programs
Life sciences research division that funds and runs high-impact fundamental scientific challenges that test new models for how science is conducted.
Centralized operational and financial support for Neuro-AI, Science, and Strategic Investments. The Foundation also leads our Residency Program, supports Fellows, explores new opportunities, and drives ecosystem-supporting efforts.
We want to help address these gaps by seeding and supporting mission-driven, open projects that can catalyze further private and public sector advancements. We target creative, high-agency scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs who are passionate about reducing the barriers to progress within and across domains.
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Resources

Inside baseball: The founder’s guide to funding health and science organizations

Successful fundraising isn’t just about logic; it’s about trust, your vision and your ability to manage the process

Program Update

Radial Supports The Deliverome Project

Building the missing data layer for precision medicine delivery

Perspectives

Spinning a new future with programmable fibers

Proteins are the programmable manufacturing material of the future.

by type
Perspectives

Spinning a new future with programmable fibers

Proteins are the programmable manufacturing material of the future.

Perspectives

Mapping the path to one cent electricity

A new Astera Resident investigates not just how transformative fusion could be, but what would have to be true to get there.

Perspectives

From systems operators to systems architects

Going up a level from data generation to think about the data systems we design and embed

Perspectives

Understanding intelligence: Simplex views on complex systems

A conversation with Adam Shai and Paul Riechers, co-founders of Simplex

Perspectives

A night sky full of living worlds

A conversation with Astera Resident Edwin Kite on applied planetary science, applied astrobiology, and what it would take to terraform Mars

Perspectives

How we get to an abundant future

A perspective from Eli Dourado, Astera’s Head of Strategic Investments

by date
Program Update

Radial Supports The Deliverome Project

Building the missing data layer for precision medicine delivery

Perspectives

Spinning a new future with programmable fibers

Proteins are the programmable manufacturing material of the future.

Perspectives

Mapping the path to one cent electricity

A new Astera Resident investigates not just how transformative fusion could be, but what would have to be true to get there.

 

Announcing Radial, Astera’s new life sciences division

Today, Astera Institute is launching Radial, a division which reimagines how life sciences research happens at a systems level. Radial will be led by Becky Pferdehirt as CEO. We are committing up to $500M over the next decade to expand our build-test-learn approach to scientific infrastructure and practices. How we fund, do, and build upon […]

Program Update

Identifying Systemic Bottlenecks to Science

Today, alongside the launch of Radial, we are opening an essay competition that I’ve been ruminating on for some time. Namely, inviting active scientists from any sector to share concrete research challenges that can inform our future work at Astera. We’re interested in your hypotheses about what broad structural or systemic issues contribute to the bottlenecks you […]

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Seemay Chou
Co-Founder & President – Foundation
Seemay is a scientist, co-founder and CEO at Arcadia Science, chairperson of The Navigation Fund, and forever-Texan at heart. She received a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology from UC Berkeley and was previously a Pew Scholar and an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UC San Francisco.
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Jed McCaleb
Co-Founder & CEO – Neuro & AGI
Jed McCaleb is the founder of the Astera Institute. His focus is on accelerating progress, expanding potential, and increasing net happiness. He is also co-founder and Chief Architect of the Stellar Development Foundation, the organization that maintains the open-source Stellar Network and founder of Vast, the organization that is building the first commercial space station.
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Dakota Gruener
Studying sunlight reflection to limit climate impact
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Chongxi Lai
Building brain-like models
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