Google has ventured into a new healthcare company called Calico that aims to extend human life. The healthcare and well being company will focus primarily on aging and associated diseases and will be headed by Arthur D. Levinson Apple and Genentech chairman.
Larry Page announced the company and described Calico as a moonshot, like Google’s self-driven cars. Page stated that it could be 10 to 20 years before Calico’s efforts bear fruit. He also announced that Chairman of Apple, and former Chairman and CEO of Genentech, Arthur D. Levinson will be the CEO and a founding investor for Calico.
Announcing this new investment, Larry Page, Google CEO said: “Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives. It’s impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward.”
Arthur D added: “I’ve devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health. Larry’s focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I’m tremendously excited about what’s next.”
Google has not revealed any details on how the venture would run, how many employees it will have or whether Larry Page will have a direct involvement with the company. This is Google second foray in the healthcare sector. The company had earlier started the Google Health project that aimed at digitizing personal health record services, but the company was shut down in 2011.
Source: Google Press