A century ago, living beyond 50 was a triumph. Now, it’s not just about adding years but about making those years count. A radical shift is underway—one that challenges the very notion of aging itself.
Hevolution, a Riyadh-based global nonprofit dedicated to funding healthspan science and accelerating breakthroughs in aging research, is leading that charge. Founded to shift the global healthcare paradigm from disease treatment to prevention, Hevolution invests heavily in initiatives that aim to extend the healthy human lifespan. Alongside XPRIZE, they’ve put up $101 million to crack the code on healthy longevity—not just in theory, but in ways that produce tangible, measurable results.
“We’re not just funding ideas; we’re demanding breakthroughs,” says Dr. Jamie Justice, EVP Health Domain, XPRIZE. As one of the driving forces behind this unprecedented challenge, Justice is laser-focused on results. To win, teams must develop therapeutics that restore muscle, cognitive, and immune function—rolling back the biological clock by at least a decade, with the stretch goal of 20 years.
The XPRIZE Healthspan competition has already drawn 602 teams from 58 countries. “Hevolution is far more than a sponsor—they’re a true partner,” says Justice. “They understood from the beginning that aging isn’t just about lifespan but about keeping people independent, functional, and thriving.”
Unlike conventional medicine, which waits for disease to strike before intervening, XPRIZE Healthspan is rewriting the playbook. The goal is clear: to prove that aging is not an inevitable decline but a biological process that can be slowed—or even reversed.
The XPRIZE Healthspan competition is designed as a multi-stage battle. The first milestone, set for May 2025, will narrow the field to 40 teams with the most promising interventions. By 2026, only 10 finalists will remain, each receiving $1 million to move into full-scale human trials. Success isn’t measured in theories or promising lab results. To win, these therapies must demonstrate real-world efficacy in just one year, significantly improving all three key functions—muscle, cognition, and immunity.
This rigorous structure ensures that winning solutions are more than just hype. “The challenge in aging research has always been the lack of a clear commercial path,” explains Justice. “We’re creating that path—one that will push science, regulation, and commercialization forward at the same time.”
Peter Diamandis, the visionary founder of XPRIZE, sees this moment as a tipping point. “We are in the midst of a healthspan revolution,” he says. “AI, biotechnology, gene therapy, and CRISPR are converging to give us unprecedented control over aging. This competition isn’t just accelerating progress—it’s redefining what’s possible.”
“We’re not just funding ideas; we’re demanding breakthroughs.”
Dr. Jamie Justice, Ph.D., Executive Director, XPRIZE Healthspan, XPRIZE
A striking element of the competition is the sheer range of approaches. Some teams are focused on repurposing existing drugs, while others are exploring next-gen biotechnologies, from cellular reprogramming to advanced gene editing. Others take a more holistic approach, combining pharmaceuticals with structured lifestyle interventions. One team is even testing a residential program in senior communities, using a controlled environment to optimize health outcomes.
This diversity isn’t just about scientific innovation—it’s about accessibility. “A breakthrough is meaningless if it’s too expensive for the average person,” says Justice. That’s why scalability is baked into the judging criteria. The winning intervention must not only work but be feasible on a global scale.
For Hevolution, this is more than an academic exercise. With an ambitious mandate to reshape global health, the organization is putting significant financial muscle behind healthspan research. “They’re shifting the paradigm from sick care to true health optimization,” says Diamandis. “Instead of waiting for illness, they’re investing in prevention and transformation.”
This shift in perspective could redefine entire industries, particularly in retirement planning, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and workplace policies, as people remain healthier for longer. And on a personal level, it means something even more profound: a future where people in their 70s and 80s still have the strength, sharpness, and vitality to chase new dreams.
“We’ve accepted aging as a slow fade-out, but we’re proving that narrative wrong,” says Justice. “This is about keeping people strong, capable, and thriving for as long as possible. And we’re just getting started.”
By the end of this decade, with the generous support of Hevolution Foundation, XPRIZE Healthspan might not just have a winner—it could redefine how we think about aging itself.
