Biopunk isn’t just an aesthetic - it’s a way of life.
Traditionally, 'biopunk' comes from sci-fi: a world where biology becomes programmable, and individuals rebel against institutions controlling it.
But in real life, it’s evolving into something much more important:
1. Taking biotech out of gated institutions and putting it in the hands of builders
2. Treating biology like software - something you can experiment with, iterate on, and ship
3. Challenging the idea that discovery only happens in billion-dollar labs
At its core, biopunk = open access + rebellion + real-world impact
Biopunk House is not just a place to live. It’s an environment engineered for creation.
1. A 20-person
live-in founder house in San Francisco. 100% biotech 24/7
2. Direct access to a real
wet lab space (BSL-1,
equipment list here)
3. A dense
network of top VCs, serial bio entrepreneurs, curated mentors, and operators
4. Weekly salons, workshops, biotech startup and lab tours, and late night coworking sessions
5. A culture that prioritizes good companies and good science over credentials
Structurally, you get proximity to lab infrastructure, other obsessive builders, and constant feedback loops to bring your idea from 0 --> 1.
If this sounds exciting to you, you'll feel right at home here.
This summer, we're running it again, this time with an
all-female founder cohortWe want to back more women (and gender minorities) building in biotech and give them an environment where they can move faster, think bigger, and do more.
You’re working on something in biotech (or very ready to start).
You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you should be serious about building and want to use this time to make real progress.
1. Advancing a therapeutic or platform
2. Running experiments or validating a core idea
3. Finding a cofounder or early team
4. Getting your first customers, LOIs, partners, or data
This is not a passive program. People are working every day. You'll join this environment too.
Location: Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
Timeline: June 1 - August 15, 2026
Format: Live-in full-time, spots limited to 20 residents
Cost: Rent ranges ~$1800 (shared room) up to ~$2200 (single room). Cost of Frontier Tower lab access included.
House:
- 15 bedrooms (4 shared, 11 single), 15 bathrooms (12 toilets, 9 showers)
- Located in Nob Hill, ~12 minute walk from wet lab
- In-house laundry (3 washers, 3 dryers) - detergent included
- Each person receives: personal desk (in room), towels, full bedding/sheet set, pillow, trash bin, laundry hamper, clothing hangers
- In-house communal coworking space (open desks) and pool table/event hosting space
- Kitchen: 6 refrigerators, 2 stovetops (8 burners), 2 ovens, microwave, toaster, electric kettle, dishwasher, Breville espresso machine, pour-over coffee, air fryer, blender, fully stocked with utensils, pots/pans and kitchenware.
- Weekly professional cleaners
- All other cleaning supplies included
TL;DR: all you need to bring is your clothes, toiletries, electronics, and good energy :)
Program:
- June 1-8: move-in
- June 22-26:
Deep Tech Week (SF) &
BIO International Convention (San Diego)
- June 25-26: house
orientation & onboarding, lab tour, safety protocols, company-building workshops, team bonding activities
- July 18-25:
Human Enhancement Hackathon (week-long builder sprint) - great judging opportunity!
- August 8-10:
Biopunk Demo Day, "Unconference"
-
Biweekly excursions: tourist attractions, company/lab "field trips," wellness events, bonfires, hiking, Biopunk raves (e.g. Bryan Johnson Rave, March 2026;
Peptide Rave, January 2026), etc.
-
Weekly Tuesday dinners with VCs & prominent biotech founders. Previous guests include:
Lucas Harrington (Cofounder,
Mammoth Biosciences; Cofounder,
Preventive),
Danielle Strachman (Founder,
1517 Fund),
Ron Alfa (CEO,
Noetik AI),
Matt Krisiloff (CEO,
Conception; Cofounder,
SciFounders Fund),
Jeremy Greeter (
Berkeley National Lab). Biotech investors from
Boost VC,
2048 VC,
SOSV,
Compound VC,
Pioneer Fund,
Pear VC,
Pareto Holdings,
Moonfire VC,
Nova Global, and more.
-
Perks: 50% off
Stripe Atlas Incorporation, preferential rates/deferred fees with
Orrick,
1:1 legal coaching with Orrick (business & IP), access to Biopunk Sprint resources (e.g. investor database), and more.
Cofounders: Cofounding teams are welcome to apply together and encouraged to share rooms. Reach out to
roxana@biopunk.house with specific cofounder living arrangement questions.
Visa: Most of our international residents are on a
3-month ESTA, we encourage you to begin this process as soon as possible. We are happy to provide visa letters of support if helpful (email:
roxana@biopunk.house)
See
website for full list of FAQs and
lab equipment.
It takes a village. Thank you to
Orrick, Biopunk Community Lab, Frontier Tower for supporting this project and helping keep rates affordable and equipment accessible for early-stage founders.
OrrickOrrick is a tech-focused law firm passionate about helping entrepreneurs, innovators and investors push boundaries. Through its extensive client portfolio, deal volume, and relationships in the ecosystem, Orrick provides commercial insight to each client’s strategy. With one of the world’s most active venture practices, Orrick represents 4,000+ startups and 300+ VC funds worldwide, offering a holistic suite of services from financing and IP to policy advocacy. Explore
Orrick's Tech Studio suite of services & resources to help you scale your business. Contact
Andy Bloom (abloom@orrick.com).
We keep it short and sweet. This application should take ~30 minutes.
1. Written application
Tell us what you’re building (or want to build), why it matters, and how you think.
2. 30-minute interview
Select applicants will be invited to a short call with us. This is a real conversation - we want to understand how you work, how you think, and what you’d do with this environment.
3. Final decisions
Decisions will be sent out on a rolling basis, no later than May 15, 2026
Questions? Random bio memes? Send to
