Kenetik Cofounder & Polymath Devon Price On Ketones: The Life Saving Super Fuel for Your Brain

As we put together this year’s SXSW panel, Chris Anderson at investment bank pHpartners recommended Devon Price from Kenetik.

Over a short call, Devon convinced me of his expertise in not just endurance nutrition but also brain activity and longevity. Ketones are a naturally occurring source of energy the body creates when it lacks nutrition, for the periods our ancient ancestors spent basically starving in between meals. Present day humans do not actively produce ketones, but Devon points out that they’re wildly efficient because they bypass typical metabolic processes that tax our system and eventually breakdown. Ketones are fast tracked to your brain when it can’t access other energy sources, which explains why it addresses brain ailments and other rare deficiencies, and as we learn on the show, has the power to save lives. 

On the athlete side, we talk about how ketones enhance mental acuity and stamina, which has material impacts on performance and even recovery.

Devon’s 30min spiel made quite an impression, and he graciously agreed to fly in from Baltimore for the panel, our investor lunch, and this studio interview. If you weren’t already sold - Devon’s resume is just absurd. He wanted to be a musician then found himself at Berkeley studying mechanical engineering which led to programming satellites, then an MIT MBA in organizational management to tackle the healthcare industry. 

And we only found out at the panel that somewhere in there he worked at a bike shop. I think you’ll enjoy our discussion.