How Bryan Johnson Made His Millions: From Braintree to Biotech and Beyond

Bryan Johnson’s name has become synonymous with entrepreneurial success, especially in the tech world. A man with a passion for innovation, technology, and—perhaps most famously—anti-aging, Johnson’s journey from humble beginnings to multi-millionaire status is a story of grit, resilience, and calculated risk-taking. Today, he is known for his ventures into neurotechnology and longevity research, but it all started with a small payment processing company. Let’s break down how Bryan Johnson made his millions and what he’s up to now.

How Did Bryan Johnson Earn His Money?

Bryan Johnson’s fortune began with Braintree, the payment processing platform he founded in 2007. As an entrepreneur, Johnson had tried his hand at other ventures before, but none had taken off. It was Braintree that became his big break. The company initially started out as a way to simplify mobile and online payments for businesses, particularly in the e-commerce space. However, it wasn’t long before Braintree grew into a huge success, thanks to its ability to cater to the mobile payment demand.

By 2011, Braintree was on a steep upward trajectory, growing by over 4,000% in just a few years. That year, the company was ranked 47th on Inc. Magazine’s prestigious list of the 500 fastest-growing companies, and by 2012, it ranked 415th on the same list. The company’s rapid growth was largely thanks to its strong user base and the ability to offer efficient and reliable payment processing for businesses of all sizes.

The real turning point came in 2012 when Braintree made the strategic decision to acquire Venmo, a mobile app that allowed people to send money to friends easily. Venmo, founded by Andrew Kortina and Iqram Magdon-Ismail, was still in its early stages but had already gained traction among users. Braintree saw potential in Venmo’s peer-to-peer money transfer service, and they acquired it for $26.2 million.

This was a key moment for Braintree, as the acquisition of Venmo helped set the stage for the company’s eventual sale to PayPal. In 2013, PayPal bought Braintree (and Venmo) for a staggering $800 million. Bryan Johnson’s share of that deal gave him the financial freedom to embark on new ventures and expand his entrepreneurial empire.

Did Bryan Johnson Create Venmo?

No, Bryan Johnson did not create Venmo. Venmo was founded by Andrew Kortina and Iqram Magdon-Ismail in 2009, long before it was acquired by Braintree in 2012. The story of Venmo’s creation is rooted in the founders’ desire to find a better way to pay for everyday items and services. Initially, the idea was to build a platform that allowed people to send money via text message, which later evolved into the Venmo app that we know today.

At the time, Venmo was still in its early stages, and the app had yet to achieve widespread recognition. However, when Braintree purchased Venmo in 2012, it gained access to the app’s growing user base and added new features that made it even more appealing to consumers. Venmo quickly grew into one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment services, particularly among younger consumers who were looking for a quick, easy way to transfer money to their friends.

While Johnson didn’t create Venmo, his acquisition of the company was a pivotal moment in both Braintree’s and Venmo’s success. After the acquisition, Venmo’s user base exploded, and it played a key role in helping Braintree secure its eventual sale to PayPal. Venmo’s success became a driving force behind Johnson’s fortune.

From Payments to Biotech: Johnson’s Other Ventures

After selling Braintree to PayPal for $800 million, Bryan Johnson could have easily retired, but that was never his style. His passion for innovation and his desire to make a lasting impact on the world drove him to invest in other ventures.

In 2014, Johnson founded OS Fund, a venture capital firm with a focus on funding groundbreaking technology companies in the early stages of development. The OS Fund’s mission is to support entrepreneurs who are working on projects with the potential to change the world, particularly in fields such as artificial intelligence, biotech, and space exploration.

Some of the companies OS Fund has backed include Atomwise, a company using artificial intelligence to discover new drugs, and Ginkgo Bioworks, a biotech company focused on engineering microbes for industrial applications. Through OS Fund, Johnson has invested in some of the most innovative companies in the tech and biotech sectors.

But Johnson didn’t stop there. In 2016, he founded Kernel, a neurotechnology company focused on developing hardware to measure and interact with brain signals. Kernel’s goal is to revolutionise the way we understand the brain and treat neurological conditions. The company is working on technologies that can detect brain activity in real-time and use that data to develop treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and other mental health disorders.

Johnson’s commitment to Kernel is enormous, having invested $154 million of his own money into the company. Kernel has raised an additional $53 million from outside investors and continues to push the boundaries of neurotechnology. With its innovative approach to brain health, Kernel has the potential to transform the healthcare industry.

Related: The Quest for Immortality: Inside Bryan Johnson’s Mission to Live Forever

Blueprint: Johnson’s Anti-Aging Quest

Bryan Johnson’s latest venture, Blueprint, has garnered significant attention in recent years. In 2021, Johnson launched Blueprint with the goal of reversing the aging process of his organs. Yes, you read that correctly—he’s attempting to make himself biologically younger. Blueprint aims to measure the biological age of Johnson’s 70 organs and then find ways to reverse the aging process by using advanced medical techniques, supplements, and lifestyle changes.

This project is a clear extension of Johnson’s obsession with longevity and anti-aging, but it also reflects his broader desire to understand and unlock the full potential of the human body. By documenting his efforts to reverse the aging process and sharing his findings with the world, Johnson hopes to offer others the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.

What’s Next for Bryan Johnson?

Bryan Johnson is a man constantly looking toward the future. From his early success with Braintree to his latest efforts in biotech and anti-aging, he has proven time and again that he is not afraid to challenge the status quo and push boundaries. Whether it’s through OS Fund, Kernel, or Blueprint, Johnson is committed to making a lasting impact on both the business world and human health.

As for his fortune, it’s safe to say that Bryan Johnson’s net worth is only set to grow as his ventures continue to thrive. While his wealth may have started with a successful exit from Braintree, Johnson’s diverse investments in biotech, neurotechnology, and longevity research suggest that he’s just getting started.