Hevolution CEO Mehmood Khan on how the Global Healthspan Summit aims to tackle ‘humanity’s biggest challenge’ – aging.
Dr Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, leads one of the most ambitious philanthropic initiatives in aging biology and healthspan science. Under his leadership, Hevolution has committed over $400 million to advancing research and innovation in this critical field, and central to its mission is the drive to extend not just lifespan, but the number of years lived in good health – healthspan. This is an objective that has gained increasing relevance as the gap between longevity and well-being continues to widen.
With next week’s Global Healthspan Summit in Riyadh set to bring together experts from across science, investment, policy and industry, the event is positioning itself as a central force in addressing this gap and shaping the future of healthspan interventions – or Architecting the Future as the title of the Summit puts it.
Longevity.Technology: The summit, now in its second year, reflects Hevolution’s broader strategy – not only to fund promising research, but to create a global framework that accelerates progress in translating discoveries into tangible health benefits. By convening a cross-disciplinary network of stakeholders, the event highlights both the scientific advances reshaping our understanding of aging and the systemic challenges that must be addressed to implement new interventions effectively. Ahead of the summit, we sat down with Dr Khan to discuss the Foundation’s vision for the event, the importance of global collaboration in healthspan science and the strategies needed to translate research into real-world applications.
Khan describes aging as “humanity’s biggest challenge” – and one that needs the world’s brightest minds in aging biology, healthspan science and related disciplines to collaborate in order to tackle it.
“Building on our inaugural summit in 2023, our goal is to continue the momentum as we convene and catalyze the field,” he says, adding that the Summit will emphasize the importance of healthspan science – not just in terms of science and research but as a policy imperative and a potential investment opportunity.
“We hope to spark a global movement that shifts the focus from treating age-related diseases to extending healthy years of life. The ripple effects of these discussions will influence research funding, policy frameworks, and public awareness around healthspan science.”
This year’s Summit will feature more than 80 sessions and 180 speakers from across the globe, including new faces and perspectives that can build on the conversations that started at the 2023 event.
“We have exciting new sessions this year, with focuses on the healthcare ecosystem, equitable access to aging solutions, the future of medicine, scientific funding for healthspan science, AI in aging science, and much more,” he says. “Between sessions on the main stage to smaller group conversations, we’ll all be thinking about redesigning how we age.”
Redesigning how people age is central to Hevolution’s philosophy, but redesigns take money. Over the past three years, Hevolution has invested more than $400 million in healthspan and aging research and has committed more than $55 million in impact investments since the 2023 Summit – and there will be more announcements soon, says Khan.
Having screened more than 500 companies, Khan says Hevolution has become the “go-to funding leader in this space.
“Our investment strategy is deeply rooted in scientific rigor and transformative potential,” he explains. “Hevolution’s investment team drives our mission to extend healthy human healthspan by translating emerging insights about aging and its processes into safe and effective treatments, therapies, and medicines. As impact investors, we provide critical capital to support the early-stage development of therapies, technologies with the potential to improve healthy aging on a global scale.”
He adds that Hevolution’s goal with these investments is to accelerate the development of therapies that ensure those additional years are spent in good health. “By strategically funding promising science, we aim to close the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world applications, ensuring that innovations reach patients and communities worldwide.”
Khan explains that his experience has taught him that innovation thrives at the intersection of business, science, policy and investment, and Hevolution Foundation is creating an ecosystem that mirrors this approach.
“We are enabled by collaboration with academic institutions, biotech companies, and governments to foster public-private partnerships, pooling resources and expertise to address the complex challenges of aging. Recognizing that aging is a multifaceted issue, we actively encourage multidisciplinary research that integrates insights from biology, data science, engineering, and social sciences.”
Catalyzing research, entrepreneurship, investment and international collaboration in healthspan science means a raft of diverse stakeholders, but for Khan, this is a benefit rather than a hurdle.
“We’re convening diverse and talented people from around the world in different disciplines and inviting thought leaders from adjacent disciplines to focus on the challenge of aging,” he explains. “Our strategy is focused on funding the most promising science relevant to advancing the field, and we’re also providing patient capital with a goal to attract multiple sources of private capital to fund the most exciting companies. We’re consistently thinking about how to develop the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs for this field.” He adds that being ethical and inclusive is part and parcel of their approach.
Never one to rest on its laurels, Hevolution is busy planning for the future. It plans to allocate a significant portion of its annual budget to projects that advance aging biology and healthspan science, ensuring, says Khan, that transformative research receives the support it needs.
“Our focus extends to accelerating the development of therapies by funding research that translates scientific discoveries into real-world solutions with tangible benefits,” he explains. “At the same time, we are dedicated to increasing public awareness of healthspan science and influencing policies that prioritize prevention and healthy aging on global agendas.”
Khan says that Hevolution’s success will be measured by the impact it creates.
“If, in five years, Hevolution – today the largest funder for geroscience – becomes the smallest funder in the field, it will mean we have succeeded in spreading awareness, inspiring greater global investment, and catalyzing a broader movement toward advancing healthspan science. Through these efforts, we aim to create a thriving innovation ecosystem that continuously generates discoveries and solutions to benefit humanity.”
To watch the Global Healthspan Summit live on Feb 4-5, please go to: www.hevolution.com
