COMPASS Pathways

Biotech accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health

COMPASS Pathways logo
201-500 employees
  • Healthcare
  • Enterprise
  • Mental health
  • Wellbeing
  • Science
  • Biotechnology
Soho, London, UK

Company mission

To accelerate patient access and experience to evidence-based innovation in mental health care, to achieve a vision of a world of mental wellbeing.

Top investors

Our take

There’s been a major movement towards treating mental health issues with psychedelics over the last few years. While the vast majority of this work is still in R&D and clinical trials, the space has become awash with capital investment, with a handful of companies even going public.

COMPASS Pathways is one of those to go public, along with MindMed in 2020. The company is developing methods for treating depression and other mental health issues with psilocybin – the naturally occurring psychedelic chemical found in mushrooms.

The growth of COMPASS from being founded in 2016 to IPO in 2020 has been extraordinary. There have been a few ups and downs since then (as is the case with most PLCs), with each rise and fall dependent on the progress of its trials. However, the fact that the company recently appointed former Otsuka Pharmaceutical executive Kabir Nath as CEO, bolstered by $285 million in private placement VC shows that it's determined to stay ahead of the competition.

Freddie headshot

Freddie

Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle

Benefits

  • Flexible working arrangements, including flexible hours, working-from-home and hybrid working
  • Community Circles: a regular opportunity for team members to connect, share lived experiences, inspire others, and learn from each other
  • Generous paid time off/annual leave allowance including one company closing per year and your birthday off
  • Generous paid parental leave for eligible team members, up to 39 weeks
  • Paid family and dependent care leave in addition to parental leave
  • Job architecture, providing employees with guidance and clear pathways for developing and progressing their career and twice-yearly promotions cycle
  • A process for performance and development goals that is tied to employees receiving feedback throughout the year and assessing individual performance and rewards at the end of the year
  • Dedicated internal resources including regular webinars to support employees’ personal development and career goals
  • A learning curriculum of courses on offer delivered by external experts to develop specific skill areas
  • Dedicated effort for early career team members to learn skills and strategies for advancement
  • Pension and retirement savings plans
  • Regular virtual and in-person social events, including a London-based hiking group, art and creative workshops, food and drinks evenings, team picnics, and holiday celebrations
  • Comprehensive and market-leading health and wellness benefits including company paid healthcare plans
  • Confidential counselling or therapy sessions via our Employee Assistance Programme
  • Support from our own dedicated Community Wellbeing Lead to guide team members to our resources
  • Workplace wellbeing initiatives, including employee-led yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and support groups for parents and carers and for people who are neurodiverse
  • Breast-feeding facilities at our London office
  • Wellbeing Leadership Forums for Line Managers

Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)

Apr 2020

$80m

SERIES B

Oct 2018

$25m

SERIES A

Total funding: $109.1m

This company has top investors

Leadership

Joined as CEO in 2022, having served as Senior Managing Director of Global Pharmaceutical Business at Japanese company Otsuka. Prior to this, they spent a decade at Bristol Myers Squibb in a number of roles including SVP of Virology, US Pharmaceuticals.