Ben Lamm’s Vision of Time Compression: Transforming Biology into Engineering

Defining a Unique Skill

Every entrepreneur possesses a skill that shapes their career trajectory. For Ben Lamm, the CEO of Colossal Biosciences and creator of several successful startups, it’s an unconventional ability: compressing time.

From Concept to Reality

In a 2017 interview with Dallas Innovates, Lamm identified his defining skill as "a subset of time travel," underscoring his belief in the necessity of accelerating progress in business.

Fast forward nearly ten years, and he seems to have expanded on this philosophy, navigating from his previous venture, Hypergiant, to Colossal Biosciences, which is tackling the ambitious project of de-extinction.

De-extinction as Time Compression

According to Lamm, de-extinction encapsulates two forms of time compression. First, technological advancements enable a deeper understanding of historical biological data. "On one hand, we now have the technical tools to understand the past," he asserts.

He highlights how artificial intelligence, computational modeling, and gene editing converge to create unprecedented opportunities in bioscience. AI allows the exploration of biological possibilities at an unmatched scale, while gene editing facilitates testing hypotheses more effectively than mere theoretical debate. Additionally, modern computational capabilities can transform years of laboratory work into mere months of simulations, drastically reducing experimental timelines.

Building a Comprehensive Model of Biology

Lamm posits that comprehending biology through de-extinction serves a dual purpose. “The more completely we understand biology through de-extinction, the more we can compress future time," he states, arguing that understanding complex biological systems can hasten disease cures and address biological problems that usually take decades to resolve.

This perspective suggests that the project isn’t merely about resurrecting extinct species but about constructing a full model of biological systems. If biology can be modeled computationally, we might witness a surge in scientific discoveries.

Time and Biology: A Complex Relationship

This notion introduces a fascinating paradox: while venture capital thrives on rapid iteration, the process of evolution occurs gradually. Lamm argues this divide is fading. “Biology is becoming an engineering discipline,” he argues, indicating a transition from observation to the programming of biological systems as time constraints lessen.

This ambitious claim naturally invites skepticism, yet it underscores Lamm’s vision. Historical technological revolutions have also compressed time—railroads shrank travel time, the internet expedited communication, and AI has dramatically quickened cognitive tasks.

Moving Beyond Mammoths

“People misunderstand what we’re building,” Lamm says, clarifying that his focus is not just on de-extinction but on fundamentally altering how we work with biology. By shortening discovery timelines, Colossal aims to enhance our ability to understand and engage with nature more effectively.

While the idea of resurrecting extinct species might capture public attention, these projects are akin to “moonshots”—driving technological innovation in reproductive biology, genome assembly, and gene editing that could have broader applications.

Embracing Impossible Markets

Throughout his career, Lamm has targeted seemingly unattainable markets. He seeks out moments when multiple technologies converge, offering opportunities to radically compress time. This strategic vision allows for a new frontier where scientific challenges evolve into engineering tasks.

Lamm's approach signals a shift in entrepreneurial value creation. Instead of merely enhancing information movement, future entrepreneurs may focus on manipulating biological processes with similar precision. “People consistently overestimate what happens in a year and underestimate what happens in ten,” he remarks, suggesting that the compounding effect of tools leads to exponential progress.

Redefining Time’s Role

The core of Lamm’s philosophy on time compression extends beyond simply speeding up processes. It’s about establishing a system where innovations build upon each other, creating a flywheel effect that changes the innovation landscape permanently. In Lamm's view, time is not merely a constraint; it’s a variable that can be managed and optimized for progress.