Episode 10: Matias Serebrinsky talks frontier brain and mental health VC investing
What makes an emerging technology bold enough and a founder exceptional enough to justify taking an early-stage risk? In this episode of The Business of Neurotech, Adam Fraser sits down with Matias Serebrinsky, Founding Partner at PsyMed Ventures, a specialist venture capital fund investing in frontier brain and mental health technologies. Matias brings a dual perspective as both a former startup founder and an early-stage investor who previously supported AI companies during a pivotal period in the industry’s growth. In this conversation, he reflects on how breakthrough technologies move from research labs into real-world products and what it takes for scientific drive to become a venture-scale company. They also discuss the evolution of neurotechnology as an investment category, the realities of backing high-risk frontier science, and how PsyMed assesses early-stage opportunities across brain-computer interfaces, neuromodulation, mental health innovation and more. Tune in for an investor’s view of the people and technologies driving frontier neuro forward.
Key Points From This Episode:
[01:15] Explore Matias’ journey from startup founder and NVIDIA to neuro investing.
[05:37] Uncover the three qualities PsyMed looks for in an early-stage investment.
[06:54] Explore Matias’ broad definition of neurotech and the market behind it.
[08:30] He shares PsyMed’s approach to investing early and supporting founders.
[12:55] Whether specialist and generalist funds will grow as more investors join.
[15:35] Consider what major exits could mean for neurotech’s investment appeal.
[18:54] Learn which opportunities are currently capturing PsyMed’s attention.
[22:18] Hear about a BCI company taking a different path to developing neurotech.
[28:34] Discover the role capital plays in turning science into a successful company.
[30:58] Unpack the different hardware approaches to neuromodulation.
[34:15] Understand what changes when a wellness product enters medical territory.
[36:28] Matias’ advice for researchers considering the startup journey.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: