Behind the Curtain: Ben Lamm’s Multi-Billion Dollar Ideas and the Labs That Built Them

A mind-controlled skateboard. Biometric tattoos. A heads-up display for astronauts. And now a woolly mammoth. Serial entrepreneur Ben Lamm is the visionary behind all of these inventions. But, how does one-man come up with so many visionary and lucrative ideas? On the one hand, 

a resolute commitment to innovation and on the other having a lab at every company he has owned. 

While other entrepreneurs have shunned labs for being too expensive, too to realize profits and too complicated to run. Lamm believes that one of the greatest secrets to his success is having a dedicated, funded center for the pursuit of new ideas. 

“Our labs are a focused playground. These spaces aren’t just about science or business; they are places where imagination is encouraged, where pop culture sparks creativity, and where the goal is simply to bring really cool ideas to life,” said CEO and co-founder of Colossal Ben Lamm. “Most companies fail at innovation because they don’t make space, carve out time or devote resources to innovate. Those companies also, just, fail. My labs over the years help to make ideas into realities.” 

The Origin Story: Where It All Began 

Ben’s first lab was far from the cutting-edge facilities of his company today: a conference room in an early company’s office. But, he saw that by creating a space, a team and a willingness to innovate, a drab conference room changed into a hub where big ideas could live. That early incubator launched numerous patentable products including tools for wheelchair movement and algorithmic watchlists. And, spawned ideas for what would become a portfolio of multi-million dollar innovations as he created and sold companies. 

At the center of much of his lab-based work is an interest in the intersection between pop-culture and science, science fiction and technology, man and machine, and proto-utopian science. Lamm’s fascinations led to inventions like his mind-controlled skateboard — a project inspired by science fiction and designed to let users pilot a skateboard using only their thoughts–and his heads-up display prototypes which involved complex visual data displays in futuristic wearables for space. And products that could address our most pressing challenges like the Eos bioreactor, which is part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection, his work on interstellar internet. Some of his patented work on situation awareness has been the foundation

for projects with the United States government and other projects have spawned companies now working around the world. 

Innovation as Experimentation: The Philosophy Behind the Labs 

Unlike conventional corporate R&D centers, Ben’s labs operate with a distinct ethos: experimentation without constraints. Drawing inspiration from pop culture, comic books, and films, his teams are encouraged to blur the lines between art, science, and technology — creating an environment where creativity leads innovation. 

“I look for people who are naturally creative, working on numerous projects and I bring them into my space, give them time, and money and encourage them forward in a specific direction,” said Ben Lamm. I cannot execute on every idea I have alone. I have a ten billion dollar company to run in Colossal and a dozen companies where I sit on the board. But, I can partner with my employees to bring my crazy ideas to life in the most compelling way possible.” 

From Labs to Life: The De-Extinction Dream 

Perhaps the most audacious chapter in Ben Lamm’s career is his commitment to de-extinction—using genetic engineering to bring back species lost to history. Leading Colossal Biosciences, Ben is spearheading efforts to revive the woolly mammoth, the dodo bird, and the Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) through advanced CRISPR gene-editing and synthetic biology techniques. And, he most recently announced a de-extinction milestone: the birth of two dire wolves. 

For those projects, he now has a state of the art lab with nearly a hundred PhDs working around the world on his projects combining the worlds of AI, robotics, and synthetic biology to name a few. And those labs are outfitted not just with gene sequencers and cell culture facilities but with multidisciplinary teams of geneticists, ecologists, and bioengineers — all working toward what once seemed impossible. 

What sets these labs apart is not just the technology but the culture Ben has cultivated. It’s a place where failure is part of the process, where bold ideas are welcomed, and where the intersection of pop culture and hard science fuels breakthroughs. 

“When you blend creativity with cutting-edge tech, you unlock possibilities no one thought possible,” said Lamm. “I believe in pushing the boundaries because that is where breakthroughs happen.” 

Why It Matters: The Bigger Picture 

Ben Lamm’s story is a blueprint for 21st-century innovation and reminds us that technology’s ultimate purpose is to solve real problems but those that cement a place in history, also inspire wonder.

Whether it’s enabling riders to control skateboards with their minds, creating sustainable food alternatives, or breathing life back into extinct species, Lamm’s Labs are a place where science fiction actually becomes science fact.