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Inaugural Funders and Program Board

The Baszucki, Brin, and Dauten families united with the Milken Institute to launch BD². We welcome philanthropic partners in our efforts to advance scientific understanding that will lead to new interventions for preventing and treating bipolar disorder.

Baszucki Family Foundation

David Baszucki is the founder and CEO of Roblox, and Jan Ellison Baszucki is a bestselling author, mental health advocate, and aspiring citizen scientist.

In 2016, they experienced the challenges of a mental health crisis firsthand when the eldest of their four children was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 19. Jan turned her attention to learning about neuropsychiatric conditions, and together, David and Jan formed the Baszucki Brain Research Fund in 2019 to advance novel treatments for mental disorders. David and Jan launched the Baszucki Group in 2021 to further accelerate the work of the most promising researchers and clinicians in the field. In 2020, their son recovered from bipolar disorder using an evidence-based treatment for pediatric epilepsy, and the family began to invest in ketogenic metabolic treatments for mental disorders. Their investment in BD² represents their commitment to bringing life-changing therapies to families like theirs.

Sergey Brin Family Foundation

The Sergey Brin Family Foundation, which was created by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, supports an array of health research initiatives aimed at breakthroughs for Parkinson’s, bipolar disorder, and other neurological conditions.

The foundation launched Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), a groundbreaking alliance advancing the basic science of Parkinson’s disease. Working from the ASAP model of research and discovery, the foundation partnered to explore and launch BD².

Dauten Family Foundation

Kent Dauten co-founded the Chicago private equity investment firm Keystone Capital and currently serves as its chairman, and Liz Dauten worked at advertising firm J. Walter Thompson before devoting herself full time to raising their family and volunteering in the community.

Kent and Liz have studied bipolar disorder extensively after two of their four children were diagnosed with the disorder as teenagers. The Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital is dedicated to improving people’s lives through research, ranging from exploring the biology of bipolar disorder to conducting clinical trials of medications, devices, and psychosocial treatments. The Dauten Family Foundation also funds researchers through the Harvard Brain Science Initiative to build foundational knowledge and improve the basic understanding of bipolar disorder.