Autor Cointelegraph By Garri Zmudze

Expected to reach a market size of $128 billion by 2028, the longevity sector is no longer something that those outside the medical world can ignore. In the next few years, life-extending technologies and treatments for aging-related diseases will reach human trials. There is an exciting wave of development happening in research labs and technology centers across the globe, with more and more early adopters embarking on their longevity journeys.As I’ve remarked in my earlier article, the crypto community would do well to learn more and engage in the growing longevity field. Longevity not only incorporates disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technologies but also has a visionary spirit and is supported by stakeholders dedicated to improving the human aging experience.To share more about this up-and-coming sector, I spoke with three individuals about their alignment with longevity science and why they want you to know about the opportunities afforded by embracing longevity. The sector has already shown tremendous support in favor of the industry. The insights from one of the world’s foremost longevity physicians, the founder of the world’s leading full-service blockchain technology company, are unique but share a common theme: It is time for the world to pay attention to what the future holds for human lifespans.Evelyne Yehudit Bischof, chair of the Longevity Science Foundation visionary board“As a longevity physician, my goal is to maintain or even improve the quality of life for someone. But the term ‘longevity’ conjures images of living longer. But it’s more than just that. Life has to be fulfilling. It has to be fun. In longevity medicine, it is essential to focus on physical health as well as behavioral and mental health. All these pieces fit to make a healthy human.”“In general, I am not a fan of sweeping recommendations. I like personalization. I like structure. I especially like structure when developing treatment trajectories for a patient. Of course, there is a foundation of longevity that incorporates common themes. However, I do not have typical recommendations for everybody.”“I look at the unique characteristics of each patient in several different categories. The first category is metabolic optimization. This category encompasses nutritional improvements, exercise and hormones. Some people are athletes, and I also work with pre- and post-menopausal women. Some patients are preparing for pregnancy. These unique characteristics factor into the recommendations.”“The second category is sleep. Many people underestimate how important sleep is to maintaining healthy bodily functions. As part of patient evaluation, I look at how easily the patient falls asleep and how optimal the sleep is based on oxygen levels, the number of apnea episodes, and more.”“The third optimization area is cognition. Neurodegeneration is a significant concern for individuals as they age, and optimizing this area requires early prevention of any cognitive decline or neurosurgical health. Cognition also includes mental health. I am trained in psychiatry, so mental health is essential to me. A lot of people are already on antipsychotics or antidepressants. I meet patients where they are and help them achieve their goals of improving mental health.”“As you can see, we very much focus on the granular level in longevity treatment. We focus on all aspects of a person to ensure treatments work in harmony. Physicians and patients need to remember that flexibility is key for any medical success. Longevity treatment should be just as flexible.”Val Vavilov, founder and chief visionary officer of Bitfury and member of the Longevity Science Foundation patrons board“My interest in longevity began as a personal one. Running a global, billion-dollar company takes a toll on you. To achieve our mission, I realized that I needed to optimize not only my health but also my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development. Health is usually one of the first things people neglect when they are focused elsewhere.”“I started reading about everything that was considered cutting-edge in the field, from intermittent fasting to veganism. I even went as detailed to evaluate the micronutrients of different fruits and vegetables I was eating to balance them. When you start researching these things, you will eventually come to the field of longevity because longevity is all about the optimization of your life and health. That speaks to the engineer in me. We look at what we can optimize and how to do it. I spent more than a year optimizing my health, food, sleep — everything. And now, I feel better than I did in my 20s!”“I became a patron of the Longevity Science Foundation because I genuinely believe longevity should not just belong to one group of people. Everyone deserves access to the tools and science to live longer and healthier lives. I support the mission of the foundation to democratize access to this information because everyone has the right to it. Longevity should be shared.”“What is the point of living a longer and healthier life if you are the only person benefiting from it? What kind of a world will you inherit? How can you build a better one if you are alone? Longevity is a crucial piece of our collective future. Crypto, blockchain and Web3 make it easier for us to work together and support each other — while protecting ourselves. Longevity science means we can do that while living longer, being healthier and being happier. In other words: A better existence is out there for humans if we collaborate and create more open systems accessible to everyone.”Maja Vujinovic, managing director of OGroup and member of the Longevity Science Foundation patrons board“I’ve been an early pioneer in emerging technologies since 2005, entering spaces, such as mobile payments, renewable energy, the Internet of Things, CRISPR and cryptocurrencies, years before they reached mainstream understanding and recognition. Working at this leading edge requires one to constantly question the status quo and to search for optimization. I’m bringing the same pioneering attitude to longevity: There is more to longevity medicine than the extension of life. It’s about nudging our evolutionary engine. It is a challenging yet thrilling quest.”“Our ancestors had countless challenges to overcome as we moved from caves to dwellings to tribes to cities to where we are now. We had to deal with predators, disease, famine, war, infection. While many of these challenges still exist, we have defenses against many of them. These are defenses that we developed outside of ourselves. There was nothing evolutionary about them. Today, it is a combination of internal and external development that is furthering society. Thanks to incredible technological breakthroughs, we are able to access products that aid in our evolutionary process.”“However, our biological evolution has been outpaced by a technological revolution. Simply put, the human brain cannot advance with the same inertia as current technological progress. This might seem like a scary concept, but it’s also an exciting one. This unprecedented progress is inspiring. I see this spirit in the crypto community, and I see it again in longevity medicine. There is a powerful movement to improve the way existing systems like the financial sector function by disrupting and democratizing them. I see the longevity thesis as a disruptor of the way we age.”“Longevity medicine is about the balance of technology and our own awareness to be more present and a reminder of the basics. In some aspects, our quality of life is even worse than that of our ancestors, as we have less time to do the things we love. Our appetite for connection is decreasing as a result of constant technology usage and less human interaction. Thus, longevity is about making a plan for yourself that looks beyond a pill, injection, hyperbaric chamber or an expensive health spa. Instead, it is about establishing a daily routine and lasting, sustained change versus mindless, endless growth for the sake of growth. It requires planning, restrategizing our healthcare costs, and upgrading where it makes sense.”“You commit to that in your work. Are you ready to do that for your life?”The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.Garri Zmudze is a managing partner at LongeVC, a Switzerland- and Cyprus-based venture capital firm accelerating innovative startups in biotech and longevity. He is a seasoned business expert and angel investor with several successful exits across biotech and tech companies. He is a long-time supporter and investor in biotech companies, including Insilico Medicine, Deep Longevity and Basepaws.

Depending who you ask, NFTs are either a new and exciting way to invest, or a bearish, overhyped sector. Regardless, journalists, investors and collectors have paid significant attention to the growing NFT market in the past year. NFTs continue to be one of the most popular Web3 entry points, an opportunity for everyone from casual art fans to crypto billionaires to own a unique asset stored on the blockchain. As NFT visionaries have recently pointed out, NFTs also have the potential to be used for incredible causes beyond digital asset collection. In the past six months, communities have launched NFTs to raise support for causes like testicular cancer, human trafficking and the war in Ukraine. While many believe the NFT trend is finally on the path to sustainable growth, its potential as a tool for charities is poised to reach exciting new highs in the coming months. This mission-driven innovation is not a new concept for the crypto and Web3 worlds. Metaverse worlds connect people that may have otherwise never met in the real world. Digital currencies and DeFi have created financial access and freedom for millions, if not billions, of people. In the closely related longevity space (the science behind healthier, longer human lives), research advancements are making it possible for people to live comfortably in their bodies for longer. The world we live in now is vastly different than it was even five years ago — and it isn’t stopping. The next element to be disrupted (or, in my view, upgraded) will be charitable giving through NFTs.Related: NFT philanthropy demonstrates new ways of giving backShowcasing your supportBack in the mid-2000s, we saw a trend where supporting your favorite causes became fashionable. Bright yellow Livestrong bracelets, WWF shirts and tote bags sporting charitable foundation logos became an easy way for people to show to the world that they cared about a certain cause. While bumper stickers and printed water bottles remain a common avenue for people to show off their philanthropic side today, there is a lack of high-quality, top-level rewards that offer the same visibility. When donors give to a charity, their contribution is typically only recognized with a “thank you” note and the opportunity to have their names listed on a commemorative plaque. This is definitive proof, but it lacks the engagement and community that people find inspiring. NFTs linked to charitable giving are making showcasing charity support fashionable in the digital world. NFTs created by charities are not only developed with a cause in mind — they are also designed to be attractive and exciting. Buying a mission-driven NFT also gives one a beautiful piece of digital art to show to the world. With Instagram and Spotify moving to bring NFT functionality to their platforms, the future of NFT-driven donations looks like it will be increasingly social. There is the potential for communities already on these social platforms to rally around meaningful causes, as we saw happen with the Twitter community helping fund a member overwhelmed by high medical costs. The crypto community has proven itself to be a powerful force time and again, making me confident in a bright future for NFTs and charity.NFTs benefit artists and foundationsWhile there is a lot of attention given to the latest celebrities joining the NFT craze and new drops with rare art, less explored is what purchasing an NFT actually means for a charitable organization. I’ve mentioned before that it is time for the philanthropic sector to embrace the crypto wave, as embracing digital currencies and technologies like NFTs can attract visionary investors keen on innovative ideas and new ways to look at the world. When these visionaries, or anyone, purchases a purpose-driven NFT, they have the opportunity to uniquely showcase their support for a cause. It is also important not to overlook the artist in these conversations. Creators are using NFTs to redefine their relationships with supporters, including encouraging their fanbases to support causes they care about. There is a common misconception that purchasing NFTs is a new way for investors to spend money. Mission-driven NFTs are challenging this narrative by showing the world that NFTs are a way to unite charitable giving and supporting artists. They are allowing organizations to benefit from new technology while still remaining true to their mission and values. I believe longevity is one field that will adopt this technology with ease. Longevity supporters are forward-thinking luminaries who also happen to be crypto enthusiasts — a perfect match for NFT-related giving. I expect we will see more on this very soon.Related: While men wanted, women did: Empowering female creators with NFTs and cryptoA new approach to charitable givingIn general, the phrase “charitable giving” has had an element of “old-school” philanthropy. It reminds me of writing paper checks sent through the mail to your favorite 501(c)3. Of course, this still makes you feel good about supporting a cause, but it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of ongoing engagement. Building a community of innovation-focused and passionate supporters is an incredible way for charities to reach new audiences and achieve their fundraising goals. It will, however, take a shift in the way we think about giving to make this a reality. In my opinion, the new charitable giving is crypto-native, social and decentralized. By accepting crypto donations directly, you can give to foundations directly, without having to cash out your crypto and be subject to tax responsibilities. The social element of giving will empower you to highlight the causes you care most about through your NFT collection. And it will be truly decentralized, which means that anyone, anywhere in the world can support meaningful causes. While donor recognition dinners may become a thing of the past, a virtual network of connected supporters with diverse backgrounds and perspectives offers an exciting alternative future. NFT-based utilities are also an incredibly powerful tool in helping communities track membership and reward contributions with perks and access to exclusive opportunities and services beyond the distribution of a digital image. We’re living longer, and living in a more connected society than ever before. It follows that we should then be more supportive and philanthropy-minded — but, to do that, we need to bring charitable giving into the fold.The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.Garri Zmudze is a managing partner at LongeVC, a Switzerland and Cyprus-based venture capital firm accelerating innovative startups in biotech and longevity. He is a seasoned business expert and angel investor with several successful exits across biotech and tech companies. He is a long-time supporter and investor in biotech companies including Insilico Medicine, Deep Longevity and Basepaws.

As the first month of 2022 drew to a close, the internet was abuzz with trend predictions for the year ahead. Bloggers, Twitter influencers and established business moguls alike were, and still are, incredibly excited about the new opportunities afforded by an explosion of innovation in Web3. However, something you may have missed in scrolling pages of celebrity-backed NFT drops or speculations about the metaverse was the launch of a new company called Altos Labs, reportedly backed by Amazon’s former CEO Jeffrey Bezos. The language that followed the launch was largely typical of how many mainstream journalists talk about the longevity sector, words like mysterious and secret. I’ve written in earlier articles that there are a lot of misconceptions around the longevity sector, and this new round of headlines seems to confirm this as still accurate.Related: The future of longevity lies with digital currency visionariesI believe there is a lot more to the longevity sector than secret deals featuring the planet’s wealthiest billionaires. The space is ripe with interested investors, groundbreaking discoveries and development opportunities. The message is clear — longevity is here to stay. And for the crypto industry, or a world populated with trend-setting, tech-savvy individuals, the time is now to start getting up to speed on this incredible space.Longevity dealsWhile it was wrapped up in mysterious media discourse, the Altos Labs deal was indicative of the high-level interest in the diverse longevity sector. With a reported $3 billion backing on day one, the deal is believed to be the largest biotech deal to date and has attracted the talent to match. The first executive team is composed of globally renowned scientists, CEOs and doctors eager to seek new heights in the science of anti-ageing.The Altos announcement was reminiscent of Calico Labs, another longevity company announced in 2013 by Google co-founder Larry Page. While the Google spin-off has been subject to inquiries about its productivity, it successfully published its first preprint on cell reprogramming in May 2021. It is not only tech CEOs making headlines about investment: Deals from the past two months alone include areas like stem cell therapy, liver regeneration, senescence targeting, reproductive longevity and more. It’s clear that the planet’s top innovators are looking to live longer. It’s up to us to make sure that longevity technology is accessible to all when it reaches public use. Related: Crypto leaders are obsessed with life extension. Here’s whyLongevity discoveriesInsilico Medicine, a Hong Kong-based drug discovery company, announced a significant milestone at the end of 2021. Their first AI-discovered medicine entered human trials. The medication will be used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, and has shown promising early results in first studies. This marks the first AI-discovered drug to reach this stage and is an exciting indication of new inventions to come. AI is a central area of research in the longevity space, with countless applications in drug discovery and beyond. Other new and exciting areas include cell regeneration, plant-powered supplements and progress in wearable technology that helps monitor ageing-related diseases. Charitable organizations like VitaDAO and the Longevity Science Foundation are working tirelessly to provide research funding to these early-stage ideas and help them reach public adoption. Related: The next generation of data-driven healthcare is here Longevity sector developmentOn Deck, a company that offers acceleration programs for top talent across multiple sectors, launched its first Longevity Biotech Fellowship in June 2021. The inaugural cohort boasted participation from top longevity and biotech companies including turn.bio, Juvena Therapeutics, Retro Sciences and more. Researchers from universities including Yale, University of Washington and ETH Zurich also contributed to the curated community. On Deck is currently accepting applications for their second cohort, which will kick off later this month. The community claims to push the boundaries of traditional health and is growing the biotech ecosystem one member at a time. Longevity is also reaching public awareness via international organizations. Martha Deevy, director of the Stanford Center on Longevity, contributed to a World Economic Forum article on the societal implications of living longer lives. The idea of the multi-generational workplace, for example, has been expanded to include five or six different generations in one office space as a result of employees living longer and retiring later. Deevy noted that while old age is often seen as a time of dependence and vulnerability, this narrative is changing. New societal approaches should emphasize a lifelong balance between education, work and rest. Deevy’s article said it best: We need to pay attention to the longevity sector because the effects of living longer lives are already showing up in surprising areas of our everyday lives. Longevity and cryptoIt is clear that the longevity sector has been busy with no signs of slowing down. A recent poll showed that 70% of respondents believed the human lifespan should continue to increase if the necessary medical and technological advancements were in place to support it. Similarly, 68% of respondents reported they would be willing to take anti-ageing drugs if proven effective and free from side effects. There is an appetite for progress in longevity, and the above examples show that we are on the right path. Still, more can be done — stay tuned for more news about longevity nonfungible tokens (NFTs), crypto investment into this space and other updates.The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.Garri Zmudze is a managing partner at LongeVC, a Switzerland and Cyprus-based venture capital firm accelerating innovative startups in biotech and longevity. He is a seasoned business expert and angel investor with several successful exits across biotech and tech companies. He is a long-time supporter and investor in biotech companies including Insilico Medicine, Deep Longevity and Basepaws.