Colossal Biosciences has Landed $60 Million in Funding to Bring Back Extinct Species

Colossal Biosciences, the startup focused on bringing back extinct species like woolly mammoths, has raised $60 million in funding.

Thomas Tull and At One Ventures led the Series A round with participation from Untamed Planet, Animoca Brands, Breyer Capital, Animal Capital, Arch Ventures co-founder Robert Nelsen, Paris Hilton, Bold Capital, Boost VC, Jazz Ventures, Builders VC, Green Sands Equity, Draper Associates, Charles Hoskinson, among others.

To date, the five-and-a-half-month-old startup which launched last year has raised $75 million in total funding.

Colossal is focused on using CRISPR gene-editing technology to create a working model to bring animals back from extinction. Its first project focuses on the restoration of the woolly mammoth to the Arctic Tundra.

With the funding, Colossal plans to hire more specialists in computational biology, embryology, stem cell biology, software engineering, advanced biology, medical device hardware, and genomics, said Ben Lamm, Colossal Co-Founder and CEO. Colossal has offices in Dallas, Austin and Boston and 48 employees.

“We’re hiring some of the greatest minds in the world,” Lamm said.

“We’re making the path to de-extinction and species preservation a reality by bringing the planet one step closer to reversing the downward trend of ecosystem degradation and the staggering loss of biodiversity through cutting edge genetic tools,” Lamm said.

Colossal has also added David Haussler, Ph.D., Alexander Titus, Ph.D., Erez Lieberman Aiden, Ph.D. to its scientific advisory board, and Beth Shapiro, Ph.D., who will also act as one of Colossal’s paleogenomics leads.

At SXSW, Lamm and Colossal’s head of biological sciences, Eriona Hysolli will talk about Colossal’s mission with Richard Garriott de Cayeux of The Explorers Club on Friday at 2:30 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.