Where We Are Investing Now: Longevity and Senior Care
When it comes to getting older, the numbers tell a tale of dramatic growth:. By 2050, the 65+ population in the US will double.That population will have the highest net worth of any age category in the US; Boomers are already the wealthiest generation in history. The world’s current population is 7.79 billion, with 727 million of those are age 65 and older. By 2030, there will be almost 1 billion over the age of 65 on the globe. Those 1 billion people will expect to live longer and better lives. It will be natural for those 65-year-olds to expect 20–25 years of active participation in life and society.
These are the kinds of numbers that bespeak a remarkable area for investment. The key concept here is healthspan, not just the number of years a person is alive, but the number where the individual can fully participate in the wider world. So, we are determined to identify and back companies that extend the span of active performance and pleasure for older individuals as well as science-driven companies that keep the body and mind supple and energetic or that even turn back biological time to maximize capabilities at every age.
For the balance of this year, our focus will be on:
Aging Science, specifically
- Blood transfusion for peak performance
- Gene-editing and diagnosis to prevent disease and its precursors from the earliest stages of life
- Pharmaceutical approaches such as genomic stabilization, telomere management, epigenetic alteration, mitochondrial, senolytics, cell reprogramming, organ regeneration and transplantation
- 3D organ printing (like our portfolio company Volumetric Bio)
- Supplement compounds with a scientific basis (like Fisetin, Metformin, Resveratrol, Creatine, Arginine, Niacin, Alpha-lipoic acid, Magnesium, Honokiol, Glucosamine, Quercetin, and Geroprotector)
Digital health for older adults
- Next-generation healthcare services (like our portfolio company Lark)
- Tech that overcomes limitations that isolate older adults (like our portfolio company IrisVision that lets those with vision problems “see” in public space)
- Better connections between care providers and patients (like our portfolio company LucidAct)
- Effective platforms to encourage healthy habits (like our portfolio company Digbi Health)
- Platforms that bring care to people, rather than requiring them to go to traditional locations for care
- New ways to maximize research around prevention (like our portfolio companies ClinOne and Folia Health)
- Digital fitness and wellness (like our portfolio companies Skill Yoga and Freeplay
- Novel ways to manage mental health like braining training portfolio company GrayMatters and Empathic Technologies which can manage mood and energy via touch.
- Personal care and safety, like our portfolio companies Nymbl and Unaliwear)
- Women’s health, like our portfolio companies Attn:Grace and Madorra)
- Daily life enhancement (Moments of Delight), like our portfolio company Wise.
Being older is no longer a period of weakness and dependency. It is a new span of vibrant life with significant emphasis on personal choice and enablement. The new older represents a vast, expanding market need. We’ll capture this exploding opportunity by focusing on companies that empower this age group to maximize their independence, retain and deepen their social connections, and deliver safety on the one hand and new opportunities on the other.
If you know any great entrepreneurs focused on longevity and aging innovation, we would love to hear about them.
By Managing Partner Mike Edelhart
@MikeEdelhart
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