Filament Health was founded by experts in botanical extraction and commercialization.
The Filament team honed its expertise at Mazza Innovation, a natural extraction startup we scaled from pre-seed to a successful exit in 2018. There, we developed and commercialized patented extraction technologies at a 35,000-square-foot, GMP-compliant commercial facility.
After the sale of Mazza, it became clear our expertise could address a new and urgent challenge. Filament Health’s CEO and Co-Founder, Ben Lightburn, recognized the escalating global mental health crisis and believed psychedelics could play a vital role in treatment - particularly natural psychedelics.
With his entrepreneurial track record and our team’s proven botanical extraction expertise from Mazza, Ben saw a unique opportunity to develop safe, effective natural psychedelic drugs. This vision became the foundation for Filament Health.
Global Experts in Botanical Extraction and Commercialization
management
Proven entrepreneur and leader specializing in the research, development and commercialization of novel extraction technologies
Operational and leadership expertise in rapidly growing industries
Experienced in audit, accounting, tax, and financial reporting
Expert in the field of botanical extraction, purification, standardization
+25 years in B2B business development. Former senior executive of several pharmaceutical and natural product organizations
14+ years of experience leading marketing and communications for global organizations
Extensive patent and trademark portfolio experience in healthcare, technology and other diversified industries
Quality management, regulatory compliance, and attaining third-party certification
15 years in corporate partnership development and brand strategy
30 years of drug development experience leading regulatory development efforts from pre-IND to post-approval
board
Proven entrepreneur and leader specializing in the research, development and commercialization of novel extraction technologies
Over 20 years of experience leading finance and other support functions for drug discovery and development organizations.
Partner at Fasken Corporate and commercial lawyer specializing in companies in the technology and health sciences sectors including venture capitalists and start-ups
Chief Executive Officer of Negev Labs, demonstrated track record in pharmaceutical R&D. Served as a VP Operations and Technology at Levco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, CEO and VP Operations at Regenera Pharma LTD, and Director and co-CEO at Targia Pharmaceuticals.
Advisory council
Founder of Nammex, the first company to supply medicinal mushroom extracts to the nutritional supplement industry.
Research & industry partners
We are doing everything in our power to advance our mission of seeing safe, natural psychedelics in the hands of everyone who needs them, as soon as possible.
Meaningful change requires the development of an ecosystem of players who are dedicated to making accessible psychedelic therapy a reality.
With this in mind, the founders of Filament Health pledged 10% of their founder’s shares to a charitable foundation controlled by a majority of non-Filament insiders to support non-corporate, value-aligned projects.
Former Managing Director: Greenpeace Canada and Public Outreach USA
Founder, Renewal Funds
Proven entrepreneur and leader specializing in the research, development and commercialization of novel extraction technologies
In Memory of Tom Kineshanko
Filament Health Co-Founder Tom Kineshanko was a visionary - we are forever grateful for his entrepreneurial spirit and his powerful drive to make a difference in the world. Filament would not exist without him.
In Tom’s memory, we have made a donation to the Thomas Kineshanko Memorial Fund at the HollyHock Cortes Island Retreat Centre. If you would like to do the same, please visit:
https://hollyhock.ca/thomas-kineshanko/
Memories and pictures of Tom can be shared on his memorial board: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/DEoxkOVL/thomas-kineshanko
