24 March 2022: We all probably hope not only to grow as old as possible, but also to do so in the best possible health. Or: "Die as young as late as possible", as HSG alumnus Tobias Reichmuth put it. He is a founding partner at Maximon, which supports entrepreneurs who are building impactful, science-based and scalable companies that offer solutions for healthy aging and rejuvenation.
Understanding aging as a disease
The average life expectancy in Switzerland is currently around 83 years. Only 71 of those, however, are spent in good health, Tobias Reichmuth said. He is not an advocate for infinite life, but believes that it should be possible to live longer than we do today - and in better health. For Reichmuth, one key is not only to take preventive care of one's health, but also to understand the aging process as a disease that we can do something about based on science... Just as we do with all other diseases.
This is to extend the "healthy life-span," as Alexander Schueller, founder and CEO of cellvie AG, said. His company is developing cellular components to heal other cells and thus avert the aging process. But it's not easy to get more investment in this field until aging is recognized as a disease, Schueller said. In other words, the "Path to Longevity" - the title of the panel discussion - tends to lead through research into known diseases and their cures. That, in turn, can be advanced toward slowing the aging process.
Meaning and purpose - even in old age
Alexander Schueller and Tobias Reichmuth agreed that the goal should be not only to grow older, but also to remain as healthy as possible. In addition to research and science-based entrepreneurship in this field, however, there are of course a few common-sense rules that can help along the way. "Have a sense of purpose even in old age," said Tobias Reichmuth, for example. And don't just start with a healthy lifestyle in your 70s but prefera-bly already in your 20s.