How Aloe Blacc Became A Biotech Entrepreneur

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter is creating a new approach to viral infections—and sonic legacies for nonprofits

Before he became a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Aloe Blacc was interested in becoming a scientist. While attending the University of Southern California on a full scholarship, he says, “I wanted to do a neuroscience major, but they didn't have it.”

Instead, he did an interdisciplinary degree that combined linguistics and psychology, joining the professional services firm Ernst & Young (now EY) after he graduated in 2001. While he contemplated doing a PhD after being laid off, he instead found that his music ‘hobby’ was turning into a successful career with hits like “I Need A Dollar,” “The Man,” and “Wake Me Up.”

A bout of Covid-19 in 2022 revived Blacc’s interest in science. “I ultimately had been vaccinated and boosted, but I still fell victim to Covid,” he says. “I wanted to find a prophylactic solution.”

He initially tried to donate money for research but says he “quickly realized that that is almost impossible to do biotech as a philanthropy. Even when you get to the regulators, they want to know what your business plan is. How will you commercialize this drug and make it available and sustainable? Why should we even give you an approval to deliver it to humans if you can't sustain it? So I had to pivot from philanthropy to being a founder.”

“It’s almost impossible to do biotech as a philanthropy”

Aloe Blacc

As CEO of Major Inc., a company inspired by his U.S. Marine Corps father, he’s now working with University of Houston researchers to develop compounds that could change the approach to viral infections. What started as a novel approach to Covid-19 has become much more. “I just started realizing, this is not a covid solution. This is a platform company for multiple indications,” he says.

“I've found myself squarely positioned in this business, almost on a full-time basis,” says Blacc. “I'm super, super passionate about what is possible with this company and this new class of molecules.”

“I still make music, but, music is sort of on autopilot,” says Blacc, who’s also using his talent as a singer and songwriter to create what he calls “sonic legacies” for nonprofit organizations. “I want to use my music to be the soundtrack to people living their best lives.”

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