The Aegis Project: Building defences against engineered pandemics

Raising $100,000active

1) Delay: advocate for DNA-synthesis screening and KYC to deny access to pathogens2) Detect: create a pandemic early warning system for novel pathogens3) Defend: stockpile ppe to keep critical workers safe when a pandemic hits

Project Details

The goal of this project is to prove the thesis and de-risk the launch of The Aegis Project in Australia.

To achieve this goal I will:

Connect with relevant experts to advise on key strategic questions such as:
1. Blockers for adopting dna synthesis screening / KYC
2. Most cost effective novel pathogen early detection system
3. Size and location of national stockpile (my understanding is proEquip have advanced thinking here)
4. Likelihood of policy diffusion, existing efforts in other countries
5. Binding constraint for Australia's existing pandemic defence system
Conduct a gap analysis of the existing defences in Australia and build a counterfactual thesis for The Aegis Project
Setup legal entity and charity registration
Source a scientific co-founder or principal, form an ongoing advisory board and find a government champion
Partner with relevant Australian institutions (e.g. Australia Centre for Disease Control and AusTrakka the national pathogen genomics surveillance platform)
Develop a costed, technical plan per pillar with milestone/tranches
Flesh out theory of change and success metrics e.g. define 'gold standard' (detection lead time, stockpile weeks of cover) and exit plan (government absorbs, scale internationally, sunset)
Fundraise philanthropic capital to execute plan

Currently it is just me involved. The top priority is sourcing experts and a scientific cofounder.

Theory of Impact

AI bio capability increases the marginal risk of an engineered pandemic because the intersection of people with intent and those with capability to create a bioweapon rises. Bioterrorists can use AI to guide them through virus synthesis and even design new sequences that evade detection methods or are more deadly/viral, posing an x-risk.

The Aegis Project reduces this elevated risk through a defence in depth strategy:

Make it harder to acquire the raw materials i.e. the raw dna fragments
Buy time to develop countermeasures via a shutdown
1. Detect outbreaks early to 1) give more time for a policy response and 2) reduce the number of people affected such that society can still function (e.g. if AIDS like ‘stealth’ pathogen or rapidly spreading ‘wildfire’ pathogen)
2. Provide sufficient protection for critical workers to carry out essentials services (food, energy, logistics)

The Aegis Project builds defences in a highly tractable location first. Australia has an mRNA facility, existing genomic detection capability, can mandate DNA screening without legislative change and is a small but rich population which puts the funding required within range of philanthropy and a single institutional body to work with.

People

Edward Burrowes

Team Member

Funding Details

Start Date: -
End Date: -
Expected Duration: 1 year
Funding Raised to Date: -
Annual Budget: -
Monthly Burn Rate: -
Current Runway: -
Funding Goal: -
Funding Stage: Seeking first grant
Fiscal Sponsor: -

Grants Received– no grants recorded

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Funding Asks

grantmaking.ai Launch Round

Applied

1) Delay: advocate for DNA-synthesis screening and KYC to deny access to pathogens 2) Detect: create a pandemic early warning system for novel pathogens 3) Defend: stockpile ppe to keep critical workers safe when a pandemic hits

Minimum

$100,000

Ideal

$240,000

What this ask is

The goal of this project is to prove the thesis and de-risk the launch of The Aegis Project in Australia.

To achieve this goal I will:

Connect with relevant experts to advise on key strategic questions such as:
1. Blockers for adopting dna synthesis screening / KYC
2. Most cost effective novel pathogen early detection system
3. Size and location of national stockpile (my understanding is proEquip have advanced thinking here)
4. Likelihood of policy diffusion, existing efforts in other countries
5. Binding constraint for Australia's existing pandemic defence system
Conduct a gap analysis of the existing defences in Australia and build a counterfactual thesis for The Aegis Project
Setup legal entity and charity registration
Source a scientific co-founder or principal, form an ongoing advisory board and find a government champion
Partner with relevant Australian institutions (e.g. Australia Centre for Disease Control and AusTrakka the national pathogen genomics surveillance platform)
Develop a costed, technical plan per pillar with milestone/tranches
Flesh out theory of change and success metrics e.g. define 'gold standard' (detection lead time, stockpile weeks of cover) and exit plan (government absorbs, scale internationally, sunset)
Fundraise philanthropic capital to execute plan

Currently it is just me involved. The top priority is sourcing experts and a scientific cofounder.

How the money will be spent

Runway required = time-to-become-fundable + time-to-close-the-main-raise + buffer

~6 months to reach a fundable position (co-founder landed, gap analysis + costed plan done)
~4 months to actually close the main raise
~2 months buffer

Min amount is validation only = 6 months to reach a fundable position:

$60k founder stipend
$15k legal entity setup
$5k travel
$15k consulting/outsourcing/insurance
$5k contigency

Ideal amount covers time to fundraise. Released as stage gate/milestone on quality of validation and plan (or ideally directly into raise):

$125k founder stipend
$5k travel
$5k comms
$5k contigency

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