Colossal Biosciences, a startup focused on de-extinction (bringing extinct species back to life), has raised $200 million in a Series C funding round. This funding will help the company work on getting back extinct animals like the dodo bird and woolly mammoth. The company’s total valuation is now $10.2 billion.

This investment came from TWG Global, a holding company led by Mark Walter and Thomas Tull. Colossal Biosciences, founded in 2021 and based in Dallas, plans to use the new funds to further develop its genetic engineering technologies. These innovations will also support advancements in conservation efforts, de-extinction projects, and human health care.

The company believes that bringing back extinct animals could help scientists better understand evolutionary changes in other species.They also say that their genetic engineering technologies could improve food production and reduce environmental impact. The company has worked on creating “ancient genomes” for thylacines, an extinct species of tiger.

Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal, expressed excitement about their progress, saying that the development of their de-extinction technology has been well received by investors. He added that the new funding will help grow their team, support new technology, expand the list of species they aim to bring back and continue their mission to make extinction a thing of the past.

In January, Colossal Biosciences raised $150 million in a Series B funding round to support its de-extinction efforts, which include bringing back animals like the dodo bird and woolly mammoth. The round was led by Tull's US Innovative Technology Fund, with participation from several investors, including Breyer Capital, WestRiver Group, Animal Capital, In-Q-Tel, Animoca Brands, Peak 6, Bold Capital, and Jazz Venture Partners.

Since its launch in September 2021, Colossal has raised a total of $435 million.With this new funding round, Colossal Biosciences has launched its Avian Genomics Group, which will focus on bringing back the dodo bird. According to the IUCN Red List, over 400 bird species are either extinct, extinct in the wild, or critically endangered. Colossal aims to reverse these trends using its genetic rescue technology and de-extinction tools.