What Beckley Foundation does

The Beckley Foundation is a UK-registered non-profit charity (SC033546) founded in 1998 by Amanda Feilding, headquartered at Beckley Park, Oxford. Its scientific programme initiates, designs, and conducts research into the effects of psychoactive substances on the brain, with a particular focus on psychedelic compounds including LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca/DMT, MDMA, and cannabis. The foundation's core technology stack combines neuroimaging modalities — fMRI, MEG, and optogenetic electrophysiology — with clinical trial design and novel research methodologies such as self-blinded microdosing surveys. It runs its flagship work through a long-standing partnership with Imperial College London (the Beckley/Imperial Research Programme, co-founded with Prof David Nutt in 2008), and maintains a network of more than 15 named university collaborations spanning the UK, continental Europe, the US, the Caribbean, and Brazil.

The foundation has produced over 35 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals including PNAS, Nature, Lancet Psychiatry, and Current Biology, including the world's first brain imaging study of the human brain on LSD (published 2016) and pioneering psilocybin trials for treatment-resistant depression showing 67% of patients in remission one week post-treatment. Its second core activity is drug policy reform advocacy: it has published major policy reports (Roadmaps to Regulation, Global Cannabis Commission), orchestrated open letters signed by world leaders and Nobel laureates, and holds a flagship advisory role with the Jamaican government on national cannabis regulation.

The business model is donation-funded non-profit: the foundation states that 'our ground-breaking work relies entirely on donations.' It currently reports paused receipt of donations. It does not sell products or services commercially; revenue derives from individual donations, crowdfunding, and research grants (e.g., a UK Medical Research Council grant for a Phase I psilocybin trial). Commercial activities bearing the Beckley name (Beckley Retreats, Beckley Psytech) operate as separate legal entities and are not part of the foundation itself. The foundation's customer base, in the conventional sense, is global and distributed across 40+ donor countries, with a small number of episodic government advisory relationships.

Name

Beckley Foundation

Legal name

Beckley Foundation

Website

https://beckleyfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Beckley Foundation is a UK non-profit (founded 1998) that initiates and funds psychedelic neuroimaging and clinical research in collaboration with leading universities, while advocating for evidence-based drug policy reform globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research and Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Psychedelic research
• Drug policy reform
• Neuroimaging studies
• Clinical trials
• Cannabis regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Beckley Foundation initiates, designs, and conducts scientific research into the effects of psychoactive substances on the brain and consciousness, using neuroimaging technologies such as fMRI and MEG. It develops therapeutic protocols for treatment-resistant mental health conditions involving psilocybin and other psychedelics, and produces evidence-based drug policy analysis for governments and international bodies.

Product overview

The Beckley Foundation is a UK-based non-profit charitable organization (registered SC033546) focused on psychedelic research and drug policy reform. The foundation does not offer commercial products or services. Its activities include conducting and funding scientific research into psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, cannabis), publishing research findings, advocating for drug policy reform, hosting conferences and events, and providing educational resources through its website, podcasts, newsletters, and publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beckley/Imperial Psychedelic Research Programme
• Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy Protocol

Quantifiable outcome

• 67% of treatment-resistant depression patients achieved complete remission one week after psilocybin treatment, with 42% remaining depression-free after 3 months (patients had suffered from depression for average of 18 years)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship and minor.

• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Co-founded the Beckley/Imperial Psychedelic Research Programme with Prof David Nutt in 2008. This flagship collaboration has produced world-first neuroimaging studies including the first brain imaging study of LSD and pioneering psilocybin clinical trials for treatment-resistant depression. The programme has resulted in over 35 publications in high-impact journals.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitial collaboration began with Prof David Nutt at University of Bristol in 2005 before he moved to Imperial College London. Research focused on cannabis and psychedelics.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with UCL on cannabis research, including comparing effects of different cannabis strains with varying THC/CBD ratios using brain imaging technology. Also working on Jamaican cannabis research with University of the West Indies.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a key collaboration partner in psychedelic research within the foundation's network of leading research institutions.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a key collaboration partner in psychedelic research within the foundation's network of leading research institutions.
• Beckley/Sant Pau Research Programme (Barcelona)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Dr Jordi Riba focusing on ayahuasca research. This programme discovered that ayahuasca alkaloids stimulate neurogenesis in neural stem cells.
• MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Psychedelic Science 2017 conference in Oakland, California together with MAPS. This major international scientific conference brought together the international psychedelic research community.
• Jamaican Ministry of JusticeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmanda Feilding was invited by Minister Mark Golding in 2015 to advise the Ministry of Justice on formation of balanced policies for cannabis industry regulation in Jamaica. This advisory role has shaped Jamaica's pioneering approach to cannabis regulation.
• Jamaican Ministry of Industry, Investment & CommerceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Ministry on the conference 'Jamaica's Regulated Cannabis Industry: First Steps' and ongoing advisory work on developing cannabis regulation frameworks.
• University of the West IndiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration planned for investigating biochemical composition of Jamaican cannabis landrace strains and identification of strains with optimal medical benefits.
• Cannabis Licensing Authority (Jamaica)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with Jamaica's Cannabis Licensing Authority as part of advisory work on developing the regulated cannabis industry framework.
• Exeter UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Cardiff UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Freiburg UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Hannover Medical SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Beckley/Sechenov Institute Research Programme (Russia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Medical Office for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, SolothurnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Madrid Computense UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Maastricht University (Beckley/Maastricht Research Programme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Beckley/Brazil Research ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Ethnobotanicals Research ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions focusing on ethnobotanical substances.
• ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a collaboration partner in the Beckley Foundation's network of research institutions.
• Harvard Law SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Charles Nesson from Harvard Law participated in the Beckley Foundation delegation to UNGASS and conducted interviews on drug policy issues.
• Walacea.comminorOthersCrowdfunding platform used for the world-first LSD brain imaging study campaign in 2015, raising £25,000 in 45 days.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heffter Research Institute: US-based non-profit funding psychedelic (especially psilocybin) research at academic institutions. Directly comparable funder/research-catalyst role within the psychedelic ecosystem.
• MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies): US-based non-profit conducting psychedelic clinical research and drug policy advocacy. Direct peer on both research (psychedelic-assisted therapy, MDMA for PTSD) and policy reform dimensions, and an existing Beckley co-host of Psychedelic Science 2017.
• Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research: Academic psychedelic research centre that is a listed Beckley partner and produces parallel psilocybin clinical trials. Comparable scope (psilocybin for depression, addiction, smoking cessation) and publication output.
• Imperial College Centre for Psychedelic Research: Co-hosts the flagship Beckley/Imperial Research Programme; conducts neuroimaging and clinical psychedelic studies with the same principal investigators (Nutt, Carhart-Harris). Operationally the most overlapping peer.
• Usona Institute: Non-profit psychedelic research sponsor focused on psilocybin for major depressive disorder. Comparable mission, non-profit structure, and clinical trial sponsorship model.
• International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC): Global network of NGOs working on drug policy reform. Closely aligned on the policy-advocacy dimension of Beckley's mission and a frequent collaborator at UN and government forums.

Emerging players

• Drug Science: UK-based independent scientific body chaired by Prof David Nutt (Beckley's principal collaborator). Closely adjacent on drug science and policy reform, with overlapping scientific leadership.
• Beckley Psytech: Commercial psychedelic medicine company spun out of the Beckley ecosystem, led by Cosmo Fielding Mellen (Amanda Feilding's son). Operationalises psychedelic research into commercial drug development — adjacent mission, separate legal entity.

Broad incumbents

• Compass Pathways: Publicly listed psychedelic therapy company developing psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Comparable clinical target; operates at substantially larger commercial scale than Beckley's research programmes.
• MindMed: Publicly listed psychedelic and digital therapeutic company developing LSD, MDMA, and DMT-based therapies. Competes for talent, partnerships, and policy influence in the same research domain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BeckleyResearch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/beckleyvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/thebeckleyfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/beckleyresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-beckley-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Beckley Foundation