NewLimit, a biotech startup focused on extending healthy human lifespan, has raised $130 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins, with support from new investors Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Khosla Ventures, along with returning backers including Founders Fund, Dimension Capital, Elad Gil, Garry Tan, and Patrick Collison.
The funding comes two years after NewLimit’s $40 million Series A and brings fresh momentum to its mission: to rejuvenate human cells using genetic programming. The startup was co-founded over four years ago by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, former GV partner Blake Byers, and stem cell scientist Jacob Kimmel.
Reprogramming Aging Cells With AI and Genetic Science
NewLimit is working to create anti-aging medicine that reprograms the body’s cells to behave like they did in youth. According to Kimmel, the company has already developed three prototype medicines capable of reprogramming liver cells. In lab tests, these reprogrammed cells regained their ability to efficiently process fat and alcohol, mimicking the performance of cells from younger individuals.
To assess progress, the company compares the function of liver cells from older and younger donors. After treatment, aged liver cells behave more like their younger counterparts, showing signs of restored cellular function. “These early results suggest we can reverse some aging-related loss of function at the cellular level,” said Kimmel.
Though these breakthroughs are promising, human trials are still a few years away. Until then, NewLimit is focused on improving its drug discovery pipeline through advanced AI models.
“Lab in a Loop”: How AI Accelerates Anti-Aging Research
NewLimit uses a method it calls “lab in a loop”, which combines AI-driven simulations with real-world experiments. The AI models generate thousands of potential drug candidates, simulate their effects, and then recommend the most promising ones for lab testing.
Once tested, the results are fed back into the AI model to further refine its predictions. This loop helps NewLimit move faster and more efficiently than traditional drug development methods. “What the AI model allows us to do is run all those experiments in simulation and then only follow up on the most promising subset,” Kimmel explained.
The approach helps reduce time, cost, and the risk of pursuing ineffective treatments. It also allows NewLimit to explore a broader space of potential interventions that could target age-related cellular decline.
A Growing Market of Lifespan-Extending Startups
NewLimit is part of a wave of biotech startups focused on reversing the effects of aging. Notable competitors include:
- Retro Biosciences, which raised $180 million from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and is reportedly seeking a $1 billion Series A.
- Altos Labs, launched in 2022 with $3 billion in backing, including investment from Jeff Bezos.
These companies are all chasing a common goal: to unlock medical interventions that could extend healthspan and potentially human lifespan.
With its fresh $130 million investment, NewLimit aims to accelerate its research, expand its team, and move closer to clinical testing. While the science is still early, the company believes it can make age-reversing treatments a reality within the coming years.
By combining AI-powered simulations and genetic reprogramming, NewLimit is creating a new frontier in anti-aging medicine—and investors are clearly buying into the vision.
