Neo Kuma Ventures
Neo Kuma Ventures is a London-based, FCA-authorised venture capital fund investing £150k–£1m in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies worldwide, with a European tilt across compounds, clinics, digital therapeutics and platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Neo Kuma Ventures does
Neo Kuma Ventures LLP is a London-based venture capital fund launched in 2019 by Clara Burtenshaw and Sean McLintock as the UK's first dedicated vehicle focused exclusively on psychedelic healthcare. The fund invests at Pre-Seed to Series A stages with ticket sizes of £150k to £1m, deploying globally with a stated European tilt across four verticals: psychedelic compounds, clinics and care delivery, digital therapeutics, and platforms. As of public disclosure, the portfolio comprises approximately 13 companies including ATAI Life Sciences, Beckley Psytech, Bright Minds Biosciences, Small Pharma, Awakn Lifesciences, Journey Clinical, Wavepaths, Tripp, Sana Health, Monument Therapeutics, Kanna Health and Neurocentrx.
The business model is that of an early-stage venture fund: the firm raises capital from LPs into an open-ended fund vehicle, takes equity stakes in portfolio companies, and derives economic return from exit-driven realisations and, where applicable, carry. Distribution relies on direct sourcing and the firm's network within the psychedelic research and policy ecosystem. Neo Kuma Ventures LLP operates as an Appointed Representative of The Fund Incubator Limited under FCA regulation (FRN 208716). The firm is also a thought-leadership participant in the sector, working with partners such as Drug Science, the International Therapeutic Psilocybin Rescheduling Initiative and the Beckley Foundation to shape UK and European psychedelic policy.
Operationally, the firm is small (1–10 employees) and run from a Covent Garden office, supplemented by an advisory board including figures with backgrounds at BlackRock, Slaughter and May, Utrecht University and Outsized Ventures. Differentiators cited by the firm include its specialist focus, sector relationships of 15 years, and an ecosystem model that provides operational support to founders alongside capital.
Neo Kuma Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Neo Kuma Ventures
- Legal name
- Neo Kuma Ventures LLP
- Website
- https://neokuma.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Neo Kuma Ventures is a London-based, FCA-authorised venture capital fund investing £150k–£1m in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies worldwide, with a European tilt across compounds, clinics, digital therapeutics and platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Neo Kuma Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital / Psychedelic Healthcare Investment
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthcare & Life Sciences Growth Equity (FSANACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Healthcare Access & Life Sciences Impact Funds (FSANAJAI)
Keywords
Where Neo Kuma Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Neo Kuma Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Venture Capital Returns: Neo Kuma Ventures generates returns through equity investments in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies. As a venture capital fund, they acquire ownership stakes in portfolio companies and benefit from their growth and eventual exits through IPOs or acquisitions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Average ticket size: £150k - £1m |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Neo Kuma Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Neo Kuma Ventures is a UK-based venture capital fund that invests in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies at Pre-Seed to Series A stages, with average ticket sizes of £150k to £1m. The fund deploys equity capital across four categories — psychedelic compounds, clinics and care delivery, digital therapeutics, and platforms — and provides operational support alongside capital. Portfolio includes ATAI Life Sciences, Beckley Psytech, Bright Minds, Small Pharma, Awakn Lifesciences, Journey Clinical, Wavepaths, Sana Health, Monument Therapeutics, Tripp, Neurocentrx, Kanna Health, and Group 45.
Product overview
Neo Kuma Ventures is a single venture capital fund focused exclusively on psychedelic healthcare investments. The fund deploys capital in early-stage companies (Pre-Seed to Series A) with ticket sizes of £150k to £1m, investing across four main categories: psychedelic compounds, clinics and care delivery, digital therapeutics and platforms. The portfolio includes investments in Atai Lifescience, Beckley Psytech, Bright Minds, Kanna Health, Small Pharma, Journey Clinical, Wavepaths, Awakn Lifesciences, Sana Health, Monument Therapeutics, Tripp, Neurocentrx, and Group 45.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Neo Kuma Venture Capital Fund A UK-based venture capital fund exclusively focused on investing in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies, deploying equity tickets of £150k to £1m at Pre-Seed to Series A stages across compounds, clinics and care delivery, digital therapeutics, and platforms. Targeted at science-led founders developing treatments for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health conditions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Mental health market set to cost $16 trillion by 2030 according to Lancet Commission
Companies that use Neo Kuma Ventures
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Neo Kuma Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Neo Kuma Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Drug SciencecoreNeo Kuma Ventures actively works with Drug Science in shaping psychedelic drug policy. Drug Science is a leading organization in psychedelic research advocacy and evidence-based policy development.
- International Therapeutic Psilocybin Rescheduling InitiativecoreNeo Kuma's co-founder Clara Burtenshaw serves as board advisor to this initiative focused on rescheduling psilocybin for therapeutic use. Partnership involves active involvement in shaping policy.
- Beckley FoundationcoreLong-standing relationship with Beckley Foundation, a UK-based think-tank and UN-accredited NGO pioneering psychedelic research since 1998. Beckley Psytech, a portfolio company, has close links with the Foundation.
- MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)minorListed as a partner organization in the psychedelic research ecosystem. MAPS is a not-for-profit organization conducting MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research.
- NORMLminorListed as a partner organization. NORML advocates for marijuana and psychedelic reform in the US.
- NIERIKAminorListed as a partner organization. NIERIKA is involved in psychedelic research and education.
- Open FoundationminorListed as a partner organization. Open Foundation is a Netherlands-based organization focused on psychedelic research and education.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Neo Kuma Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bail Capital: Bail Capital is a psychedelic-focused venture fund investing across drug development, clinics and digital therapeutics — a thematic peer targeting overlapping sub-sectors of the psychedelic healthcare stack.
- Negev Capital: Negev Capital is a psychedelic and cannabis-focused VC fund deploying into early-stage therapeutic and infrastructure companies — the closest comparable sector-specialist fund to Neo Kuma.
- Outsized Ventures: Outsized Ventures is a human-health early-stage VC whose GPs (Isabel Fox, Lomax Ward) sit on Neo Kuma's advisory board; both funds source and back science-led life sciences companies at seed to Series A.
- White Cloud Capital: White Cloud Capital is a life sciences and healthcare early-stage investor; the same individuals (Fox, Ward) ran its VC arm before founding Outsized and now advise Neo Kuma — directly comparable stage, sector and ticket range.
- PsyMed Ventures: PsyMed Ventures is an early-stage venture fund exclusively focused on psychedelic medicines and mental health, investing across compounds and clinics — directly overlapping Neo Kuma's mandate and ticket size range.
Emerging players
- Compass Pathways: Compass Pathways is a clinical-stage psilocybin therapy developer and one of the bellwether public-market psychedelic biotechs — relevant as a comparable deal-flow, valuation and exit benchmark for Neo Kuma's portfolio companies.
- MindMed: MindMed is a psychedelic-inspired CNS therapeutics developer listed publicly, operating in the same therapeutic and compound-development adjacencies that Neo Kuma funds; serves as an exit-pathway reference point for portfolio companies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Neo Kuma Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceNeo Kuma Ventures compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Neo Kuma Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Neo Kuma Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Neo Kuma Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Neo Kuma Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments8 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Neo Kuma Ventures
What does Neo Kuma Ventures do?
Neo Kuma Ventures is a UK-based venture capital fund that invests in early-stage psychedelic healthcare companies at Pre-Seed to Series A stages, with average ticket sizes of £150k to £1m. The fund deploys equity capital across four categories — psychedelic compounds, clinics and care delivery, digital therapeutics, and platforms — and provides operational support alongside capital. Portfolio includes ATAI Life Sciences, Beckley Psytech, Bright Minds, Small Pharma, Awakn Lifesciences, Journey Clinical, Wavepaths, Sana Health, Monument Therapeutics, Tripp, Neurocentrx, Kanna Health, and Group 45.
Is Neo Kuma Ventures a public or private company?
Neo Kuma Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Neo Kuma Ventures founded?
Neo Kuma Ventures was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Neo Kuma Ventures based?
Neo Kuma Ventures is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Neo Kuma Ventures make money?
One revenue line is on record: venture Capital Returns.
Who are Neo Kuma Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bail Capital, Negev Capital, Outsized Ventures, White Cloud Capital and PsyMed Ventures. Emerging players are Compass Pathways and MindMed.
Does Neo Kuma Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Neo Kuma Ventures.
What industry is Neo Kuma Ventures in?
Neo Kuma Ventures's product category is Venture Capital / Psychedelic Healthcare Investment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAB, Healthcare & Life Sciences Growth Equity, with a secondary code of FSANAJAI, Healthcare Access & Life Sciences Impact Funds. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.