Google co-founder Sergey Brin is funding the development of a hallucinogen derived from a rainforest shrub as a potential mental health treatment, marking a significant venture into the emerging psychedelics field.

Brin’s investment vehicle, Catalyst4, which was established with proceeds from his 2021 sale of Tesla shares, has pledged approximately $15 million of a $25 million funding round for the psychedelic start-up Soneira. The biotech firm is initiating clinical trials to explore ibogaine, a shrub native to West Africa, as a treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Ibogaine, known for its mind-altering effects, has been used in spiritual rituals by tribes in Gabon and is gaining interest among Western mental health researchers and psychedelic advocates.

Earlier this year, a Stanford University study funded by Brin’s charitable foundation showed that ibogaine therapy improved mental health and cognitive function in 30 U.S. military veterans with TBI. Soneira, advised by Stanford psychiatrist Nolan Williams who contributed to the study, is also investigating how ibogaine can be used alongside heart medications to reduce the risk of severe cardiac arrhythmia. Additionally, the company is working on a synthetic version of the compound and plans to start early-stage clinical trials with the new funding.

Brin’s investment reflects a broader trend in Silicon Valley, where there is growing interest in psychedelics both as personal treatments and investment opportunities. Catalyst4 was funded by the $366 million Brin received from selling his Tesla shares.

Other notable figures in tech, such as Tesla founder Elon Musk, who has discussed using ketamine for depression, and billionaire investor Peter Thiel, an early supporter of Atai Life Sciences—a biotech firm researching psychedelic treatments—highlight the sector's rising prominence. According to PitchBook, nearly $180 million has been invested in psychedelic biotechs this year alone, with the sector reaching a record investment high of $528 million in 2021.

Through the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has invested hundreds of millions in research on neurodegenerative and psychological conditions. Brin, who ranks as the world’s seventh-richest person according to Forbes, learned in 2004 that he carries a genetic mutation that increases his risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Catalyst4, which had $430 million in assets at the end of 2022, focuses on investing in innovative treatments for neurological disorders and technologies to address climate change, as noted in its tax-exempt status filing with the IRS. A board member of Catalyst4 is also affiliated with Brin’s family office, Bayshore Global Management, one of the largest family offices globally with assets exceeding $100 billion.

Several other investors are also considering backing Soneira. These include Helena Special Investments, known for its role in Lykos Therapeutics—which is awaiting regulatory approval for MDMA as a PTSD treatment—and LifeForce Capital, a digital health investment firm. Soneira's funding round is expected to finalize after the summer.