The post was originally published in Russian on Startup of the Day. Alexander kindly agreed to republish what we think is of great value to our readers.
Russian startup of the day offers to freeze a human body after its death. Perhaps, in about 20, 100 or 1000 years scientists will learn to resurrect such mummies, then someone will push the button, and today’s dead man will walk the treadmill once again. Naturally, this may also never happen: maybe our descendants will never learn it or maybe even never wants it. Or maybe they will learn and want to do it, but right after the resurrection they will brutally kill the person, – we can’t know of the ethics that will dominate in the future. Or the person lives, but it becomes a different personality, and there are many more variants to imagine.
But there is a chance of success. And the offer is good without precedent. Preservation of the whole body costs 26 thousand dollars, the brain only – twice cheaper. Chance for a second life is sold at the price of a comfort class car! Yes, it is a chance, not a guarantee – but, dammit, nobody needs money in life after death after all. That much we know for sure.
I will not judge people who have sincere faith, but if an atheist loves life and earns as much as an iOS programmer does, then it seems like their only question should be: “where do I transfer my money.”
That said, I will name two drawbacks. The startup’s business model is a pyramid by definition. Preservation of a body is something one does eternally, and they only charge once, and this money will not be enough for 1000 years. After some time, new clients will start paying for the old ones. Besides, there is a dramatic corporate conflict going on in KrioRus, down to physical clashes by the freezers. It’s absolutely obvious that such behavior is not something a client of such a sensitive business wants.
According to the startup, it currently preserves the bodies of 81 people and half a hundred animals. There are also about 500 signed contracts, but the people are still alive and didn’t get to the freezer yet. A similar American startup does equally unimpressively.
Translation: Kostiantyn Tupikov
Alexander made his career in Russian internet companies including Mail.Ru, Rambler, RBC. From 2016 to 2018 he was Chief Strategy and Analytics officer in Mail.Ru Group. In this position, he worked on M&A, investments, and new project launches. In 2018 he became Deputy CEO in Citymobil, a Russian Uber-like company that was invested by Mail.Ru Group and Sberbank (the biggest Russian bank), then he left the company to launch his own projects. Now Alexander is a co-founder of United Investors – the platform for co-investments in Russian early-stage startups. His blog #startupoftheday (#стартапдня) is one of the most popular blogs about startups in Russia.
