Bryan Johnson, a venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and writer, has an estimated net worth of $400 million. He earned his fortune through his role as the founder of Braintree, a payment processing company that revolutionized online payments and was later acquired by PayPal for $800 million.
In addition to his financial success, Johnson has made headlines for his innovative ventures like Kernel, a company focused on brain-machine interfaces, and his personal anti-aging project, “Project Blueprint.”
Early Life and Background
Bryan Johnson was born on August 22, 1977, in Provo, Utah. Raised in Springville, Utah, he was the middle child in a family of three brothers and one sister. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was raised by his mother and stepfather, who owned a trucking company.
At 19, Bryan became a Mormon missionary, spending two years in Ecuador as part of his religious duties with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After returning, he attended Brigham Young University, where he earned a degree in International Studies in 2003. He later pursued an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, graduating in 2007.
Early Career and Ventures
While still in university, Bryan Johnson began his entrepreneurial journey by launching multiple startups between 1999 and 2003. His first venture involved selling cell phones, a business that helped pay for his college education.
He also co-founded Inquist, a voice-over internet protocol (VoIP) company, which operated similarly to Vonage and Skype but ended its operations in 2001.
In 2001, he also ventured into real estate, working on a $70 million project with his brother and another partner. However, this venture did not meet its sales targets.
The Creation of Braintree
In 2007, Bryan founded Braintree, a company that provided online payment solutions, aimed at making credit card processing more accessible for businesses.
He came up with the idea after working as a door-to-door salesperson for a credit card processing company. His realization that small businesses were being taken advantage of by unregulated payment services led him to develop a more reliable and user-friendly solution.
By 2011, Braintree had grown rapidly, making it onto Inc. magazine’s list of the 500 fastest-growing companies. That year, Braintree acquired Venmo, a peer-to-peer payment platform, for $26 million.
In 2013, PayPal, which was a subsidiary of eBay at the time, acquired Braintree for $800 million, significantly boosting Johnson’s wealth and reputation in the tech world.
By the time of the acquisition, Braintree was processing over $12 billion in payments annually.
OS Fund and Kernel
Following the success of Braintree, Bryan launched the OS Fund in 2014. He used his own money to create the venture capital fund, which focuses on investing in early-stage science and technology companies.
The OS Fund has invested in numerous startups, particularly those in the fields of biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and space exploration.
In 2016, Johnson founded Kernel, a company focused on creating brain-machine interfaces. He invested $100 million of his personal wealth to fund the venture.
The company’s goal is to develop technologies that can monitor and record brain activity, which could lead to groundbreaking advances in treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Kernel’s devices, Flux and Flow, allow for detailed analysis of brain function, with the potential to revolutionize healthcare and cognitive science.
Project Blueprint: Anti-Aging Pursuit
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of Bryan Johnson’s life has been his anti-aging regimen, which he refers to as “Project Blueprint.” Launched in 2021, this ambitious project involves a strict routine of caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, a vast array of supplements and medications, a meticulously planned sleep schedule, and frequent health diagnostics, all aimed at reducing his biological age.
Johnson claims that through his efforts, he has achieved the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old, despite being 46 at the time of these claims.
He also made headlines for undergoing plasma transfusions, where his teenage son served as the donor for one of the procedures.
However, he later stopped these transfusions, as they yielded no noticeable benefits.
His practices have sparked debate in the scientific community, with critics suggesting that his strict regimen may be unrealistic for most people, while others question the safety and efficacy of some of his methods.
Legacy and Future
Bryan Johnson’s career, wealth, and innovations reflect his drive to push boundaries and explore new frontiers. From the creation of Braintree to the development of Kernel, Johnson has demonstrated his ability to identify emerging trends and invest in the future of technology and science.
His anti-aging endeavors also highlight his dedication to extending human potential, though they have raised ethical questions and garnered mixed reactions from experts.
Looking forward, Bryan Johnson’s wealth and influence will likely continue to grow as he expands his ventures in the fields of technology, healthcare, and venture capital.
His ongoing pursuit of longevity and technological advancement promises to keep him in the public eye, as he seeks to shape the future of both business and science.
