Bryan Johnson is the founder of Kernel, a startup that aims to enhance human intelligence by developing technology capable of linking people’s thoughts to computers. Initially the startup was looking at implants but then switch gears to focus on the transition of neuroscience from academia to the private sector that Johnson believes hasn’t happened yet.
While obtaining his MBA Johnson founded a number of start ups with marginal success but it wasn’t until Braintree where things took off. Braintree was on Inc magazine’s 2011 list of the 500 fastest-growing companies. Braintree eventually purchased Venmo for 26 million and in 2013 Johnson sold Braintree to ebay for 800 million.
Kernel was started with100 million dollars of backing from Johnson and by July 2020 Kernel had raised $53 million from outside investors, following Johnson’s investment. Along with Kernel Johnson is also the CEO and founder of Blueprint and OS fund. Blueprint is an anti-aging health and wellness company and OS fund invests in scientist entrepreneurs.
Kernel’s team is backed by a number of theorists and scientists that have experience in of both the limitations and possibilities of brain interfaces.
I chose to take a look at Bryan Johnson for his look into how the brain works and trying to bridge the gap between science and the private sector and my A2 project on neuroscience. This is not a traditional founder in the sense that his company doesn’t create and sell educational technology and products but he is looking into how education can be utilized in the private sector.
Sources
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/167426-20#team
Interesting. I only recently because aware of this person as he is trending on YouTube for his scientific self experimentation with anti-aging. I knew he had a tech background but didn’t know the details. I’m somewhat not surprised that his interest is in linking brains to interface with computers as I find a lot of people aiming for that goal are openly seeking some kind of immortality.
Yes! I didn’t go a lot into his Blueprint project and anti-aging regiment but it is definitely interesting and for some may see a bit extreme. I chose not to focus on that because I kind of wondered if it took away from his credibility? I do agree with you it does seem a lot of tech giants have a lot of interest beyond whether it be immortality or space but they are always thinking bigger.
Bryan is such an interesting human and definitely a valuable founder to scrutinize. I always appreciate when a founder of a venture is actively involved in the industry or the direct application of the product. From his “Don’t Die” graphic t-shirts down to his strict 2-year protocol that he followed to shave years off his life, his eccentricity rivals Elon or Larry Ellison. His past indicates he can be successful, it will be very interesting to see what Kernel and Blueprint will evolve into.
Hi Meagan, Hi Andrew
In response to both you and Andrew. Agreed, he is a very interesting person! Whether we buy into his regime or not, I certainly don’t think it takes away from his credibility. Someone (sorry forget who) was saying in reference to Elon Musk (but I think it lends itself to Bryan as well) we can’t expect our geniuses not to be eccentric. It is unrealistic for us to expect people who think outside the box and are creating new things to only think outside the box in the ways we are comfortable with.