🧬 XPRIZE's $100M+ Competition to Revolutionize Human Aging
Christian Hetrick is dot.LA's Entertainment Tech Reporter. He was formerly a business reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and reported on New Jersey politics for the Observer and the Press of Atlantic City.
🔦 Spotlight
Culver City-based XPRIZE, an organization known for orchestrating large-scale incentive competitions aimed at resolving humanity's most significant challenges, just launched a new 7-year global competition, XPRIZE Healthspan. The prize comprises a total of $111 million, including both the prize purse ($101M) and a bonus award. 🕰️🧬🏆
The monumental $101M Healthspan competition aims to transform aging by incentivizing teams to develop therapies that restore muscle, cognition, and immune function by a minimum of 10 years in individuals aged 65-80 within just one year.
This is the Mt. Everest of XPRIZE competitions, fueled by the pressing need to bridge the gap between increasing life expectancy and the quality of health as we age. With global life expectancy rising but healthy years not keeping pace, the competition targets aging with a focus on proactive, accessible treatments utilizing exponential technologies like AI, gene therapy, and cellular medicine. The goal is to democratize health and create a future where healthy aging is accessible to everyone, making us all forever young.
The competition, supported by Co-Title Sponsors Hevolution Foundation and SOLVE FSHD, seeks to revolutionize aging treatments by shifting focus from traditional reactive medicine to proactive therapeutics targeting biological aging.
Think you have what it takes to win $111M? You can register on the XPRIZE website here. Good luck!💰🔬🚀
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Startups
- Mozaic, a startup that helps creators such as musicians, YouTubers, and Twitch streamers manage payments and split revenue among collaborators for different projects, raised a $20M Series A led by Volition Capital. - learn more
- HeyGen, a generative AI avatar creation app, raised a $5.6M funding round led by Conviction Partners. - learn more
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✨Featured Event ✨
It’s that time of year again!
Our friends at AILA are hosting the third annual #LongLA Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 12th from 6-11pm at the Pluto Penthouse on Wilshire.
The #LongLA Holiday Party is supported by a syndicate of LA-based organizations to celebrate the holidays and give back to the local community. Besides an epic party with tacos, drinks, and groovy tunes, we also host a food, toy, clothing, and gas gift card drive, benefiting LA Regional Food Bank, Children’s Hospital LA, Midnight Mission, and Safe Parking LA.
Earlybird tickets are on sale now!
Want your event featured? Shoot us an email!
📅 LA Tech Calendar
Tuesday, December 5th
- The Carbonauts Sustainability Cocktails Arts District - Join co-hosts Graham Hill (Founder and CEO, The Carbonauts) and Mike Wallace (Chief Decarbonization Officer, Persefoni) for delicious cocktails, a bite to eat, and conversations with other passionate sustainability advocates.!
Wednesday, December 6th
- Startup Arena - Join Startup Coil and other investors and founders for on-stage pitches, an investor panel and presentation, and networking in Santa Monica.
- Techstars LA & Space VIP Investor Showcase and Expo - Join Techstars LA at 4pm PT on Wednesday, December 6th to meet and speak with their 23 amazing companies at the Petersen Automotive Museum! This reception is a direct follow-up of their virtual Demo Day hosted by Kernal the morning of December 6th.
Thursday, December 7th
- Amazon Ads Festive Fête: A Holiday Mixer - Amazon invites local marketing & agency leaders in the LA area to a festive gathering at TopGolf. Enjoy an afternoon of networking, food & drinks, and lively discussions to ring out the year. Secure your spot now as space is limited!
Have an awesome event coming up? Reach out to be featured on next week’s Newsletter!
📙 What We’re Reading
- Tune in to a conversation between Will Weisman, Founder of KittyHawk Ventures, and Minnie Ingersoll, Partner of TenOneTen Ventures, as they explore the realm where future tech intertwines with the quest for immortality! - listen here
- Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, and Dr. Andrew Huberman named as Spotify’s Top Podcasts Globally in 2023. - read more
- Check out American Inno’s list of female founders you should know about! - read more
Christian Hetrick is dot.LA's Entertainment Tech Reporter. He was formerly a business reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and reported on New Jersey politics for the Observer and the Press of Atlantic City.