In a world where borders blur between technology and biology, Colossal Biosciences aims to use advanced genetics to reintroduce traits of lost species into modern ecosystems, a goal described as de-extinction. The Texas-based biotech company, famous for its ambition to resurrect the woolly mammoth recent breakthrough with the dire wolf, isn’t just tinkering with the past; it’s engineering the future. As the firm builds the genetic ark of tomorrow, its journey is increasingly driven by an unexpected force: the Middle East.
With sovereign wealth funds and high-net-worth individuals across the GCC redirecting oil wealth toward innovation, biotechnology has become a new prestige play.
KBW Ventures, a firm active in biotechnology and future-focused industries, helped set the stage for Colossal’s rise. Known for its forward-looking investments in biotech and sustainability, the firm has also backed companies like Beyond Meat and Geltor. But Colossal, with its promise to reverse extinction, may be its boldest bet yet.
The startup, founded by entrepreneur Ben Lamm and geneticist George Church, is racing to deliver on that promise. Lamm recently told Bloomberg that Colossal is on track to produce a woolly mammoth calf, carried by a surrogate elephant mother, by late 2028.
As global biotech funding climbs, reaching $28 billion last year, the Middle East’s growing involvement in frontier science is no longer just symbolic. For investors, it’s about shaping the future.
The Gulf has long been synonymous with oil. However, bioeconomy is now the new buzzword in boardrooms from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi. Several countries in the Gulf region are increasingly investing in biotechnology and scientific innovation as part of broader efforts to diversify their economies, with a focus on regenerative medicine, genetic innovation, and planetary health.
Colossal’s mission resonates deeply with these ambitions. By developing proprietary tools in CRISPR gene editing, synthetic biology, and conservation genomics, in addition to its work with extinct species, the company is developing genetic tools that may have applications in areas such as food systems, disease resilience, and environmental research.
The Middle East has its own biodiversity struggles. Endangered species, such as the Arabian leopard, houbara bustard, and Arabian oryx, have long been at the center of conservation efforts. Colossal’s work offers a blueprint—an ultra-modern model of conservation driven not by scarcity, but by the abundance of technology.
As Colossal expands its portfolio, this technology company may one day help institutions in the UAE or Saudi Arabia to help preserve or even revive native species. Whether that’s through gene banking, ecological restoration, or AI-driven conservation platforms, the alignment is clear.
