Grit #174 CEO & Co-Founder Ginkgo Bioworks, Jason Kelly: Life Finds a Way
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Jan 22, 2024 
CEO and Co-Founder Gingko Bioworks, Jason Kelly discusses the wonder and challenges of bioengineering, the history of biotech, first principles thinking, super-voting shares, and applying AI to DNA engineering.
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Reviving Extinct Flower Scents
- Ginkgo helped recreate scent molecules from extinct Hawaiian flowers using DNA sequencing and synthetic biology.
- They programmed yeast to produce these fragrances, enabling "Jurassic Park"-style revival for perfumes.
Meaningful Companies Take Time
- Meaningful, transformative companies take many years of grinding without quick success.
- If your idea works too quickly, it is probably not important or groundbreaking.
Equal Founders Support Company Culture
- Ginkgo's founding team included five PhD co-founders from MIT who split equity equally.
- They emphasized human relationships and camaraderie alongside business roles for long-term success.