weight loss and reduction of abdominal fat.

    Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

    Improved metabolic health markers.

    Increased cellular regeneration and stem cell activity.

    Reduced risk factors for conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's.

 

2. Ultrawealthy Pile Money Into Longer Lifespans. Shifflett, Shane; Marcus, Amy Dockser; Janin, Alex.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 08 Sep 2025: A1.