A biotech startup that promises to resurrect woolly mammoths is now the first “anti-extinction unicorn” with a valuation said to be in excess of $1 billion before it brings back the single lost species. Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based startup, is announcing a new round of investments this week to help fund its efforts to bring back perhaps the most famous extinct animal of all: the dodo.
The return of mammoths to Alaska or dodos to Mauritius sounds unrealistic, even stupid, and provokes skepticism from paleogeneticists and other experts, who fear that the consequences of extinction will be unpredictable. However, Colossal continues to receive support from investors, including celebrities, and announced an additional $150 million on Tuesday, for a total of $225 million from 2021. A person familiar with the company said the latest round is valued at about $1.5 billion.
