🧬 Debugging Aging: How a VR Pioneer is Revolutionizing Longevity | Michael Antonov (Part 3/4)

The Biotech Startups Podcast

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"My mind is analytical – so I wondered ‘what is the most exciting, impactful thing I could do?’ I felt we’re all growing older, so where is the technology of aging? How well do we understand the biochemistry of us as humans?"

In this episode, Michael Antonov, Co-Founder of Oculus and Founder & CEO of Deep Origin, shares his bold leap from pioneering virtual reality to tackling the complexities of human aging and biotech innovation. Driven by a lifelong curiosity about biology and the mysteries of longevity, Michael reveals how his software background inspired him to "debug" biology, build better research tools, and launch Formic Ventures to back high-risk, high-reward startups.

He discusses his vision for integrating computational and biological approaches, the promise of cellular reprogramming, and his mission to create a new ecosystem that empowers researchers and accelerates breakthroughs in extending human healthspan.

Key topics covered:

• From Oculus to Biotech: Michael Antonov’s leap from VR pioneer to longevity-focused founder
• Debugging Biology: Using software logic to unravel aging’s complexity
• Investment Philosophy: Formic Ventures’ bold bets on transformative biotech
• Cellular Reprogramming: Rejuvenating cells to fight aging at its core
• Building Deep Origin: Unifying platforms to supercharge drug discovery and research

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Find our guest, Michael Antonov, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelantonov/
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-origin/

Find our host, Jon Chee, at these links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonchee

Learn more about Excedr:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/excedr/

Website: https://www.excedr.com

Intro & Outro Songs Created by OkKyojin, Owned by Excedr:

Website: https://flow.page/kyojin

Resources & Articles:

Cellular Reprogramming: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167779922000257

Longevity.Technology: https://www.longevity.technology/

PyTorch: https://pytorch.org/

Carmel Browser and React VR: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/carmel-developer-preview-launches-today/?locale=pt_PT

The Michael Antonov Foundation: https://antonovfoundation.org/

Companies, Universities, & People mentioned:

Deep Origin: https://deeporigin.com/

Oculus (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/quest/

Scaleform: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaleform_GFx

Formic Ventures: https://formic.vc/

TileDB: https://tiledb.com/

HKUST: https://hkust.edu.hk/

Garegin Papoian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garegin-papoian-9472a85/

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:22 Joining Facebook and Acquisition Experience

05:01 Resource Abundance and Internal Politics

06:41 Working at Facebook and Priorities

09:41 Early Fascination with Biology of Aging

15:17 Studying Biology at Berkeley Extension

17:39 Starting Biotech Investing

21:57 Learning the Ins and Outs of Investing

25:19 Challenges in Biotech Investing

26:24 Outro

The Biotech Startups Podcast gives you a front-row seat to the business and science of building a biotech. Hosted by Jon Chee, CEO of Excedr, the show features honest conversations with founders, execs, and investors about their work, their companies, and how they got there. From scientific breakthroughs to startup lessons, each episode explores what it really takes to grow a life science company—from pre-seed to IPO.