NEW YORK — Colossal Biosciences, a startup using gene editing and genome engineering technologies to restore extinct species and preserve endangered ones, said on Wednesday that it has $60 million in Series A funding.
The financing round was led by Thomas Tull and At One Ventures and included Untamed Planet, Animoca Brands, Breyer Capital, Animal Capital, Bold Capital, First Light Capital Group, Boost VC, Jazz Ventures, Builders VC, Green Sands Equity, and Draper Associates, as well as individual investors Robert Nelsen, Paris Hilton, and Charles Hoskinson.
Colossal said that it will use the finding, in part, to develop a working model of de-extinction initially focused on restoring and reintroduction of functional woolly mammoths. The Dallas-based company said that it also aims to develop genetic toolkits and support DNA databases to aid in the restoration, diversification, and rewilding of endangered species.
"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," Ben Lamm, cofounder and CEO of Colossal, said in a statement. "The technologies and solutions developed through our mammoth restoration project will not only return Arctic elephants to the tundra but will target larger implications for conservation, science, and humanity."
With the Series A round, Colossal said that it has raised $75 million to date.