Last week I attended the Global Healthspan Summit hosted by the Hevolution Foundation, and I loved every moment of it. The event far exceeded my expectations on every level.

Growing up as a science geek in the Middle East, I was used to experiencing technological innovations and breakthroughs secondhand—often developed elsewhere and only later adopted in our region. Rarely did I imagine that this part of the world would become a hub for one of the most important scientific quests of our century: delaying aging to prevent age-related diseases, effectively giving people additional years—or even decades—of healthy life.

Saudi Arabia has accomplished this extraordinary feat through the Hevolution Foundation. Founded in 2021, Hevolution has managed to bring together a stellar group of global leaders from science, business, policy, and other sectors, all united around a single goal: increasing human healthspan.

The case for healthspan

Unlike lifespan, which simply measures the total number of years a person lives, healthspan refers to the number of years a person lives in optimal health, free from chronic diseases and debilitating conditions. As life expectancy has increased worldwide, many people are now living longer but sicker, spending more years in poor health. This not only reduces quality of life but also places a heavy burden on families, healthcare systems, and economies.

The concept of "squaring the healthspan curve"—ensuring that added years are healthy rather than spent in illness—has long been discussed in academic circles. But what Hevolution has achieved in less than four years is nothing short of a global movement.

While some mistakenly believe that focusing on healthspan means giving up on longevity, I see these two goals as deeply connected. Prolonging healthspan equitably across global populations is a crucial stepping stone toward future advancements in longevity.

A summit like no other

What made the Hevolution Global Healthspan Summit stand out was its ability to bring together an unparalleled spectrum of experts—scientists, entrepreneurs, policymakers, doctors, and investors—all in one place.

Where else could you find discussions on AI and public policy, investment strategies, biotech and healthcare startups, and cutting-edge academic research, all under one roof?

Personal highlights from the summit

One of the most compelling moments for me was the conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy, who made an irrefutable case for prioritizing public health and healthspan extension as a guiding principle for state policies. He emphasized that maintaining the health, happiness, and productivity of aging populations will be a defining factor in 21st-century success. Investing in breakthroughs in medicine, biotech, and AI will be essential to making this vision a reality.

Another highlight was the investment panel discussion, particularly regarding the future of wearable technology. It was fascinating to hear how wearables will soon become a primary source of real-time health data, generating novel biomarkers to track health, disease progression, and aging itself. When combined with AI and advancements in remote healthcare, these technologies could revolutionize both healthspan research and accessibility to cutting-edge treatments.

The Saudi biotech and health startup pitch fest was another remarkable surprise. The speed of progress in just three years is astonishing. Some of the standout innovations included:

  • AI-driven solutions to match cancer patients with the best clinical trials, bringing these trials to patients in their home countries.

  • Locally produced diagnostic PCR kits developed from scratch.

  • Recombinant insulin production in plants, demonstrating cutting-edge biotech capabilities.

These remarkable founders showcased a booming biotech ecosystem that will be instrumental in achieving Hevolution’s vision. What’s even more incredible is that a sector that typically takes decades to build has been brought to life in just a few years, driven by the energy and vision Hevolution has fostered.

This rapid biotech expansion in Saudi Arabia is a testament to the vast, untapped potential of the biotech and health-tech industries worldwide. Many countries still have enormous opportunities to develop and accelerate similar innovations.

Cutting-edge science and unforgettable conversations

Beyond policy and business, the summit also showcased top-tier academic research. Some of the topics that stood out to me included:

  • Bioelectricity and its role in regeneration.

  • Rejuvenation gene therapies that may reverse aspects of aging at the cellular level.

  • The intersection of calorie restriction, DNA stability, and aging, highlighting promising interventions for extending healthspan.

But beyond the formal sessions, what truly made this experience special were the amazing conversations I had with brilliant minds from all over the world. Rarely does an event succeed in bringing together such a diverse, passionate, and forward-thinking group of people, all united by a shared vision: giving more healthy years to every human on the planet.

Riyadh: the perfect host city

The summit couldn’t have been held in a more fitting location than Riyadh—a city that embodies modern ambition and rapid transformation. Young, vibrant, and trailblazing, Riyadh’s energy reflects the very ethos of the global healthspan movement.

The numbers speak for themselves: the median age in Saudi Arabia is just 29.6 years—which, I must admit, made me feel old! Even the city’s infrastructure tells a story of progress: the airport’s new terminal and the Riyadh Metro were both inaugurated just weeks before the summit.

If today’s architects have given birth to this dynamic metropolis, then the “Healthspan Architects of the Future” will ensure that societies worldwide maintain vitality and energy for generations to come. By embracing rejuvenation science and anti-aging innovations, we’re not just talking about extending life—we’re talking about reshaping the future of humanity itself.