Global investment in the longevity sector is demonstrating stronger resilience than the biotech and fintech sectors, according to a new report.
Industry analysts at Longevity.Technology have published the 2022 Annual Longevity Investment Report on the state of investment in the longevity sector.
The report analyses the companies and investors behind technologies designed to extend the number of years people live in good health.
A total of $5.2 billion was invested into 130 deals in 2022. While this was down 15 per cent from $6.2 billion (190 deals) in 2021 – a breakout year for longevity investing, it was up 77 per cent from $3.0bn (148 deals) in 2020.
This highlights the continuing strong trend line growth in the longevity industry, which demonstrates stronger resilience than both the biotech and fintech sectors.
Key report highlights include:
- The $3bn financing early in 2022 for Altos Labs, the company focused on cellular reprogramming, was a landmark deal for the industry.
- Earlier stage financings were more resilient vs. later stage and public financings.
- Number of deals and regional split indicated a more selective and less risk tolerant investor base.
- The US dominates global longevity investment, in number of deals, volume of financings and size of deals.
- The leading industry domains are ‘Longevity discovery platforms’, ‘Longevity drugs’, renewal therapies (‘Regeneration’, ‘Rejuvenation’, ‘Cellular reprogramming’) and ‘Gene therapies’.
- The top 5 predictions for longevity investment in 2023.
Phil Newman, CEO of Longevity.Technology, commented: “Longevity is a new investment category that’s continuing to attract new investors.
“Our inaugural annual report defines what longevity is, guides investors to where the innovation is going and helps entrepreneurs understand where the capital is coming from. Compared to 2021, 2022 may feel like a down year, but we’re seeing great progress technically and politically in support of the sector and are predicting that breakthrough clinical progress will spur accelerated pick-up in longevity financing in the second half of 2023.”
Serial investor Jim Mellon, co-founder and Deputy Chairman of Juvenescence, a leading longevity company, added:”Money coming into the sector has increased dramatically over the last two years, with Jeff Bezos’ $3 billion investment in Altos. Then there was the establishment of Hevolution Foundation, which is going to be investing a billion dollars a year for the foreseeable future.”
“Although the biotech sector has been one of the worst affected by the market drawdowns in the last 20 months, I’ve noticed that big investment banks are taking a real interest in following and supporting the idea that longevity is not just something of science fiction, but it’s something that has real world applications,” added Mellon.
The report defines the longevity market, breaking down the industry into 25 domains.
It tracks investment data in public and private markets from the start of 2013 to today, segments financing activity by location, domain and stage, follows recent trends, and identifies the top segments and key players in longevity.
You can download the report here