Aeon in Motion
- Legal Strategy Update: The team has escalated the need for documentation to support near-term funder conversations. This includes producing a short, clear explainer on the preferred structure (likely a tax-exempt entity paired with a for-profit affiliate) that can evolve if needed. A decision on formation counsel is expected within the next week. The next step thereafter will be a design phase to underwrite a v1.0 go-to-market structure.
- Advisor Outreach Accelerates: A key unlock this week: we agreed the threshold for outreach to some of our more aspirational contacts has been met. We are actively looking to speak with eminent scientists, philanthropists, policymakers and media/influencers who have a passion for accelerating scientific advancement for global impact and who would be willing to align themselves to our cause. If you know someone who fits this description, and would be willing to provide an introduction, please let us know!
- Next Offsite Confirmed: Dates are now set for the next Project Aeon in-person offsite: May 28–30 in Philadelphia. Planning is underway to ensure the time is structured around unlocking key strategic questions (e.g., go-to-market, sourcing and evaluation mechanics, team roles and organizational frameworks) while reinforcing team cohesion and momentum.
From the Roundtable
- Choosing an Advisor: Four evaluative dimensions have risen to the top in terms of our decision for formation counsel—foresight, passion, cost and funder perception. The two final firms in contention rate strongly across all four dimensions.
- Tax-Exempt Legal Entity—Core or Not?: One unresolved tension: how central is a tax-exempt entity to conducting the core activities of Project Aeon? Further, is it necessary on the funding side, the investing side, or both?
- Design Phase: The team aligned on the need for a streamlined, efficient design phase, guided by legal counsel. While significant preparatory work has been done in this realm, this phase will give us a chance to test our current hypotheses on structure with a new set of eyes (and expertise).
The Idea Garden
Nurturing Breakthroughs: Lessons from Complexity Theory
This older but still relevant paper uses complexity theory to explore when systems are most likely to generate radical novelty. The authors posit that bubbles are a main driver of radical innovation. For the full treatment of this idea, see the book Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation.
The Magic of Fast Feedback Loops
This Asimov Press piece argues that we might be on the cusp of compressing biological experimentation cycles from months to days. It's a compelling vision—where technology-enabled labs assist researchers in iterating experiments at computational speeds.
The Case for Sci-Tech Diplomacy
This piece from Lux Capital argues that the traditional divide between science and statecraft is becoming unsustainable—and that scientists, technologists, and funders need to start recognizing, understanding, and owning their role in the geopolitical realm. As a friend recently asked us: what would it look like for the state to facilitate a public/private, 50-year vision of technological progress, as it arguably did once before?
Greening the Solar System—Asterisk
This essay from Asterisk details the ways in which we might terraform another planet (most likely, Mars) and raises fascinating questions regarding the ethics of doing so. A good read to sit alongside our own reflections on stewardship, planetary responsibilities, and long-termism.
Metascience 101 - EP2: “Is Science Slowing Down?”
This podcast is required listening (or reading if you prefer!). Matt and his guests (including Patrick Collison) discuss the ways in which the scientific enterprise is underperforming relative to long-term trends, and why that might be.
Vox: Can a new approach to funding scientific research unlock innovation? - MIT Office of Innovation
Two stats in this article leap off the page: (1) That researchers self-report spending 50% of their time writing grants and (2) that 4/5 scientists readily admit that they are not working on their first-best and most important scientific idea due to structural constraints.
Thanks for reading.
For all people, all species, and our planet,
Project Aeon
PS: What is Project Aeon? Project Aeon advances critical scientific missions by funding paradigm-shifting research overlooked by today’s short-term, risk-averse system. We exist to restore the freedom and patience that once fueled discoveries by Darwin, Curie, and Planck. Instead of rewarding only what's fast and familiar, we back bold, long-horizon inquiry with deep belief. We marry capital stewardship, equitable talent discovery, and community-building to unlock breakthroughs that benefit all people, all species, and the planet.