João Taborda da Gama traveled to London to contribute to a panel at the Autonomy Economy event organized by Frontierial. The program provided a forum for gathering investors, founders, and media voices working across highly regulated sectors with high reputational risks – and therefore, constrained access to capital – such as fertility, weight loss, mental health, pornography and adult media, and psychedelic therapies.
The event was structured around four thematic areas — Frontier Capital, Stigmatised Science, New Moods, and Future Fandom — but at its core, the discussion centered on a shared underlying theme: bodily autonomy. Many companies working in this nebulous space have been marginalized, shaped as much by stigma and institutional resistance as by regulation. That is changing. As social norms evolve and capital begins to follow, these industries are moving into sharper economic and political focus.
In this context, João participated in the panel "Political Products," moderated by BBC journalist Michael Sercan Daventry. Alongside CEO & Founder of Sanity Group, Finn Age Hansel, João discussed how these businesses are perceived, governed, and financed in practice — where regulatory frameworks, reputational dynamics, and access to capital converge. His contribution focused on how policymakers and the public interpret emerging markets in areas such as cannabis regulation.
Frontierial is a regulatory-focused holding company investing in markets shaped by complex regulation, emerging trends, and reputational constraints, led by Alastair Moore.
Following the event, Gama Glória hosted a lunch for a selected group of investors and founders.