Longevity

Adding decades to the human healthspan

The science of aging is accelerating. Senolytics. Gene therapy. Epigenetic reprogramming. For the first time, extending healthy human lifespan is a serious engineering challenge, not science fiction. The companies solving these problems won't just build billion-dollar businesses—they'll change what it means to be human.

What we're looking for:

  • Therapeutics targeting the biology of aging
  • Diagnostics for early disease detection
  • Tools to extend healthspan, not just lifespan
  • Accessibility plays—longevity for everyone, not just billionaires

Problems in Longevity

12 problems

Featured sourced problems

Automate Healthcare's $1 Trillion Administrative Burden

·2w ago·@ycombinator

The U.S. healthcare system spends $1 trillion annually on administration—more than any other country spends on healthcare, period. Prior authorization alone wastes 34 hours per physician per week. AI can eliminate this bureaucratic waste and let clinicians focus on patients.

61
39
25

Build Self-Driving Labs for High-Throughput Discovery

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

Self-driving labs combine automation with AI for high-throughput experiments. Could reduce drug discovery timelines by 2-5 years. Build the automated research platform.

31
15
18

Build Virtual Cell Models for Drug Discovery

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

Virtual cell models simulate cellular functions using AI and multi-scale biological data. Could save hundreds of millions in R&D per drug. Build the computational biology platform.

29
14
17

Cut Drug Development Costs from $2.4B to $0.6B with AI

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

AI-driven drug development could reduce costs from $2.4B to $0.6B per drug and cut time-to-market by 40%. AlphaFold revolutionized protein prediction. Build the AI pharma stack.

27
13
16

A Biological Needle in a Haystack

·6w ago·@conviction

Drug development has single-digit clinical trial success rates despite improved molecular design. Use models like single-cell perturbation datasets to 'pull forward' clinical risk to pre-clinical settings.

16
7
9

Modernize Healthcare Operations Technology

·60w ago·@Pathlight Ventures

Build software that helps healthcare organizations operate more efficiently, from scheduling to billing to patient communication.

10
4
6

Community submissions

Automate Healthcare's $1 Trillion Administrative Burden

·2w ago·@Y Combinator

The U.S. healthcare system spends $1 trillion annually on administration—more than any other country spends on healthcare, period. Prior authorization alone wastes 34 hours per physician per week. AI can eliminate this bureaucratic waste and let clinicians focus on patients.

61
39
25

A Biological Needle in a Haystack

·6w ago·@Conviction

Drug development has single-digit clinical trial success rates despite improved molecular design. Use models like single-cell perturbation datasets to 'pull forward' clinical risk to pre-clinical settings.

16
7
9

Cut Drug Development Costs from $2.4B to $0.6B with AI

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

AI-driven drug development could reduce costs from $2.4B to $0.6B per drug and cut time-to-market by 40%. AlphaFold revolutionized protein prediction. Build the AI pharma stack.

27
13
16

Build Virtual Cell Models for Drug Discovery

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

Virtual cell models simulate cellular functions using AI and multi-scale biological data. Could save hundreds of millions in R&D per drug. Build the computational biology platform.

29
14
17

Build Self-Driving Labs for High-Throughput Discovery

·55w ago·@ARK Invest

Self-driving labs combine automation with AI for high-throughput experiments. Could reduce drug discovery timelines by 2-5 years. Build the automated research platform.

31
15
18

Modernize Healthcare Operations Technology

·60w ago·@Pathlight Ventures

Build software that helps healthcare organizations operate more efficiently, from scheduling to billing to patient communication.

10
4
6

Explore Other Categories

Moonshots

The problems that define the next century

Some problems are so large that solving them changes everything. Fusion energy. Brain-computer interfaces. Reversing aging. These aren't incremental improvements—they're civilizational shifts. We're looking for the technical breakthroughs and bold bets that seem impossible until they're inevitable.

Niche Markets

Small markets that desperately need a champion

The best businesses often start in markets that look too small. Vertical SaaS for dry cleaners. Tools for independent truckers. Software for yacht brokers. These niches are ignored by big companies but represent real pain for real people. Dominate a niche, then expand.

Future of Work

Reinventing how 4 billion people spend their days

Work is being rebuilt from scratch. Remote collaboration. AI-augmented productivity. The death of the 9-to-5. The rise of the portfolio career. The companies that define how we work in 2035 are being built now. We're looking for the tools, platforms, and systems that will shape the next era of human productivity.

Creator Economy

Powering the next generation of independent creators

50 million people now consider themselves creators. Most make less than $500/year. The infrastructure is broken—discovery is algorithmic roulette, monetization favors platforms over people, and burnout is the norm. We need better tools for creators to build sustainable businesses around their work.

Rebuild Money

Fixing the infrastructure of global finance

Financial infrastructure was built for a different era. Cross-border payments take days. 2 billion people are unbanked. Small businesses can't access capital. Crypto promised a revolution but mostly delivered speculation. We're looking for practical solutions that make money work better for everyone.

Climate Tech

The decade that decides everything

We have 10 years to fundamentally transform energy, transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. This isn't about incremental efficiency—it's about reinventing trillion-dollar industries. The climate transition will create more wealth than the internet. The problems are urgent, massive, and solvable.