65: Simeon Schnapper on Researching & Investing in Psychedelic & Alternative Medicines

We are delighted to host Simeon Schnapper on the Mangu.tv podcast series. 

Simeon’s passion and expertise span over 30 years in the fields of research, philanthropy advocacy, policy, and criminal justice reform in the science of psychedelics. He provides valuable guidance to various organisations including nonprofit, psychedelic and impact start-ups, family offices as of states and several newly formed governments. He co-founded the GLS fund, groundbreaking venture capital in this field, and spearheaded the world’s inaugural psychedelic investment summit at the start of the decade. Recipient of the MacArthur Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he’s an Aspen Institute fellow. While embracing a global outlook of impact and when not living on aeroplanes, visiting portfolio companies, he spends his time between Manhattan, Montenegro and Western Central Africa. 

Simeon speaks about his upbringing, his parent’s work with Peacecore, his childhood in Western Samoa, and later in Chicago. He talks about his teen years, his curiosity in spiritual practices and altered states, as well as his time in Ghana. Simeon discusses his role in opening the first psychedelic art gallery and medical marijuana dispensary in California, and subsequent investments in alternative medicine, as well as philanthropic and holistic endeavours. 

Giancarlo and Simeon discuss the medicalisation of Psychedelics such as Psylocibiin and MDMA as well as the complexities of their use in a Western medicinal context, ways to manage approved drug use to minimalise their abuse as well as informing the global perspective on Psychedelics as medicine.