Hevolution Foundation Convenes 2000 Delegates for Inaugural Global Healthspan Summit and Announces Nearly $100 Million (SAR 375 Million) to Drive Healthier Aging Worldwide

RIYADH, 29 November 2023:  — Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the global non-profit Hevolution Foundation,set the stage for a paradigm shift in global aging with the inauguration of the first-ever Global Healthspan Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As the largest event of its kind, the Global Healthspan Summit welcomed over 120 world-class speakers
and nearly 2000 delegates to co-create a healthier future for aging societies worldwide. It brought
together health leaders, pharmaceutical executives, policymakers, and geroscientists alongside former
astronauts, AI experts, academics, and entrepreneurs, among other stakeholders.

The opening of the two-day event saw action-based conversations around catalyzing research,
entrepreneurship, investment, and international collaboration in the emerging field of healthspan
science. Sessions explored the societal impacts of population aging, the pharmaceutical ecosystem, and
next-generation medicine, featuring speakers from institutions such as 5am Ventures, Eli Lilly, GSK,
Harvard University, Lifera, Mayo Clinic, Milken Institute, Ministry of Health for Saudi Arabia, National
University of Singapore, Reckitt, World Bank, and World Health Organization.
While lifespans have grown longer, healthspan – the number of years a person lives in good health – have remained stagnant and even declined. With the global population aged 60 and over projected to double to 2 billion by 2050, the need for enhanced collaboration and innovation to meet the unhealthy aging challenges crippling health systems and societies is upon us now.

Reflecting on the opening of the event, Dr. Khan said: “The Global Healthspan Summit is an urgent call
for action to revolutionize our perspective on aging. It challenges us to translate scientific advancements
into tangible solutions that can enhance the quality of life for people across the globe. It is a central
meeting place where we can shape a collective vision for healthier aging reinforced by measurable
impact.”

Hevolution will announce nearly $100 million (SAR 375 million) in funding over the two-day event taking
its commitments to date to approximately $250 million (SAR 937.5 million). During the opening day,
Hevolution revealed pivotal initiatives to boost investment and accelerate scientific discovery in the
healthspan field, including:


•     $101 million (SAR 379 million) XPRIZE Healthspan: Dr. Khan, together with XPRIZE Foundation
Founder and Executive Chair Dr. Peter Diamandis, launched the largest XPRIZE in history. As the
single-largest funder for XPRIZE Healthspan, Hevolution’s $40 million (SAR 150 million)
contribution reflects its commitment to inspiring a healthier aging future where everyone can
thrive. With this funding, teams around the world will compete in a 7-year global competition in
a race to develop therapeutics that support healthier aging.

•     The Hevolution Breakthrough Innovation Alliance: Hevolution launched an innovative global
partnership with $10 million (SAR 37.5 million) in base funding, which will provide mentorship
and capital to 10-12 high-potential companies working on breakthroughs in healthspan.

 

The second day of the Global Healthspan Summit will further explore the next great leaps in the field of
healthspan science and longevity, as well as unveil additional funding announcements that will inspire a
global shift from lifespan to healthspan.

The Global Healthspan Summit comes at a pivotal time as the world is undergoing a rapid population
shift. By 2050, the global population over 60 years old is set to double to 2 billion people. Moreover,
two-thirds of people over 60 will live in low- and middle-income countries. The Global Healthspan
Summit is a pivotal step in transcending cultural and geographical boundaries to redefine aging in terms
of opportunity instead of decline.

“Today we have seen what is possible when the world’s best minds gather with a common goal to
change the world for the benefit of everyone,” said Her Royal Highness Dr. Haya Khaled Al Saud,
Hevolution Foundation Vice President of Organizational Strategy and Development. “Working together
as never before, the global healthspan community can bring lasting change and help everyone in our
aging world to thrive.”

This is just the beginning of what healthspan has to offer in real-world applications. Novel therapeutics
that extend healthy human lifespan will redefine healthcare in the 21st century. As a convener,
collaborator, and catalyst, Hevolution is bringing together diverse perspectives to help medicine keep
pace with aging.

About Hevolution Foundation 


Founded on the belief that every person has the right to live a longer, healthier life, Hevolution
Foundation is a global catalyst, partner, and convener on a mission to drive efforts to extend healthy
human lifespan and understand the processes of aging. With a focus on aging as a treatable process,
Hevolution Foundation aims to increase the number of aging-related treatments on the market,
compress the timeline of drug development, and increase accessibility to therapeutics that extend
healthy lifespan, also known as healthspan. A global non-profit organization headquartered in Riyadh
with a North American hub and an annual budget of up to $1 billion, Hevolution Foundation plans to
open offices in other global locations to support a cutting-edge, global ecosystem of talent to propel
aging and geroscience research forward and achieve medical breakthroughs to help humanity live
healthier, longer.

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