Calico is an independent health company that launched from Google in 2013. Created to understand the biology that controls life span and aging, Calico acts as a research and development company that focuses on tackling aging and age-related diseases (7). Unlike other Google products such as Google Glass and Driverless Cars that have operated out of Google X, Google intentionally separated Calico from the rest of the Google brand by establishing an entirely new company and office space for the start-up (26). Partnering with companies such as AbbVie in order to enhance their research on pharmaceuticals, Calico hopes to “cure death” by looking at the bigger picture of diseases instead of attempting to solve each disease separately. While Calico’s concept has captured the imagination of many readers, it has stunned even more people because of how much Google has chosen to invest in this company. In September 2014, Google announced a commitment of $1.5 billion towards Calico, which truly proves how committed Google has become to the relationship between technology and healthcare (26).
The Google Empire 