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Why Psychedelics Might Be the Breakthrough That PTSD Patients Need | Kevin Ryan (The Godfather of NYC Tech)

By Mario Gabriele · The Generalist · · 4 min read

Deep Dives

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    The article opens with Kevin Ryan describing how psychedelics increase measurable neuroplasticity in the brain. Understanding the science of neuroplasticity—how the brain rewires itself and forms new neural connections—provides essential context for why psychedelic therapies might work for PTSD and depression treatment.

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    The article directly references the MAPP1 Phase 3 clinical trial for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD and discusses methylone (a related compound) through Transcend Therapeutics. This Wikipedia article covers the specific therapeutic protocol, clinical trial history, and regulatory journey that forms the backbone of the psychedelic mental health movement discussed.

“Psychedelics increase the neuroplasticity in your brain that we can measure. I could look at your brain before and after psychedelics. Before, it looks like an internet map of Africa — some areas don’t have connectivity. Afterward, it looks like an internet map of Europe, with condensed connections everywhere.”

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Often called the godfather of NYC tech, Kevin Ryan is one of America’s most influential entrepreneurs and investors. He co-founded MongoDB, Business Insider, Gilt Groupe, Zola, and Transcend Therapeutics, and continues to build and back new companies each year through AlleyCorp. Earlier in his career, he led DoubleClick from a 20-person startup to a global leader, taking it public before its acquisition by Google.

In this episode, Kevin shares his insights on two surprising pockets of the future that he’s betting on: psychedelics for mental health and AI-powered materials science. He unpacks how psychedelics are showing remarkable success in treating depression and PTSD, and why AI may discover revolutionary new materials, from helicopter blades to smartphone glass, that humans never imagined possible.

We explore:

  • The promising results of psychedelics in treating depression, PTSD, and addiction

  • How AI is accelerating materials discovery by exploring combinations humans wouldn’t try

  • The challenges of building successful incubators and why most attempts fail

  • How MongoDB lost $1 billion before turning a profit (and why it was worth it)

  • Why e-commerce businesses like Gilt Groupe often struggle against physical retail

  • How AlleyCorp plans for the future when shaping its investment strategy

  • What it really costs society to imprison someone for a year

  • The hard truth about Europe’s tech ecosystem and why it struggles to compete with the US

Explore the episode

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(04:30) How Kevin collaborated with Scott Adams

(07:11) The origins of AlleyCorp

(08:33) The challenge of incubation

(10:00) Why intellectual flexibility matters

(10:54) What made MongoDB a breakout success

(13:49) How shifting market dynamics hurt Gilt’s business

(16:22) What Kevin would do differently if he built Gilt again

(17:45) Juggling AlleyCorp’s long-term vision with day-to-day demands

(20:26) How to make boards more productive

(22:25)

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