We fund high-quality research examining the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for mental health disorders, along with non-profit initiatives that help lay the foundation for a future integration of these treatments into healthcare.
By mobilising philanthropic capital, offering grants, and facilitating partnerships, Norrsken Mind aims to create the conditions necessary for psychedelic treatments to be rigorously studied, responsibly implemented, and ultimately accessible to patients in need.
Helena Dandenell is the Chair of Norrsken Mind. Helena is a lawyer with a former practice as arbitrator and litigator, currently chairing multiple research foundations. Helena has received several governmental appointments, including as member of the Disciplinary Board of Public Accountants within the Swedish Inspectorate of Auditors, and was formerly a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, Paris.
Mikael Horal began his career as a Medical Doctor at Huddinge Hospital, specialising in paediatrics. He subsequently spent close to a decade working in finance, including as Managing Director for Investor Growth Capital with a focus on investments in early-stage life science companies. He was appointed Head of Fundraising at Karolinska Institutet in 2007, leading the university’s fundraising efforts for more than ten years. Mikael is today the Executive President of Bohemia Properties which owns and operates hotels in the Czech Republic.
Funda Sezgi is co-CEO of Norrsken Foundation, a non-profit founded by Klarna co-founder Niklas Adalberth. Funda previously co-founded the Norrsken Accelerator, an early-stage accelerator program for early-stage impact startups. Since 2016, Norrsken has grown into a global impact ecosystem of 2000+ members and 100+ portfolio companies, five venture capital funds, three Norrsken Houses, and numerous impact-focused events.
Christina Rångemark Åkerman is a Medical Doctor, specialist in Clinical Pharmacology, with extensive experience from the public and private healthcare sector. She served for six years as Director General of the Swedish Medical Products Agency and as board member of the European Medicines Agency. Previously she held positions as Vice President Medical at AstraZeneca Sweden and Marketing Company President at AstraZeneca Philippines. Her focus on the unmet needs of patients led to Boston as President of the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement. Christina is currently a member of Gilde Healthcare’s Impact Council, among other assignments.
Carl Johan Fürst is senior professor of palliative medicine and formerly director of the Institute for Palliative Care at Lund University and Region Skåne. He is a specialist in oncology with extensive clinical and academic experience, having dedicated most of his career to improving care at the last stages of life for patients with incurable cancer. Carl Johan has served as a member of the Ethics Committee of The Swedish Society of Medicine, an expert advisor on palliative care for the Swedish government, and board member of several national and international professional organizations.
Albert Hobohm is the founder of the Nostromo Foundation, which funds non-clinical and clinical psychedelic research, and the owner and CEO of Huxley Invest, a long-term asset management firm. He earned a Master of Science in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford and previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. His TEDx talks on meditation and human flourishing have garnered >3M views.
Marcus Stråth is co-Managing Director of Norrsken Mind. Marcus previously worked in strategic communications at Brunswick Group and has served as Head of Communications at Norrsken Mind. He has been active in the psychedelic non-profit sector since 2018 and has advised Norrsken Mind, and previously Osmond Foundation, since its inception. Marcus was previously a board member of the Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science and deputy board member of Osmond Labs. Marcus holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in journalism from Barton College.
Emma Christersson is co-Managing Director of Norrsken Mind. Active in the psychedelic non-profit sector since 2017, she has previously served as board member and interim chair of the Osmond Foundation, board member and strategist for Osmond Labs, and deputy chair of the Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science. She currently also serves as Vice-Chair of the Psychedelic Access and Research European Alliance (PAREA). Emma holds a bachelor’s degree in cognitive neuroscience and has a strong interest in neuropsychology and consciousness.
Adam Ryde is Chief Operating Officer of Norrsken Mind. He brings experience from the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, having worked in medical information and strategy consulting. Adam previously served as Operations Manager at the Nostromo Foundation, where he continues to act as an advisor. He holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh and a Master of Science in Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience from the University of Oxford. His interest in mood disorders and mental health research has guided both his academic work and first-hand clinical experience in psychiatric settings.
