- VitaDAO is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) focused on funding research for extending human life, with a community of over 9,000 members.
- The organization recently closed a $4.1 million funding round, featuring participation from Pfizer Ventures, Shine Capital, L1 Digital, BeakerDAO, Spaceship DAO, and more.
- The funding will be used to continue funding longevity research projects, build out its first biotech startup, and invest in the commercialization of its NFT intellectual property.
VitaDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) focused on funding research for extending human life, has recently closed a $4.1 million funding round with Pfizer Ventures. The funding round includes investment from several key players in the biotech and crypto industries, such as Shine Capital, L1 Digital, BeakerDAO, Spaceship DAO, and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan. The funds raised will fund longevity research projects and build out VitaDAO’s first biotech startup.
Founded in 2021 by Tyler Golato of decentralized biotech protocol Molecule, VitaDAO has a community of over 9,000 enthusiasts, researchers, and contributors. The organization has already deployed over $3.5 million to projects researching diseases of aging, cellular biology, and repairing age-related damage to the body.
Pfizer Ventures’ involvement in this funding round marks the first time a pharmaceutical company has voted on DAO proposals and participated in the incubation and commercialization of VitaDAO projects. This is a significant milestone for both the blockchain and the anti-aging industries, as it showcases the potential of decentralized organizations in healthcare.
VitaDAO’s deal flow steward Laurence Ion emphasized the need for a new paradigm in the healthcare industry, stating, “We want to be a community as big as some countries and as resourceful as some countries.” With its democratic governance structure, VitaDAO aims to move beyond physical locations and is even thinking about “a potential future sovereignty network.”
The Importance of DAO for VitaDAO’s Goals
Its native VITA token governs VitaDAO, and token holders can vote on what projects to support. A group of “stewards” facilitates the execution of these proposals, ensuring that the organization’s goals are met. This democratic structure allows for greater transparency and accountability, making it easier for investors to trust the organization’s mission and goals.
The overlap between the crypto industry and the longevity research field is no coincidence. As Todd White, operations steward at VitaDAO, explains,
“If you think about how crypto started, it was about breaking down barriers and fixing a system they perceived as broken. Well, the same applies to longevity.”
The Overlap between the Crypto Industry and Longevity Research
In recent years, the crypto industry has shown increased interest in longevity science, with several key players investing in research for aging and its associated diseases. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong funded NewLimit in December 2021 with the goal of “curing aging,” while former Ripple CTO and current Stellar co-founder Jed McCaleb founded the Astera Institute to support longevity studies.
This increased interest and investment in longevity research are a testament to the potential of blockchain technology in revolutionizing the healthcare industry. With its decentralized structure and secure ledger system, blockchain technology is well-suited for tracking and verifying clinical trials, data sharing, and patient consent, making it easier for researchers to collaborate and exchange information.
One of the projects funded by VitaDAO, Mantis Photonics, is currently in the clinical trial phase and seeks to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease through retinal imaging. With the support of VitaDAO and its investors, we can expect to see many more exciting developments with this new round of funding.
