Ben Lamm comes to Disrupt to explain how to bring mammoths back from the dead

Between talks on LLMs and automation, TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is making room for a different question: can AI bring back extinct species, and should it even try? The session "Can We Engineer Nature's Comeback?" runs on the Real World AI stage with Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, the company that turned de-extinction from science fiction into a billion-dollar startup.

What's behind the hype

Colossal isn't just chasing headlines. The company blends synthetic biology with AI models that analyze genetic sequences, model biological systems, and speed up genomic editing target discovery. In practice, that means training models on ancient, fragmented DNA, comparing it against genomes of close living relatives, and predicting which CRISPR edits will produce traits like thick fur or cold resistance. Lamm will walk through how that pipeline works — and where it still gets stuck.

A serial founder who pivoted to genetic engineering

Lamm didn't stumble into biotech. Behind him are two decades building companies at the intersection of AI and emerging tech: Hypergiant, Conversable, and Chaotic Moon, acquired respectively by Trive Capital, LivePerson, and Accenture. Now he's applying that same playbook to a problem no other organization has tried to solve at commercial scale. The result: Colossal has become one of the most talked-about — and most controversial — companies in both science and tech.

The conversation is bigger than mammoths

The headline grabs you, but the real questions run wider. As AI becomes part of scientific discovery, the line between software and biology, medicine and environmental conservation blurs. On one side, these technologies could help conserve endangered species and build climate resilience. On the other, critics argue they divert money and attention from protecting existing habitats — a cheaper, simpler fix, even if it's less sexy. Lamm sits at the center of that tension, and the Disrupt conversation is expected to hit the sore spots without dodging.

Disrupt returns to Moscone West

The conference runs in San Francisco, October 13–15, with more than 10,000 founders, investors, and operators and over 250 sessions. Lamm's talk is part of the Real World AI track, focused on applications beyond the narrow digital world. Tickets are available on the event site for anyone who wants to see what engineering nature looks like up close, no PR filter.