Colossal Biosciences is a company leading the field of de-extinction and advanced genetic engineering. Utilizing a sophisticated platform built on CRISPR technology, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, Colossal‘s primary goal is to revive extinct species like the Woolly Mammoth, Tasmanian Tiger, and Dodo. This powerful technological stack is also being strategically applied beyond conservation to develop commercial spin-offs.
Colossal Biosciences raised $320 million in a Series C funding round, bringing the company’s valuation to $10.3 billion. The funding saw participation from USIT, Bob Nelsen, and Peter Jackson.
Colossal Biosciences, headquartered in Austin, Texas, United States, was founded in 2021 by Ben Lamm, Andrew Busey, Brian Beard, George Church, Kent Wakeford, and Peter Phillips. In 2023, the company joined the unicorn club. Ben Lamm, Colossal’s co-founder and CEO, said that the company’s unique approach, which includes multiplex editing, full DNA synthesis, and developing robust AI models for genomic restoration using challenging ancient DNA, distinguishes them from others making only one or two edits. Beyond de-extinction, Colossal is applying its technology to conservation, like genetic rescue and cloning to combat biodiversity loss, and human healthcare for multi-genic diseases, next-gen IVF, drug discovery, and therapeutics.
