Don't Die Summit holds out hope for extending youth

The Don't Die Summit, a longevity conference hosted by anti-ageing guru Bryan Johnson, begins with a coffee- and juice-fuelled dance party at 10.30am.

- Alison de Souza

And the American technology entrepreneur famous for spending US$2 million (S$2.7 million) a year on an experimental programme to become more youthful - leads this wholesome rave, stripping off his T-shirt and going bare-chested on the makeshift dance floor.

It is an unconventional start to what is, effectively, a consumer health and biomedical conference.

But for the 47-year-old, it is very much on brand, in keeping with his mission to reverse ageing and, ultimately, defeat death.

Held on Jan 18 in Los Angeles, this was the third Don't Die Summit, the first two having taken place in San Francisco and Singapore in September 2024.

More than 1,200 attend the sold-out event, each paying between US$249 and US$1,799 for a day-long programme that includes talks by Johnson and booths showcasing the latest anti-ageing products and technologies.

These range from red-light devices promising better skin and hair, to a service that harvests stem cells for use in future regenerative therapies.

But Johnson is also using these summits to grow the community that has rallied around his cause - the most devout of whom follow at least part of his elaborate regimen, which covers diet, supplements, exercise and other interventions.

He is also appealing to a broader audience interested in simply becoming healthier, many of them discovering the world of "biohacking" or self-experimentation to improve health and performance - for the first time.