The fountain of youth is real. It’s been presented to us each time a baby is born in the world, but until now it has been thrown away as biochemical hazardous material. What is this key to being forever young, never balding, never wrinkling? Postpartum placentas.

Top futurist speaker and X-Prize Founder, Dr. Peter Diamandis and his partner, Dr. Bob Hariri, have co-founded Celularity, a biotechnology company researching stem cells for the purpose of improving human immunity, longevity, and regeneration. The startup just raised $250 million because of their promising goals.  

Through extensive research, we know that stem cells found in the placenta are not yet specialized and can be influenced to grow into any type of cell found in the body. Diamandis believes with more research stem cells will be the key to regeneration, increased lifespans, and improved immunity systems.

His confidence in stem cell research is founded in the body’s ability to accept the foreign cells— unlike typical transplants and outside cells. When a surrogate mother carries a baby with no shared DNA, the body does not reject the baby, nor does the baby reject the carrier. This ability to integrate make stem cells unique from other body tissue.

In the past, stem cell research was controversial because the cells were taken from embryos. The new practice is to use the placenta (an organ the mother creates solely to sustain the developing baby). Since this is considered trash after the birth, there is no moral dilemma. Placentas cannot be bought or sold but can be donated to the LifeBank USA. This is the only donation center and it is owned and operated by Celularity.

Right now it is the only company in the nation performing this kind of stem cell biotechnology research. Since they control access to the placenta tissue, it may be hard for any other biotech startups to follow their lead.

Diamandis envisions a future where stem cells help cure cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as delay aging and replace amputated limbs. He personally plans to live to 150 and has saved his sons’ placentas with the wild hope of one day using the tissue to better their lives in some way. Peter believes the future holds incredible science feats that will make our world a better place. And he plans to hurry those along.

For deeper insights into the science behind Celularity, watch Peter Diamandis on Bloomberg TV.