Ben Lamm: From Entrepreneurial Ventures to Leading Genetic Revolution

Ben Lamm stands out as a serial technology entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, a company focused on de-extinction and genetic engineering. Lamm's journey, marked by founding and leading successful ventures across diverse industries, showcases his versatility and forward-thinking approach. His career began while he was still a senior at Baylor University, and he has since built and sold several companies, including Simply Interactive, Chaotic Moon Studios, Team Chaos, Conversable, and Hypergiant Industries. At Colossal, Lamm leverages cutting-edge technologies to tackle significant global challenges, aiming to make a substantial impact on biodiversity and conservation.

Educational Foundation and Early Career

Ben Lamm's educational journey began at Baylor University, where he pursued a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance and Accounting from 2000 to 2004. During his time at Baylor, Lamm developed a strong foundation in financial principles and accounting practices, which would later support his entrepreneurial ventures. Additionally, he expanded his academic horizons by studying foreign languages, literatures, and business at Universitat d'Alacant from 2000 to 2001. This international experience enriched his understanding of global business dynamics and cultural diversity, further shaping his multifaceted career.

A Timeline of Innovation: Lamm's Work History

Ben Lamm's extensive work history showcases his diverse experience and leadership across various industries. Here are some of the notable positions he has held:

Colossal Biosciences - Founder and CEO (2021 - Present)
Form Bio - Co-founder and Board Member (2022 - Present)
Breaking - Co-founder and Board Member (2024 - Present)
The Explorers Club - Member Board of Trustees & Fellow (2023 - Present)
The Explorers Club - Fellow (2021 - 2023)
The Planetary Society - Advisory Board Member (2018 - Present)
Nautilus Magazine - Partner, Owner, & Scientific Advisor (2019 - Present)
Worlds - Co-Founder (2018 - Present)
Worlds - Co-Founder & Board Member (2018 - 2023)
Arch Mission Foundation - Advisory Board Member (2019 - Present)
Capital Factory - Partner & Board Member (2013 - Present)
TechStars - Mentor & Investor (2013 - Present)
Hypergiant - Founder & Board Member (2021 - 2023)
Hypergiant - Founder, CEO, & Board Member (2018 - 2021)
Adweek - Advisory Board Member (2018 - 2021)
The Dallas Entrepreneur Center - Executive Advisor & Mentor (2016 - 2020)
Conversable - Founder & CEO (2016 - 2018)
Booz Allen Hamilton - Special Advisor & Entrepreneur in Residence (2016 - 2017)
Waterloo Greenway - Board Member (2014 - 2017)
Feel Rich, Inc - Executive Producer, Feel Rich Documentary (2015 - 2017)
Univ. of Texas Game and Mobile Media Applications Program - Executive Board Member (2014 - 2016)
Team Chaos - Co-Founder & Partner (2013 - 2016)
Chaotic Moon Studios - Founder & CEO (2010 - 2016)
Accenture - Managing Director (2015)
Sprint Accelerator powered by Techstars - Mentor (2015)
Fjord - Global Digital Products Lead & Global Management Team (2015)
Disney Accelerator powered by Techstars - Mentor (2014 - 2015)
Symbiot Security - Board Member (2009 - 2012)
Simply Interactive - CEO / Founder (2004 - 2010)

Colossal Biosciences: A Leap into De-extinction

Ben Lamm founded Colossal Biosciences in July 2021, taking on the role of CEO from the company's inception. His tenure at Colossal Biosciences has been marked by significant advancements in genetic engineering and de-extinction efforts, positioning the company at the forefront of biotechnology innovation.

Colossal Biosciences endeavors to jumpstart nature’s ancestral heartbeat. To see the woolly mammoth thunder upon the tundra once again. To advance the economies of biology and nutrition. To make humanity more human. And to reawaken the lost wilds of Earth. So we, and our planet, can breathe easier. These things, which were not achievable before, are now. In our laboratories. Through our breakthroughs in CRISPR and genetic engineering, Colossal is accepting humanity’s duty to restore Earth to a healthier state, while also solving for the future economies and biological necessities of the human condition. Colossal will revolutionize history and be the first company to use CRISPR technology successfully in the de-extinction of previously lost species.

The company expands the boundaries of what is possible with CRISPR and other cutting-edge biological engineering technologies, always with a commitment to responsible science and stewardship of our planet’s natural diversity.

The Science Behind the Vision

Colossal Biosciences is bringing together the greatest minds and leaders in technology, translational medicine, chemical engineering, biotechnology, molecular genetics, and software along with groundbreaking entrepreneurs to help guide them on their path.

George Church, Ph.D. acts as the co-founder and lead genetics advisor for Colossal. He is a professor at Harvard and MIT, runs the Church lab at the Harvard Medical School, and is a Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute at Harvard where he leads the Synthetic Biology Platform. In 1984 with Wally Gilbert, Church developed the first direct genomic sequencing method and barcode-multiplexing tags. This led to automation and software used for the first cellular genome sequence (Helicobacter) in 1994, which evolved into ‘in-situ sequencing’ (1999) and ‘next-generation sequencing’ (2014). Church then pioneered chip-based DNA libraries, genome editing, and stem cell engineering. He also pioneered new privacy, biosafety, human engineering, environmental, biosecurity, and bioethics strategies and training. For his achievements and direct contributions to genomics and the sciences as a whole, Church has received numerous awards.

Beth Shapiro is an evolutionary biologist who specializes in the genetics of ice age animals and plants. As Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz and HHMI Investigator, Beth uses DNA recovered from bones and other remains to study how species evolved through time and how human activities have affected and continue to affect this dynamic process. Her current work develops techniques to recover increasingly trace amounts of DNA such as from environmental and forensic samples. A 2009 MacArthur Fellow, Beth is also an award-winning popular science author and communicator who uses her research as a platform to explore the potential of genomic technologies for conservation and medicine.

Partnerships for Conservation

The ultimate aim of de-extinction and rewilding is to restore delicate ecosystems back to healthier, more planet-friendly states. Thus it’s critical that Colossal partners with some of the sharpest and most experienced minds in conservation today. We’re proudly partnered with some of the greatest teams and organizations from around the globe. Because as we step further into perfecting the science of de-extinction, it will always be of vital importance that we unite the greatest minds and research partners available. Each one of our conservation partners is thus vital to the cause, and as our studies lead to breakthroughs in genetics, we'll partner to help save existing species that are either threatened or in need of help.

Earlier Ventures and Entrepreneurial Spirit

Prior to Colossal, Ben served as the founder and CEO to a number of companies, including Hypergiant, an enterprise AI software company focused on critical infrastructures, space, and defense acquired by Trive Capital; Conversable, the leading conversational intelligence platform that helps brands reach customers through automated experiences acquired by LivePerson; and Chaotic Moon, a global creative technology powerhouse acquired by Accenture. He was also the Co-founder of Team Chaos, a consumer gaming company acquired by Zynga.

Chaotic Moon Studios

Lamm was co-founder of the well-regarded Chaotic Moon Studios, which was sold in 2015 to Accenture, a consulting and technology services company.

Conversable

“We know this is going to be huge,” Lamm told me about Conversable. Conversable is the leading conversational intelligence platform that helps brands reach customers through automated experiences acquired by LivePerson.

Memberships and Advisory Roles

Ben is a fellow and on the Board of Trustee at the Explorers Club, whose mission is to promote the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space by supporting research and education in the physical, natural, and biological sciences. He also serves as a Scientific Advisory Board member on the Planetary Society and sits on the Advisory Board for the Arch Mission.

A Culture of Innovation and Impact

The team at Colossal is committed, colorful, passionate, intelligent, collaborative, creative, experienced, scientific and world-class. Through it all, however, they maintain a culture of positivity, hope, happiness and belief that they’re doing something big. With every breakthrough made at Colossal Biosciences, they take a step toward a better, brighter tomorrow. Thus, Colossal has been recognized for world-saving, life-changing, never-before-seen conservation and de-extinction efforts. Because their work is not done in vain-it’s done for the greater good and the health of our planet’s future.

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