Simeon Schnapper is the Founding Partner of JLS, a pioneering plant medicine venture fund, and is widely recognized as the first psychedelic venture capitalist. With over 30 years of immersion in the field, Schnapper bridges the gap between ancient indigenous wisdom and the modern medicalized industry. His foundation in the space began as a mentee of pioneers Dr. Robert E.L. Masters and Jean Houston, eventually leading him to the Amazon to work with ayahuasqueros and to Gabon, where he was initiated into Bwiti.
As President of the Hinman Foundation, Schnapper directed humanitarian and cultural initiatives across Tibet, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. He oversaw critical grants researching the cognitive effects of peyote and the use of hallucinogens for treating substance dependence. His leadership continues at the intersection of investment, advocacy, and diplomacy; he is an early supporter of Americans for Ibogaine, championing research and policy innovation, and serves as an investor and advisor to Reset Health, founded by Stéphane Lasme.
A true pioneer of the “end of prohibition,” Schnapper co-founded the High Art Collective in 2008—the world’s first psychedelic art gallery and cannabis dispensary. Today, he leverages his deep-rooted expertise to navigate the complex regulatory and venture landscape of the psychedelic renaissance.