Scientific Infrastructure Frontier

Bryan Johnson shares his vision about investing in scientific infrastructure, particularly in biological engineering capabilities, which he sees as the next frontier after software engineering. His perspective stems from his experience transitioning from software (Braintree/Venmo) to scientific ventures.

Key Points:

• Scientific Infrastructure Gap:

  • While we can deploy millions of software engineers to solve computer problems
  • We lack similar capabilities for engineering biology, atoms, and molecules
  • Current inability to rapidly deploy solutions for biological problems (e.g., coral reef dying, carbon capture)

• Investment Strategy ($100M Fund):

  • Focus on foundational building blocks for humanity's infrastructure
  • Target companies developing capabilities to engineer:
    • Atoms
    • Molecules
    • Organisms
  • Goal: Create reliable engineering capabilities for biological systems

• Portfolio Examples:

  • Synthetic biology engineering
  • DNA-based information storage (using DNA as nature's hard drive)
  • Nanotechnology (building structures atom by atom)
  • Companies like Ginkgo Bioworks (worked on mRNA vaccine)

• Educational Approach:

  • Used investments as learning opportunity
  • Worked closely with PhDs and entrepreneurs
  • Gained deep understanding across different scientific disciplines

• Vision for Future:

  • Build global biological immune system
  • Create infrastructure for rapid response to biological challenges
  • Enable engineering reliability similar to software development
  • Focus on practical applications and quantifiable results

• Success Metrics:

  • Some portfolio companies already profitable
  • Others reaching breakeven
  • Validated approach during pandemic (e.g., Ginkgo Bioworks' contribution to vaccines)