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

Ever since his experience in fintech at one of Africa's largest telecom companies, Yanju Folarin has been on a mission to increase financial inclusion in West Africa. To further investigate mobile money as a tool for increasing financial access, Yanju traveled to Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin to visit the hubs of financial activity in each location: the marketplaces. While there, he spoke with mobile money agents and the people that use their servcies in an attempt uncover any opportunities that could help unbanked people access financial tools that can help better their lives.

This is his Inspiration Grant story.

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 student, Yanju Folarin

Background music by Blue Dot Sessions

Luna Yamashita and Aman Vijay began their friendship journey as neighbors. Little did they know that some time later, they’d be halfway across the world doing hands-on research together. Both share a deep passion for mental health and wellbeing, but when they also connected over their desire to support underserved populations in developing countries, their entrepreneurship journey began its course. This collective passion led them to travel to Kenya to investigate the country’s mental health needs, centered around an employee wellbeing app idea that they had been dreaming up. Along the way, their initial assumptions were tested and challenged, leading to unexpected learnings on their journey.

This is their Inspiration Grant story.

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 Luna Yamashita and Aman Vijay

Background music by Blue Dot Sessions