OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Invests $180 Million in Biotech Startup’s Quest to Defy Aging and Death

• ByStartupStory     |    May 6, 2023

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI and creator of the AI language model ChatGPT, has announced a bold new goal of defying aging. To achieve this, he has invested $180 million in the biotech startup Retro Biosciences, as part of his wider investment portfolio that includes Helion Energy. The news has been reported by the MIT Technology Review.

Retro Biosciences, a biotech startup founded earlier this year, is focused on combating age-related illnesses to extend human lifespan. Their mission is to increase healthy lifespan by a decade, a challenging task that requires significant resources. Thanks to a substantial $180 million investment from Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and creator of ChatGPT, Retro Biosciences has the initial funding it needs to achieve its proof-of-concept objectives and continue operations for the next ten years.

Sam Altman, who is currently primarily focused on OpenAI, has expressed a personal interest in benefiting from Retro Biosciences’ therapies. In an interview with the MIT Technology Review, he shared his aspiration to extend his lifespan through the biotech startup’s cutting-edge techniques. Altman’s current approach to longevity includes healthy eating, sufficient sleep, and taking the diabetes medication metformin.

The biotech startup Retro Biosciences is headed by Joe Betts-LaCroix, a scientist who previously worked with Sam Altman at the startup accelerator Y Combinator. Altman, who was the CEO of Y Combinator from 2014 to 2019, has since focused on OpenAI.

The MIT Technology Review reports that Sam Altman has been interested in anti-aging methods for several years. About eight years ago, he delved into “young blood” research, which involved merging the blood systems of older and younger mice in an experiment conducted by Harvard University researchers. Surprisingly, the older mice experienced partial rejuvenation in their brains and muscles, a result that Altman had not anticipated.

Sam Altman and Joe Betts-LaCroix embarked on a project focused on life extension based on research conducted by UC Berkeley scientists. The researchers discovered that diluting the blood plasma of aged mice could have rejuvenating effects. Inspired by these findings, Altman and Betts-LaCroix explored the idea of cellular reprogramming and establishing a company centered on aging biology. Altman agreed to fund the initiative, and Betts-LaCroix committed to building a multi-program company around aging biology. According to Betts-LaCroix, Altman enthusiastically replied, “Great — let’s go for it.”

Joe Betts-LaCroix has kept Sam Altman’s involvement in Retro Biosciences confidential so far, allowing the biotech startup to operate independently. Both OpenAI and Retro Biosciences have yet to comment on the matter. However, with Altman’s substantial investment and Retro Biosciences’ groundbreaking research, the company is in a strong position to make significant strides in extending human life and combating aging-related illnesses.

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