Zoi Capital Managing Director, Ronald M. Razmi, MD, has joined the Fast Company Executive Board and in his first article, he discusses the emerging field of longevity and key issues for investors and entrepreneurs to consider before jumping in. Dr Razmi discusses the science of longevity and whether the current products are based on solid science or marketing. He also tackles the potential role that AI will play in the challenging research to find legitimate longevity solutions.
From the article:
Though the definition of longevity is still being debated, some companies and wellness spaces are already selling it in forms such as supplements, IV drips, and other “biohacks” like red light therapies, hyperbaric chambers, and cold plunges. For the more adventurous types, therapies like gene editing, stem cell therapies, and even “young blood” plasma transfusions are available in fringe countries that do not follow FDA guidelines.
There are some key lessons here for the builders and investors. First, being a good marketer may be more important than having solid science. Proving the benefits of these therapies will require years and decades, and most investors don’t have that kind of time. Second, whatever solution you decide to create, it will need to be directed at a specific segment of the market since mass adoption driven by recommendations from the medical community is unlikely without the large and expensive clinical trials that may or may not show that your potion actually works
