Longevity & Healthy Ageing Report: How Tech is Helping us Live Longer and Healthier Lives

From breakthroughs in longevity science to smarter tools for seniors, the Healthy Ageing 2024 Report, in partnership with Dealroom and Generali, reveals how startups and investors are transforming the golden years. Here’s what you need to know about the latest trends – and why it matters.

1. The US is Winning the Longevity Race, Europe is Picking Up Speed

European VCs will hate us for this, but let’s be honest: the US is still the heavyweight champion of longevity funding, with startups there raising nearly 3x the amount that European companies did this year. The UK is leading the charge, attracting more funding than the next four European countries combined, with Switzerland and Ireland are emerging as notable contenders.

Funding Trends:

• Longevity startups remain the top funding target, focusing on areas like genetic modifications and cellular repair.
• Silver Health, which includes tools for elder care and preventative health, is growing steadily, though it still struggles to secure late-stage funding.

This disparity highlights a maturing European market, where early-stage investments dominate and opportunities for growth abound in underfunded niches like Silver Health and senior mental health.

2. Ageing Well is About Living Better, Not Just Longer

Healthy Ageing isn’t just about extending lifespan, but aims at enhancing quality of life. Startups are focusing on practical, life-changing innovations that address the needs of older adults, from chronic pain management to tackling social isolation. 

A few examples: 

3. The Insurer’s Perspective on the Ageing Economy

By 2050, nearly half of Europe’s population will be 55 or older. This demographic shift is straining healthcare systems and redefining economic priorities. Chronic diseases already account for 80% of healthcare costs in the EU, while the demand for caregivers far exceeds supply.

Opportunities for disruption:

• Caregiver tools and platforms, such as those improving at-home care and elder care efficiency, are underfunded but highly impactful.
• End-of-life planning and senior-focused financial services represent untapped markets for startups aiming to innovate in the Silver Economy.

As ageing becomes a central economic driver, solutions that enhance independence, caregiving, and financial stability will define the next wave of innovation.

4. Longevity Tech: Once Young, Seeking Wealth, Now Wealthy, Seeking Youth

While you can’t buy youth, you can fund aging research. The field is capturing the attention of billionaires and VCs, with over 700 biotech and techbio startups racing to unlock the secrets of longevity. 

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To keep in mind:

• Advances in DNA repair, cellular reprogramming, and telomere elongation are unlocking the mechanisms of life and death, with insights from short-lived animal models like C. elegans. 
• In Europe, companies like Clock.Bio aims to reverse harmful effects of time in our cells, through regenerative capabilities of human pluripotent stem cells
• Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan warns against oversimplification - turning back the biological clock isn’t a hack and may disrupt our balance. DNA repair pathways can be targeted to slow aging but may also increase cancer risks. 
• Beyond biotech, lifestyle interventions—diet, sleep, and exercise—are proving just as pivotal in extending the healthy years of life.

While the science is promising, pushing these innovations through trials remains the ultimate challenge for longevity startups. At Speedinvest, we support ventures addressing age-related mechanisms with rigorous science, deep understanding of biological balances and clear pathways to clinical validation.

5. Prevention is the Healthcare Shift We’ve Been Waiting For

• Prevention is gaining ground, but access challenges remain: While the healthcare system continues to focus largely on reactive care, prevention start ups like Neko and Zoi have led the funding wave. The surge in 360-degree checkups in 2024 reflects this shift, but high out-of-pocket costs which range from €300 to €4,000 significantly limit accessibility for many individuals.
• Corporate adoption faces hurdles: Startups offering preventative services struggle to secure a place in corporate health benefit budgets, which have tightened during the recession. Employers seem to be prioritizing reactive solutions like fertility benefits and mental health tools, making it harder for preventative offerings to gain traction.
• Competition from established insurers: Established players like Alan are entering the preventative care space, leveraging their resources to develop internal offerings such as checkups that directly compete with startups for corporate budgets. These insurers’ market dominance and ability to scale present a significant challenge.
• Bright spots in elder care innovation: Technologies like ambient listening like SpeakCare, Sonaide, are finding their niche in elderly care settings, addressing critical safety needs in environments with chronic staff shortages. These solutions, which enable real-time detection of falls and emergencies, are gaining traction even within the constrained budgets of care homes.
• The growing role of early intervention tools: Beyond elder care, a broader range of preventative technologies such as fall detection and lifestyle monitoring are poised to become the backbone of Healthy Ageing. By focusing on early intervention, these tools promise to reduce long-term costs and improve outcomes across the healthcare system.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Healthy Ageing

The Healthy Ageing 2024 Report paints a clear picture: from innovative startups to collaborative partnerships between tech, insurers, and public health systems, the sector is ripe for disruption. Healthy Ageing is no longer just about adding years—it’s about making those years count. The future belongs to those who can deliver scalable, impactful solutions that improve life for millions.

‍Read the full report to dive deeper into these insights and see where the greatest opportunities lie.

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