Global Healthspan Summit aims to accelerate scientific progress for a rapidly aging world

Global non-profit Hevolution Foundation will convene its inaugural Global Healthspan Summit on Nov. 29-30 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two-day event at the Four Seasons Hotel promises to serve as a seismic shift in how the world perceives and acts, catalyzing the discussion from lifespan to healthspan.

Over 100 distinguished speakers from more than 10 countries — including experts from across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US — will discuss one of the most urgent issues of our time - healthy human healthspan.

Why does it matter?

While lifespans have grown longer, healthspan — the number of years a person lives in good health — have remained stagnant and even declined. With the global population aged 60 and over projected to double to 2 billion by 2050, the need for enhanced collaboration and innovation to meet the unhealthy aging challenges crippling health systems and societies is upon us now.

The untapped potential for the healthspan sector is clear; economically, a slowdown in aging that increases life expectancy by one year is worth almost $40 trillion annually from health cost savings and productivity gains. The discovery and development of new therapeutics to extend healthy lifespan has the potential to redefine healthcare in the 21st Century, moving medicine beyond treating disease to more actively protecting health.

The Summit aims to transition conventional, passive dialogue to transformative inquiry and action-based conversations by:

• Promoting a collaborative platform to advance healthspan science.
• Catalyzing the shift from lifespan to healthspan.
• Facilitating knowledge exchange to drive groundbreaking research.
• Connecting investments with cutting-edge entrepreneurship.
• Encouraging new and existing talent to make their mark in the healthspan field.

On the record

"At this Summit, we are not just talking; we are triggering action. We are bringing together the best global minds to catalyze a global movement that will propel and redefine healthspan science," said Dr. Mehmood Khan, Hevolution Foundation CEO. "We're at a critical juncture where global collaboration is not just an option; it's an imperative."

"The future of aging is ours to create, and we each have a crucial role to play in shaping a healthier future for generations to come," said Her Royal Highness Dr. Haya Khaled Al Saud, Hevolution Foundation Vice President of Organizational Strategy and Development. "The Global Healthspan Summit will bring together the ideas, connections, and real-world actions needed to catalyze a healthier aging experience for all."

The context

In addition to this landmark Summit, Hevolution has been on an impressive trajectory this year. Hevolution has allocated over $200 million in global funding to help reshape and accelerate discoveries and tangible contributions to healthy aging research and development.

It has also established a fast-moving Investment team based in Boston, Massachusetts, extending Hevolution's operational footprint globally and amplifying its engagement with the broader life sciences ecosystem that now includes a "short list" of companies that are potential investment candidates this year.