When Australia revised its drug classifications in 2023 to make psychedelic substances like MDMA and psilocybin legal for treatment of some medical conditions, a new industry was born. Now moving out of clinical trials and studies phase, psychedelic-assisted therapies have shown to be efficacious for patients who were previously struggling with other less-effective mental health treatments.

When Christina Kappil and Jim Brazeal learned of this news from Australia, they didn't hesitate to jump in and put together an Inspiration Grant itinerary to get on the ground and learn how this industry was building itself in real-time. Along the way, they met with clinicians, researchers, investors, and other experts to see what they were learning as they went, with hopes that this live-saving treatment could soon make its way to places like the U.S. and expand to help as many people as possible.

This is their Inspiration Grant story.

To register for this year's Business of Psychedelic Therapies Conference on Saturday, May 18, 2024 in downtown Chicago, visit our event registration page here. 

Learn more about the Levy Inspiration Grant Program on the program's webpage here: https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/academics-research/entrepreneurship/levy-inspiration-grants

Learn more about the Entrepreneurship at Kellogg program at kell.gg/entrepreneurship.

Produced, written and edited by Tyler Seybold

Hosted by Tyler Seybold

Special thanks to our featured students, Christina Kappil and Jim Brazeal

Background music by Blue Dot Sessions