What Colossal Biosciences does

Colossal Biosciences is a Dallas-headquartered biotechnology company founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and Harvard geneticist George Church. The company pursues what it calls "functional de-extinction" of six extinct or lost species (woolly mammoth, thylacine, dodo, dire wolf, South Island giant moa, and bluebuck) using an integrated stack that combines CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, ancient DNA assembly, comparative genomics, AI/machine learning, stem cell reprogramming (iPSCs and primordial germ cell culture), embryology, and exogenous (artificial womb) development. It extends the same toolkit into conservation of currently threatened species, including genetic-rescue cloning of red 'ghost' wolves, mRNA vaccines for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, AI-driven bioacoustic monitoring, and global BioVault cryopreservation programs.

The company's product surface spans six flagship de-extinction programs, the 3D-printed artificial egg system, the Colossal BioVault network (10,000+ species targeted in Dubai and 2,300+ ESA-listed species in a U.S. partnership), wildlife-disease programs (EEHV mRNA vaccine, New World Screwworm gene drive), and AI bioacoustic monitoring. Operating entities include the wholly owned Viagen Pets & Equine cloning subsidiary (acquired November 2025, ~$50,000 per pet clone), the Astromech AI subsidiary (over $2B valuation in nine months), Form Bio, and the nonprofit Colossal Foundation (over $100M in conservation funding). The business is venture-backed: cumulative disclosed funding exceeds $615M across seed, Series A, Series B, and a multi-tranche Series C led by TWG Global in April 2025 at approximately $10.2-$10.3B valuation. Customers include the UAE government, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Baylor College of Medicine, multiple conservation NGOs and zoos, and high-net-worth individual pet-cloning buyers (e.g., Tom Brady, Paris Hilton, Barbra Streisand).

Go-to-market mixes direct enterprise and government contracting for BioVault programs, channel/NGO partnerships for conservation delivery, an OEM-style co-development model for flagship de-extinction species, and a direct-to-consumer pet cloning arm via Viagen. Distribution and capital are augmented by deep PR-driven earned media (Time, Wired, NPR, Smithsonian, MIT Technology Review) and celebrity investor amplification, while scientific credibility is anchored by a Scientific Advisory Board that includes Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi and a senior leadership team drawn from Harvard, MIT, UC Santa Cruz, Princeton, and the University of Melbourne.

Name

Colossal Biosciences

Legal name

Colossal Biosciences Inc.

Website

https://colossal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Colossal Biosciences is a Dallas-based biotechnology company that uses CRISPR, ancient DNA, AI, and reproductive biology to pursue functional de-extinction of six species and to deliver genetic-rescue, BioVault, and cloning services to governments, conservation NGOs, zoos, and high-net-worth pet owners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotechnology

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Synthetic Biology & Genetic Circuit Design Platforms (pathway engineering, chassis development) (HLAAAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cryopreservation, Biobanking & Cell Banking (Cord/Adipose/MSC) (HLAMANAJ), Cloning & Advanced Reproductive Technologies Services (AFAEAJAL)

Keywords

• De-extinction services
• Genetic engineering
• Genome editing
• Wildlife conservation
• Animal cloning

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commercial Pet Cloning Services: Direct-to-consumer pet cloning sold through the wholly owned Viagen Pets & Equine subsidiary, priced at roughly $50,000 per clone, with celebrity customers including Tom Brady, Paris Hilton and Barbra Streisand driving awareness and revenue.
2. Spinout Subsidiary Revenue: Current revenue coming from spinout ventures in computational biology and recycling technologies, including the AI-focused subsidiary Astromech, which reached a $2B+ valuation within nine months.
3. Government BioVault Contracts: Large multi-year institutional deals such as the $60M UAE BioVault at Dubai's Museum of the Future and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service agreement covering 2,300+ ESA-listed species, functioning as multi-year service contracts.
4. Conservation Technology Licensing & Partnerships: Monetization of de-extinction-derived tools (e.g., mRNA EEHV elephant vaccine developed with Baylor College of Medicine and the Houston Zoo, bioacoustic monitoring) deployed through conservation partners and zoos.
5. Venture Funding & Equity Capital: Capital raised from VCs, strategic investors and celebrity backers across seed, Series A, Series B and Series C rounds, totaling roughly $435M-$615M depending on the reporting period and the $200M Series C led by TWG Global.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Colossal Biosciences is a biotechnology company that uses CRISPR-based genetic engineering, ancient DNA assembly, stem cell reprogramming, and reproductive biology to pursue 'functional de-extinction' of lost species (woolly mammoth, thylacine, dodo, dire wolf, moa, bluebuck) while applying the same toolkit to conservation of living endangered species. It monetizes through government BioVault contracts, conservation technology licensing, the Viagen pet cloning subsidiary, and the Astromech AI spinout.

Product overview

Colossal Biosciences operates a platform-plus-modules architecture anchored by six flagship de-extinction projects (Woolly Mammoth, Thylacine, Dodo, Dire Wolf, South Island Giant Moa, and Bluebuck), each applying CRISPR, ancient DNA assembly, comparative genomics, stem cell reprogramming (iPSCs), primordial germ cell (PGC) culture, and embryology. Underpinning these projects are six enabling technology focus areas — Genetic Engineering, AI & Machine Learning, Embryology, Stem Cell Reprogramming, Conservation & Animal Husbandry, and Exogenous Development — plus reproductive hardware such as the 3D-Printed Artificial Egg System. The platform extends outward into a global genetic preservation network (the Colossal BioVault, with sites in Dubai and a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), wildlife-disease programs (Elephant EEHV mRNA Vaccine), invasive-species control (New World Screwworm Gene Drive), AI bioacoustic monitoring, and conservation cloning through the acquired Viagen Pets & Equine subsidiary. Spinoff commercialization occurs through Astromech (AI subsidiary, $2B+ valuation), Form Bio, and the nonprofit Colossal Foundation (with $100M in conservation funding).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Colossal Foundation: Nonprofit arm of Colossal Biosciences focused on funding conservation projects, cloning red wolves, developing wildlife disease vaccines, and preventing mass extinctions. Doubled its funding to $100 million in December 2025.
• Astromech
• Viagen Pets & Equine

Products and services

• Woolly Mammoth De-Extinction Program Resurrection of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) as a cold-resistant elephant hybrid carrying core mammoth traits. Colossal is editing Asian elephant DNA to introduce mammoth traits (cold resistance, thicker hair) using CRISPR, with first calves targeted for 2028 and rewilding aimed at restoring Arctic tundra ecosystems.
• Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) De-Extinction Program De-extinction of the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), a large carnivorous marsupial extinct since 1936, in partnership with the University of Melbourne and the TIGRR Lab. Program consolidated under Colossal Australia and includes Northern quoll cane toad resistance research.
• Dodo De-Extinction Program Effort to bring back the dodo (Raphus cucullatus), extinct since the late 17th century on Mauritius, in partnership with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. Includes the world's first successful culturing of pigeon primordial germ cells (PGCs), dodo genome sequencing, and a Mauritius Dodo Advisory Committee.
• Dire Wolf De-Extinction Program Production of three living dire wolf pups (Romulus, Remus, Khaleesi) via 20 targeted genetic edits across 14 genes in the gray wolf genome using ancient DNA from 13,000-year-old and 72,000-year-old specimens. Animals live at a 2,000-acre secure ecological preserve.
• South Island Giant Moa De-Extinction Program Strategic partnership with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, Canterbury Museum, and Sir Peter Jackson to revive the South Island giant moa (Dinornithiformes) using genetic engineering, primordial germ cell culture, and interspecies surrogacy with tinamous and emus.
• Bluebuck De-Extinction Program Sixth species added to the de-extinction portfolio; first African species and first antelope. Uses a 40-fold high-coverage paleogenome from a 226-year-old museum specimen, with roan antelope as genetic reference and surrogate.
• Colossal BioVault Global network of cryopreserved genetic repositories for endangered and extinct species. Flagship site at Dubai's Museum of the Future (UAE partnership, $60M) houses samples from 10,000+ species with automated robotics, AI monitoring, and cryopreservation. A separate USFWS partnership covers 2,300+ threatened/endangered U.S. species.
• Viagen Pets & Equine (Pet Cloning Service) Texas-based animal cloning company acquired by Colossal in November 2025. Operates as a wholly owned subsidiary offering pet, equine, and livestock cloning (e.g., Tom Brady's cloned dog Junie). Has cloned 15 species and preserved genetic material from over 40 species.
• Astromech (AI Subsidiary) AI-focused Colossal subsidiary launched to commercialize computational biology and AI capabilities spun out from Colossal's R&D. Reached unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $2 billion in nine months.
• Artificial Egg System (3D-Printed Shell-less Egg) Fully artificial shell-less egg system using a 3D-printed lattice shell with a bioengineered silicone-based membrane that matches natural eggshell oxygen transfer. Successfully hatched 26 chicks as proof of concept; scalable for eggs of any size.
• Elephant EEHV mRNA Vaccine Program Partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and the Houston Zoo to develop an mRNA vaccine for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). The vaccine successfully saved two vaccinated young elephants at the Cincinnati Zoo.
• Red 'Ghost' Wolf Cloning & Genetic Rescue Program Cloning of red wolves from blood samples of Gulf Coast 'ghost canids' carrying ancestral red wolf DNA, led by the Colossal Foundation in coalition with the Gulf Coast Canine Project. Clones could add 25% more diversity to red wolf breeding programs.
• AI-Powered Bioacoustic Monitoring AI-driven bioacoustic monitoring programs deployed in Yellowstone (gray wolves), Samburu (African elephants), and Samoa (tooth-billed pigeon) for passive conservation monitoring, species identification, and behavior analysis.
• Form Bio Software/wetware/hardware spinout company referenced on Colossal's technology page, part of the platform's commercialization track parallel to the de-extinction focus areas.
• New World Screwworm Gene Drive Program Gene drive technology engineered to produce infertile female screwworms and spread through wild populations until collapse; proposed as a faster alternative to sterile insect technique for eliminating the flesh-eating parasite that threatens U.S. livestock. Currently unapproved for open release.

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

38 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Partnership with the Colossal Foundation to create a genetic biobank for over 2,300 threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, with the Colossal Foundation committing $100M+ and making all genomic data freely available via open-access repositories.
• Colossal FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Colossal's nonprofit arm with $100M+ in donations since late 2024, deploying Colossal's technologies to partner-led conservation initiatives including the USFWS BioVault and the Samoa Conservation Society partnership.
• Quantum XChangeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2026Colossal listed among Quantum XChange's strategic partners for post-quantum cryptography alongside Copper River, Data Wide, Evolutio, GovSmart, Iron Bow and World Wide Technology.
• Endangered Wildlife TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026South African conservation partner conducting ecological planning, stakeholder engagement and feasibility studies for potential bluebuck reintroduction and broader antelope conservation.
• Advanced Conservation StrategiescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 April 2026Partner on bluebuck and broader antelope conservation, contributing ecological planning and feasibility work alongside the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
• Astromech (AI subsidiary)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Colossal's AI-focused subsidiary that reached unicorn status with a $2B+ valuation in nine months and raised $10.5M per bizjournals, serving as a commercial AI spinout of Colossal's platform.
• United Arab Emirates GovernmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Nine-figure partnership (including a $60M investment tranche) to build the Colossal BioVault and World Preservation Lab at Dubai's Museum of the Future, preserving genetic material from over 10,000 species with plans to expand into a global network of 10+ interconnected BioVaults.
• Viagen Pets & EquineflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Acquired by Colossal in November 2025 to integrate reproductive services, cryopreservation and cell banking into its conservation platform; operates as a wholly owned subsidiary continuing its pet, equine and livestock services while partnering on endangered-species programs and BioVaults.
• University of MelbourneflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 August 2025Academic partner for the thylacine de-extinction program since 2025 via the new Colossal Australia entity; hosts the TIGRR Lab led by Chief Biology Officer Andrew Pask.
• Ngāi Tahu Research CentreflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2025Strategic partnership directing the South Island giant moa de-extinction program with Peter Jackson and Colossal; the principal Māori research hub of New Zealand's South Island leads rather than merely advises on the project, integrating cultural perspectives.
• Canterbury MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2025Provides access to the world's largest moa bone collection, supplying ancient DNA for the South Island giant moa de-extinction program.
• Samoa Conservation SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2025Partner for AI-driven bioacoustic search to find the critically endangered tooth-billed pigeon (manumea) in Samoa; led by the Colossal Foundation.
• Mauritian Wildlife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2023Partnership to rewild the dodo to its native habitat, with the MWF helping to protect critically-endangered avian species on Mauritius and laying groundwork for the dodo's eventual reintroduction.
• BioRescueflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023Colossal joined BioRescue in its mission to save the northern white rhino from extinction, sequencing all known viable and preserved museum samples to identify lost genetic diversity that can be engineered into cell lines for embryo transfer.
• Baylor College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Co-developed the mRNA vaccine for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) that saved two young elephants at the Cincinnati Zoo; longstanding academic partner on elephant conservation.
• Elephant HavenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Partnership to develop new models for the successful reintroduction of orphaned elephants using AI; the only elephant orphanage in Botswana using Colossal's AI platform.
• Save the ElephantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Uses Colossal's AI and drones to study elephants in Samburu National Park, training AI to identify individuals, herds and behaviors and to predict behavior to mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict.
• Museum of the Future (Dubai)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Directed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to become the permanent home of the World Preservation Lab and BioVault, a biotechnology initiative developed in collaboration with Colossal Biosciences.
• Aussie ArkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Australian conservation partner supporting marsupial conservation and Tasmanian devil reintroduction.
• RewildminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conservation partner contributing to Tasmanian devil reintroduction into mainland Australia and broader rewilding programs.
• WildArkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Australian conservation partner supporting Tasmania thylacine and broader biodiversity initiatives; Chris Hemsworth cited WildArk as a partner he is excited to support.
• Bonorong Wildlife SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tasmanian wildlife sanctuary partner supporting Tasmanian devil conservation and rewilding.
• Southeast Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation (SEZARC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Florida-based reproductive science alliance led by Linda Penfold, contributing expertise in assisted reproduction for endangered species.
• Pronatura NoroesteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Latin American conservation partner supporting regional biodiversity programs.
• Yellowstone ForeverminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conservation partner hosting Colossal's AI-powered bioacoustic monitoring program for gray wolves in Yellowstone.
• BirdLife InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Global avian conservation partner supporting dodo and broader pigeon conservation programs.
• IUCN SSC Pigeon and Dove Specialist GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Specialist conservation partner supporting avian genomics and dodo de-extinction work.
• International Rhino FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conservation partner supporting the northern white rhino genetic rescue program.
• Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic consortium providing reference genome resources for Colossal's comparative genomics and de-extinction programs.
• Wolf Conservation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conservation partner for wolf conservation messaging and outreach; also publicly critiqued Colossal's red wolf cloning approach.
• University of Alaska Fairbanks (Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Alaska Quaternary Center)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Ancient DNA research partner providing radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis of mammoth and other Pleistocene fossils housed at the University of Alaska Museum of the North.
• McMaster UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Ancient DNA academic partner receiving Colossal funding for deep-time genomic research on North American Columbian mammoths, Pygmy mammoths and megafauna such as giant ground sloths, glyptodonts and pampatheres.
• University of Copenhagen (Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Ancient DNA academic partner including high-coverage genomes of extinct species and chromosome-scale assemblies of living relatives, plus research on cave hyenas.
• Stockholm UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner with Professor Love Dalén studying ancient DNA of extinct species including bluebuck, straight-tusked elephant and other recently extinct animals to understand the extinction process.
• University of PotsdamminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Dr. Michael Hofreiter leads Colossal-funded genome sequencing of extinct species such as bluebuck and the straight-tusked elephant at the Institute for Biochemistry and Biology.
• Rowan University (Edelman Fossil Park & Museum)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Academic partner (Kenneth Lacovara) unlocking ancient proteins and biomolecules from fossils to study extinct creatures.
• UC Santa Cruz Genomics InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Beth Shapiro-led paleogenomics research partnership, supported by Colossal donations.
• Cherokee NationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Indigenous partner for red wolf conservation, honoring the cultural and spiritual significance of the wolf as a clan animal.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Twist Bioscience: Synthetic DNA and genomics products company whose DNA synthesis and NGS products underpin much of the synthetic biology ecosystem, including ancient DNA reconstruction pipelines similar to Colossal's reference genome work.
• CRISPR Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene editing company co-founded by Emmanuelle Charpentier, applying CRISPR/Cas9 to human therapeutics. A broad incumbent in the same underlying CRISPR platform technology that Colossal uses for de-extinction.
• Ginkgo Bioworks: Large synthetic biology platform company offering cell engineering and biofoundry services. Comparable to Colossal as a platform biotech commercializing engineered biology, though focused on industrial organisms rather than de-extinction.

Emerging players

• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: AI-driven biotech combining high-throughput biology with machine learning. Comparable to Colossal's Astromech subsidiary as a biology + AI platform company pursuing large, multi-program pipelines.
• eGenesis: Gene editing company applying CRISPR to xenotransplantation (gene-edited pig organs for human transplant). Directly comparable on CRISPR platform technology and on the integration of genome editing with reproductive biology.
• Verve Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene editing company developing in vivo CRISPR-based cardiovascular therapies. Comparable to Colossal on the underlying CRISPR platform and on its positioning around 'rewriting' biology for a defined outcome.
• Mammoth Biosciences: CRISPR-based biotech co-founded by Jennifer Doudna developing CRISPR diagnostics and gene-editing therapies. Comparable to Colossal as a CRISPR platform company, though focused on human health rather than animal de-extinction.

Others

• 23andMe: Consumer genetics company with a large proprietary genotype/phenotype database. Thematically comparable to Colossal in combining large-scale genomics, AI and consumer-facing storytelling, though operating in human rather than animal genetics.
• Conservation X Labs: Conservation technology incubator and grand-prize challenge sponsor focused on ending the sixth mass extinction. Adjacent to Colossal's mission and a potential partner/customer in conservation tech rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Revive & Restore: The leading nonprofit dedicated to de-extinction and genetic rescue, working on the passenger pigeon, northern white rhino, and Przewalski's horse. It is the closest direct peer to Colossal's mission and uses similar CRISPR and ancient DNA tooling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ItIsColossal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@colossal
• Facebookfacebook.com/itiscolossal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/itiscolossal
• Instagraminstagram.com/colossal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors33 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colossal Biosciences