Can performance-enhancing drugs push the boundaries of human potential? The creators of Enhanced Games say yes, and they’re building a new sporting event to prove it.
Enhanced Games, backed by Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital, aims to disrupt the Olympics with sports that allow athletes to dope. The game, which launches in Las Vegas in May 2026, promises a $1 million reward for breaking a world record and relies on a business model reminiscent of Red Bull, using the spectacle as marketing for future enhancement products.
Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan spoke with Aron D’Souza, co-founder and president of Enhanced Games, about the business of enhancement, what it means to build in the longevity space, and who does it.
Listen to the full episode and hear what’s next.
How this venture raised “double-digit millions” and signed Olympic silver medalist Fred Curley, who D’Souza believes will break 31-year-old Usain Bolt’s 100-meter record, why D’Souza believes Olympic drug testing is hampering performance-enhancing research, and how allowing for enhancement in sports can accelerate advances in longevity. Enhanced plans to build a telemedicine platform to sell testosterone and weight loss drugs (not yet developed). The social, economic, and ethical implications of extending the human lifespan.
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