DALLAS & FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Satori Capital, a multi-strategy investment firm founded on the principles of conscious capitalism, announced today the launch of a new business focused on transformational companies developing innovative solutions for mental health.
Satori Neuro targets companies developing breakthrough treatments and disruptive business models to address the world’s most critical mental health challenges. Supporting this kind of innovation aligns directly with Satori’s purpose: To create, fund, and inspire businesses that elevate humanity.
“We have spent a significant amount of time and resources over the last several years evaluating mental-health-related opportunities,” said James Haddaway, chief investment officer and managing partner of Satori Alpha. “Because we believe so strongly in the tremendous potential of these innovative solutions, we decided that if we could find the ideal chief investment officer to lead a focused strategy, we would explore it ourselves.”
In seeking that ideal leader, Satori’s principals focused on key qualities they believe to be necessary for success in this cutting-edge sector. This chief investment officer would need not only an outstanding scientific and operating background, but also deep connections to entrepreneurs and business leaders, as well as the ability to serve as a trusted and value-added partner to the strategy’s portfolio companies. Satori also sought a proven leader who would strongly align with Satori’s purpose and core values.
A widespread search led to just such a leader: Dr. Amy Kruse. Dr. Kruse has more than 20 years of experience in science, technology, and innovation, with a special focus on neurotechnology and human performance. She is a former general partner at Prime Movers Lab, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage scientific-driven startups developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Previously, she served as Chief Scientific Officer of applied neuroscience research company Optios, and she has prior experience as Chief Technology Officer of Cubic Global Defense and as a Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Kruse has both a Bachelor of Science in cell and structural biology and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“Amy’s experience and subject matter expertise, as well as her impressive professional background, position her ideally to lead this innovative neuroscience and mental-health-related strategy,” said Satori co-founder and managing partner Randy Eisenman. “Along with our principals’ operating experience in building and managing successful companies, we believe Amy’s unique expertise, experience, and relationships give us a distinct advantage in recognizing the most promising and innovative businesses in the sector.”
Satori’s assessment of Dr. Kruse’s preeminence in her field is echoed by entrepreneurs and business leaders she has worked with in her previous roles, including Dr. Jonathan Sporn, CEO of Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotech company developing novel medicines that harness the therapeutic promise of psychedelics to revolutionize the treatment of mental illness.
“Amy is the ideal collaborator, both as an investor and a thought partner,” said Sporn. “She has played a key role in the success of our company, Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals. Amy is one of the most dynamic people I have worked with in my career, and she brings that energy to her work in venture investing through every interaction. She is scientifically astute, practical, and remarkably connected – any company would be lucky to have her involved.”
Under Dr. Kruse’s direction, Satori Neuro will seek out opportunities to address the largest mental health, brain health, and wellness challenges and opportunities. The innovative therapeutics involved include a wide range of treatment approaches, from psychedelic medicine and transcranial magnetic stimulation to virtual/augmented reality protocols and non-invasive brainwave devices, all designed to provide solutions for challenges such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction and substance abuse, neurological disorders, and more.
“This is a thrilling time for neuroscience and brain health,” said Dr. Kruse. “We have learned more about the human brain in the last five years than we previously learned in the last 50 – and that knowledge is rapidly transforming into real-world applications that hold the promise of completely transforming our approach to mental health challenges we’ve struggled with throughout human history. I think of these innovations as the future of human flourishing, and I’m delighted to be partnering with a purpose-driven firm like Satori in supporting companies developing breakthrough treatments and new business models.”
About Satori Capital
Satori Capital is a Texas-based multi-strategy investment firm founded upon the principles of conscious capitalism. The firm’s purpose is to create, fund, and inspire businesses that elevate humanity. Satori’s private equity business partners via majority and minority investments with leadership teams of companies with $5 million to $50 million of EBITDA that operate with a long-term perspective, commit to their mission or purpose, and create value for all stakeholders. Satori’s alternatives investment platform, Satori Alpha, creates and manages customized portfolios designed to meet the unique objectives of sophisticated private investors, family offices, and institutions. Through its Satori XL Partnership Program, Satori partners with managers that it believes are highly skilled at generating sustainable alpha and would benefit from Satori’s experience, relationships, and resources, all in support of building thriving and enduring businesses. Satori Environmental invests in securities impacted by the global energy sector’s shift toward more renewable sources. For additional information, please visit www.satoricapital.com.
