Impact
Our impact Principles
Informed impact
Understanding the bigger systems that determine progress in longevity, ensures that we identify efforts that make a real difference.
Leveraged impact
For the projects we take on, we strive to minimize administrative spend; which focuses both resources and incentives towards impact on our mission.
Efficient impact
We seek opportunities for outsized impact, by targeting critical areas where our actions can trigger additional effort or investment. Either by demonstrating feasibility or removing disincentives.
Accountable impact
Proactive transparency improves incentives, and therefore impact. We share the outcomes of all our efforts, successes and missteps.
Programs & Outcomes
Longevity Apprenticeship (2021)
Date
2021
Funding amount
$100 K
The Longevity Apprenticeship paired early-career researchers with expert mentors to develop hands-on skills in longevity research operations, including grant management, lab techniques, and program leadership. Participants attended intensive workshops, collaborated on real-world projects, and received stipends to support their contributions.
- One graduate student became Impetus Grant director and later launched a longevity biotech startup (seed stage).
- One professional launched a biotech company (seed stage).
- One recent grad is now Chief of Staff at a longevity startup.
- One undergrad is pursuing an industry PhD in longevity & ML.
- One undergrad launched a health startup (pre-seed stage).
Additional Outcomes:
- Enabled launch of Impetus Grants.
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Produced “Major Papers in Aging” curriculum now used by Longevity Biotech Fellowship
Produced Overview of age-related diseases as a resource for longevity startups
- When ARPA-H launched, ran an unofficial recruiting campaign: contacted ~100 candidates, spoke with 47, arranged calls for 11, and provided advice from former DARPA PMs. Two joined ARPA-H as PMs, launching PROSPR and FRONT.
Operational spend
<0.1 %
Donor(s)
Astera Institute, The Michael Antonov Foundation
Nexus (2024 - Ongoing)
Date
2024 - Ongoing
Funding amount
$0
Nexus our research oriented "do-tank" brings people together to connect with mission‑oriented peers, organize and lead weekly journal clubs, and conduct deep dives into biology, biotechnology, and drug development, producing both internal knowledge‑base write‑ups and high‑quality public resources to advance the longevity field.
Participants may receive fellowships and mentorship to pursue meaningful projects within Norn Group.
- 25+ people attending weekly calls to learn more about aging and how to make impact.
- A range of resources and proposals listed on this site, for example:
Operational spend
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Donor(s)
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Impetus Grants | Rounds 1, 2, 3 (2021 - 2023)
Rounds 1 & 2
Date
2021
Funding amount
≈ $25 M
Round 3
Date
2023
Funding amount
$10 M
Impetus Grants is Norn Group’s rapid‑response fund for high‑risk, high‑reward aging research, offering academic and non‑profit scientists up to $500 K within three weeks to tackle the field’s most critical challenges.
Since its launch, Impetus has deployed over $34 M across 146 pioneering projects. In Round 3, 34 teams were selected from more than 1,000 applications, accelerating breakthroughs that traditional grants often overlook.
Donor(s)
Hevolution Foundation, Rosenkranz Foundation, Juan Benet, Michael Antonov, Vitalik Buterin, James Fickel, Jed McCaleb, Karl Pfleger, Fred Ehrsam, Molly Mackinlay, Feruell, Gitcoin
Donor(s)
Rosenkranz Foundation, Hevolution Foundation
Talent Bridge [V2] (2025 - Ongoing)
Date
2025
Funding amount
$250 K
After reworking the program Talent Bridge has become an award & project-based program.
Talent Bridge identifies and supports exceptional global researchers dedicated to advancing aging science by providing comprehensive project funding, personalized mentorship, and seamless integration into Norn's network.
Participants are selected through competitive proposal submissions and receive targeted support with funding, and relocation to collaborate on high‑impact longevity research projects within Norn Group’s network
The program
- The program remains focused on bringing talent to the US, with a new financial model.
- We expect to help 20+ individuals reach the US to work on longevity using remaining funds, twice the original goal at less than half the original funding target.
- Awardee list can be found here.
Operational spend
$0
Donor(s)
Schmidt Futures, James Fickel, Karl Pfleger, Sonia Arrison
Talent Bridge [V1] (2021)
Date
2021
Funding amount
$425 K
Talent Bridge (legacy) recruited and relocated exceptional bench, computational, and transitioning researchers worldwide—allocating 80 percent of their time to high‑impact aging biology projects at partner biotech companies and academic labs, and 20 percent to co‑designing training, mentorship, and career pathways for emerging talent.
Supported by volunteers who scout candidates, review CVs, and build open‑source resources, the program streamlines entry into aging research and accelerates therapeutic innovation.
- The original goals were to bring 5-10 talented individuals to the US, and to prove out a visa model and share with 2+ other organizations.
- Initially the program had a $1M raise target dedicating 80+% going to recipients.
- The financial model of the first program version did not work and was replaced in the second version of the program.
- The visa model remains feasible, and has been shared with multiple research non-profits.
Operational spend
<$100 K
Donor(s)
Schmidt Futures, Emergent Ventures, James Fickel, Karl Pfleger, Sonia Arrison