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Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint olive oil which is called Snake Oil <\/p>\n
Bryan Johnson\/Blueprint<\/p>\n
Why It Matters:
Consumer interest in longevity and wellness has never been higher\u2014with the global wellness market valued at over $5 trillion and VC funding in health tech and wellness surpassing $40 billion in recent years\u2014yet startups in the space are collapsing. The disconnect highlights a deeper issue: venture capital\u2019s fast-growth expectations are misaligned with the slow, trust-based nature of healthcare and prevention.<\/p>\n
Wellness Is Booming\u2014But Longevity Startups Are Dying<\/p>\n
But What Is Longevity, Really?
Longevity isn\u2019t just about living longer\u2014it\u2019s about extending healthspan, or the number of years one lives in good health. For example, interventions such as strength training and metabolic optimization may not directly increase lifespan, but they can delay the onset of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis, thereby improving quality of life well into old age. According to the World Health Organization and leading gerontologists, healthspan is emerging as a key metric in evaluating aging interventions and public health priorities.<\/p>\n
The category spans preventive healthcare, full-body diagnostics, hormone optimization, cellular therapies, and even aesthetic interventions that boost confidence and perceived youthfulness. Brands like Bryan Johnson\u2019s Blueprint exemplify the consumer-facing edge of the movement\u2014blending quantified self-tracking with extreme optimization\u2014but longevity also includes more grounded offerings like routine lab testing, sleep coaching, and nutritional personalization.<\/p>\n
So how do these brands, services, and influencers differ from traditional healthcare or wellness? In short: they\u2019re selling proactive self-optimization, not reactive treatment. The distinction matters\u2014and it\u2019s what both draws consumer interest and confuses investors chasing clinical or tech-style returns.<\/p>\n
Despite the cultural moment, the longevity market remains fragmented and early-stage\u2014a point echoed by researchers at Stanford\u2019s Center on Longevity. The sector lacks clear regulatory frameworks, standardized outcomes, and unified clinical guidelines. Still, it\u2019s growing fast. The global wellness market is currently valued at over $5.6 trillion and is projected to reach nearly $8.5 trillion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%, according to the Global Wellness Institute (2023).<\/p>\n
The longevity economy, a distinct but overlapping segment focused on aging, prevention, and healthspan extension, was valued at $806 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2029, with a CAGR of 12.7%, according to MarketResearch.com.<\/p>\n
According to McKinsey, consumers are increasingly prioritizing proactive, preventive care and are willing to pay out-of-pocket for personalized solutions. But while demand is rising, the supply of startups is thinning. In just the past year, a surprising number of VC-backed wellness companies have flamed out. Ever\/Body was sold in a distressed handoff. Forward Health, once valued at $1 billion, shut down completely. Modern Age folded and its assets were quietly sold. Ezra was acquired in distress. Supplement startups like Care\/of and Rootine disappeared.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a one-off correction\u2014it\u2019s a systemic failure of how capital, consumer behavior, and clinical credibility intersect in the wellness economy.<\/p>\n
The Fall of the Wellness Darlings: Longevity Clinics and Medspas<\/p>\n
Ever\/Body<\/a> raised over $100 million to build a vertically integrated, tech-enabled medspa chain blending dermatology with high-end consumer branding. But aggressive expansion, high overhead, and slowing growth created financial strain. In June 2025, the company\u2019s operations were quietly taken over by Advanced Medaesthetic Partners (AMP), a private equity-backed roll-up of aesthetic clinics. The transition was described in customer emails as a \u201cnew chapter,\u201d but came with no formal M&A announcement or disclosed valuation\u2014suggesting a distressed operational handoff. Previously shuttered locations remain closed; only a few sites in NYC and Washington, D.C. continue to operate. Forward Health’s Care Pod<\/p>\n Forward Health<\/p>\n 8 Reasons Why These Startups Failed<\/p>\n 1. Lack of Domain Expertise Across Critical Functions 2. Lack of Clinical Depth 3. The Offering Wasn\u2019t Best-in-Class 4. Weak Retention and LTV 5. Unsustainable Unit Economics 6. Poor Differentiation 7. Consumer Trust Is Fragile in Wellness 8. Platform Bloat and \u201cLongevity Stack\u201d Hype Longevity\u2019s Stragglers and Survivors<\/p>\n While many high-profile ventures flamed out, a few companies remain\u2014though not without turbulence.<\/p>\n Bryan Johnson\u2019s Blueprint, the poster child of quantified self-optimization, recently announced he\u2019s seeking a new CEO to take over operations; he stated on X<\/a> that \u201cthe world needs Blueprint. It is the practical manifestation of Don\u2019t Die\u2026We\u2019re going all in. We\u2019re making Blueprint accessible and impactful for everyone.\u201d Despite an estimated $2 million+ spent annually on his own protocol, Johnson admitted in a June blog post that the company has not yet achieved financial sustainability. Critics have also questioned whether Blueprint\u2019s highly branded supplements and olive oil (priced at $35 for 375 mL) offer any meaningful advantages over leading premium olive oil brands such as Graza or Kyoord. Johnson dismissed the critics and told Forbes that \u201cthe benefits of Blueprint EVOO is that we offer a third party lab test certifies it\u2019s elite level quality, including the polyphenol count.\u201d His transition from self-experimenter to the most visible biohacker influencer has generated attention\u2014but not a proven business model yet.<\/p>\n Tally Health, co-founded by Harvard geneticist Dr. David Sinclair, has also faced recent scrutiny. While it garnered initial hype for its biological age test and longevity supplement subscriptions, it has since struggled to maintain momentum. Tally has not pivoted to compounded GLP-1s, unlike others in the space. But Sinclair\u2014long touted as a leading voice in the aging space\u2014was recently criticized in the Wall Street Journal for overreaching claims around reversing aging. The company\u2019s high-profile scientific leadership has yet to translate into a clear growth strategy or product superiority. The hype around aging clocks and sirtuin-focused supplements may be cooling.<\/p>\n Function Health, which acquired Ezra, has positioned itself as the next-gen diagnostics brand, offering 100+ lab tests for $499\/year and promising actionable health insights. While the product experience is polished and personalized, the company has yet to disclose metrics around revenue, retention, or utilization. With competitors like InsideTracker, Thorne, and even hospitals offering similar panels, Function\u2019s long-term defensibility remains unproven.<\/p>\n Regulatory Gray Zones & The Coming Reckoning<\/p>\n Much of the longevity ecosystem operates in a murky space\u2014too clinical for wellness, too soft for regulated medicine. This ambiguity offers speed but comes with risk. Longevity supplements, personalized biomarker tests, and even GLP-1-alternative peptides have surged in popularity\u2014but without FDA approval or long-term data, scrutiny is intensifying.<\/p>\n The FDA and FTC have already issued warnings and lawsuits against several companies making unsubstantiated health claims. From personalized longevity cocktails to non-Rx GLP-1 analogs, the crackdown is coming. The agency has emphasized that diagnostics, health optimization protocols, and even AI-based biomarkers fall under medical device regulations if they\u2019re used for treatment decisions.<\/p>\n
\n Forward Health<\/a> once represented the archetype of the VC-fueled, \u201cfuturist\u201d health clinic. The startup raised more than $650 million from SoftBank, Founders Fund, Khosla Ventures, Marc Benioff, and The Weeknd, hitting a $1 billion valuation during its Series D. Forward promised a fully reimagined primary care experience: flat-fee memberships ($99\u2013$149\/month), biometric sensors, AI-driven diagnostics, and sleek clinic design. At its peak, it operated 19 clinics and began rolling out \u201cCarePods\u201d\u2014automated kiosks meant to replace human staff. But only ~5 were deployed out of 3,200 promised, and users reported issues from inaccurate vitals to being locked inside the pods (Best of AI<\/a>). By late 2024, all clinics shut down.
\n Modern Age<\/a> launched in 2021 with backing from Oak HC\/FT, GV, and founding partner Juxtapose, raising an estimated $33 million (some estimates put it closer to $43 million). It positioned itself as a high-touch, science-driven destination for aging optimization. But despite media acclaim\u2014including Glossy 50<\/a> recognition\u2014Modern Age struggled with retention, margins, and strategy. It shut down in 2023 and was sold in a distressed deal. Its Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anant Vinjamoori, was a keynote speaker and startup judge at INNOCOS\u2019s longevity summit <\/a>just a week before collapse\u2014a sharp contrast between public praise and private implosion.
\n Ezra raised tens of millions to popularize full-body MRI scans for early cancer detection. But without insurance coverage, high CAC, and growing reliance on radiologist labor, the model collapsed. Ezra was acquired in distress by Function Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Many founders came from tech or DTC backgrounds, with limited experience in running clinical businesses. From real estate strategy and medical compliance to provider hiring and treatment quality, execution failures often stemmed from a lack of operational depth. These aren\u2019t problems you can growth-hack your way out of.<\/p>\n
Many brands emphasized wellness aesthetics and trends without strong clinical foundations or scientific rigor. The science was often shaky\u2014relying on user quizzes, questionable biomarkers, or pseudoscientific protocols. Without validated trials, outcome data, or respected clinical leadership, even well-designed services failed to inspire trust.<\/p>\n
The actual product or service often wasn\u2019t better than traditional alternatives. Concierge solo practitioners frequently offered more comprehensive and personalized care. Ever\/Body, for instance, lacked inclusive laser equipment like PicoSure, and its pricing wasn\u2019t competitive\u2014it charged flat rates instead of the per-unit pricing typical of medspas. Slick UX couldn\u2019t compensate for mediocre clinical value.<\/p>\n
Personalized wellness sounds sticky in theory, but most services had abysmal repeat rates. Customers might pay once for a diagnostic scan or supplement, but few became long-term users\u2014especially when benefits were vague, untrackable, or overpromised. With low LTVs, high CACs became unsustainable.<\/p>\n
Sky-high acquisition costs, underutilized staff, and real estate-heavy models crushed profitability. Even with premium branding and media buzz, the economics didn\u2019t work. Many of these startups never figured out how to make $1 in net margin, much less scale it.<\/p>\n
Many platforms were undifferentiated in a crowded market. A beautiful website and wellness aesthetic weren\u2019t enough to pull customers from proven providers. When every brand offers \u201cpersonalized\u201d care and biomarker insights, the bar moves\u2014and many didn\u2019t keep up.<\/p>\n
The rise of \u201cevidence-based wellness\u201d was often more marketing than medicine. Consumers are increasingly skeptical of vague claims. Tally Health, for example, has faced scrutiny despite its academic backing, and critics have challenged AG1 and similar brands for overreaching promises without peer-reviewed support. Trust is everything\u2014and fragile.<\/p>\n
Too many brands tried to be everything to everyone\u2014offering supplements, diagnostics, telehealth, aesthetics, and coaching under one roof. Modern Age bundled all these services but failed to deliver deep value in any single domain. The \u201cstack\u201d sounded futuristic, but consumers didn\u2019t want\u2014or understand\u2014it.<\/p>\n