by Molly Cate
December 4, 2013

Here’s an interesting one for you. Former PayPal senior advisor, hedge fund manager and entrepreneur Rod Martin is making rounds in Nashville to raise money (about $3 million – $4 million for now) for a new venture that aims to expand human life expectancy to 150 years via the acceleration of drug development, bioengineering and medical research. Named the 150 Year Foundation, Martin wants to improve the painfully slow (and increasingly expensive) pace of drug development and medical advancements by applying Silicon Valley-type problem solving and technology solutions to these sectors of the healthcare industry. Martin has a series of investments, including Advanced Search Laboratories, Agincourt Ventures, Galectin Therapeutics and Global PET Imaging. While it’s still in the formation phase, the 150 Year Foundation has an impressive list of executives on its board, including: George Gilder, distinguished economist and technologist; Eric Jackson, CEO of CapLinked.com; Dr. Archer K. Martin, physician and instructor at Mayo Clinic; Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, former Apple chairman and CEO; Dr. Harald Ott, principal investigator at Ott Laboratory; and James Pinkerton, founding editor of Serious Medicine Strategy. Ultimately, Martin wants to raise $25 million.

 

— Editor’s Note: This piece by Molly Cate was excerpted from: Inside Baseball – November 2013, Volume 10, Edition 46. We encourage you to visit the original.