Tag Archives: Brain health

Breaking News: Sinaptica’s Noninvasive Neuromodulation Device Slows Alzheimer’s Disease in Year-Long Trial

November 1, 2024Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, Dementia, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, HLTH, Ken Mariash, Logan Plaster, Sinaptica, StartUp Health @ HLTHNicole Kinsey

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Hear the latest groundbreaking news in Alzheimer’s research. Sinaptica, a member of StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community, has announced significant results from its Phase 2 clinical trial testing the company’s noninvasive, personalized, precise neuromodulation designed to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Ken Mariash, CEO of Sinaptica, joined us in the StartUp Health Studio to break it all down for us. As you’ll hear, the interview took place prior to the release of this data, which became public on October 31.

In this exclusive interview, you’ll learn:

Details on Sinaptica’s Phase 2 trial results show significant promise in slowing Alzheimer’s progression
The science behind Sinaptica’s technology
How personalized neuromodulation is revolutionizing brain health
The potential for proactive brain strengthening and repair
The impact on patients’ daily lives
The future of Alzheimer’s treatment

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in Alzheimer’s research, neuroscience, and the power of innovation to transform lives.

Are you ready to tell your story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of StartUp Health’s PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. Learn more and apply today.

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Old School Tech Makes Big Impact in Cognitive Care: Reporting from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference

August 23, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Bill Uniowski, Brain health, Caregiving, Dementia, health innovation, Innovation, Logan Plaster, Moneta, Moneta Health, Paul Campbell, ZinniaNicole Kinsey

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This episode of StartUp Health NOW throws out the tech buzzwords and dives into the power of seemingly simple solutions. We meet two innovative founders in our Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community who are using familiar technologies – the telephone and television – to tackle major healthcare challenges.

First up, Paul Campbell, CEO & Co-founder of Moneta Health, explains how their evidence-based dementia care program utilizes an “old school meets new school” approach, using AI plus the humble landline to reach a wider audience and overcome tech barriers for patients with early-stage dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Then, Bill Uniowski, CEO & Co-founder of Zinnia, shares how his company is creating smart video content specifically designed for people with advanced dementia, offering a calming and therapeutic experience that reduces the need for medication and improves lives for both patients and caregivers.

Join us for a refreshing look at how low-tech solutions can deliver high-impact healthcare.

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion

An Insider’s Perspective on the Near Future of Alzheimer’s Care

August 9, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsADDF, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, Health Moonshots, Laura Nisenbaum, Logan PlasterNicole Kinsey

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“Academia is a great area and fosters innovation, but then taking that science and translating it into something that can actually impact human health has a number of challenges. So trying to understand what those barriers are and how we can help bridge them is something that we have been able to do at ADDF and in collaboration with StartUp Health.”

In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, we chat with Laura Nisenbaum, PhD, Executive Director of Drug Development at the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF). Organizations like ADDF are working to translate scientific research into real patient impact, particularly in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, by funding innovative ventures and supporting startups in the biotech space. Dr. Nisenbaum talks with us about new Alzheimer’s tests and therapeutics and pulls back the curtain on how ADDF supports startups.

Key Insights:

We are at a tipping point in Alzheimer’s. Our ability to predict and detect – and then treat – Alzheimer’s disease is growing faster than ever.
Dr. Laura Nisenbaum was involved in the launch of StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot, a collaboration with The Gates Foundation and ADDF, which is important for advancing research in the field of Alzheimer’s disease.
Academia fosters innovation, but translating scientific work into real patient impact poses challenges that need to be understood and bridged.
Venture philanthropy model enables funding for innovators who may not receive funding from for-profit companies, allowing for more risky endeavors.
The Diagnostics Accelerator challenges the research community to develop cutting-edge biomarkers and explore novel diagnostic technologies that will aid in Alzheimer’s diagnosis and clinical trial design.
The potential for AI to revolutionize Alzheimer’s research and diagnosis is evident in the funding and support for innovative companies in the field.
Focusing on the biology of aging, including inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction, could be key in developing novel therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
The field of Alzheimer’s research and care is at an amazing point with the first demonstration of some efficacy for drugs and a huge innovation curve from a biomarkers and diagnostics perspective.
We can now detect amyloid in the brain through blood tests, marking an amazing point of innovation in the field of Alzheimer’s research.
Pursue innovative ideas with great gusto and perseverance, and take advantage of the incredible network of mentors and collaborators to thrive in the biotech and startup space.
The momentum is building in the field of Alzheimer’s research, thanks to the support from organizations like ADDF.

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

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How AI Is Creating an Inflection Point in Brain Health Innovation: Reporting from the AAIC

August 1, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAAIC, AI, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Moonshot, artificial intelligence, Brain health, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, Logan Plaster, RetiSpec, SinapticaNicole Kinsey

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Join StartUp Health NOW for a powerful episode recorded live at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC)! We explore the exciting inflection point in Alzheimer’s research fueled by AI and machine learning.

Hear directly from passionate founders in the StartUp Health Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community:

Catherine Bornbaum, PhD, CBO at RetiSpec, fresh off the company’s $10M Series A, unveils a groundbreaking AI-powered device that analyzes the retina for insights into brain health.
Ken Mariash, CEO of Sinaptica Therapeutics, discusses using AI and neuromodulation to potentially slow Alzheimer’s and strengthen brain function in healthy individuals.

Discover:

How AI is unlocking a multi-modal understanding of the brain
The potential for revolutionizing treatment for all brain conditions
The cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of Alzheimer’s research

This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about brain health and the fight against Alzheimer’s!

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

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Gates Ventures’ Aishu Sukumar Is Fostering Collaboration on StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board

June 7, 2024Business, Health, InnovationAishu Sukumar, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, Gates Ventures, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Impact Board, Impact Board, Innovation, Logan PlasterNicole Kinsey

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Breaking Down Silos for Alzheimer’s Innovation: A Conversation with Aishu Sukumar of Gates Ventures

This episode of StartUp Health NOW welcomes Aishu Sukumar of Gates Ventures in another in our series of conversations with our Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board.

A champion for collaboration: Explore Sukumar’s vision for leveraging data and fostering collaboration among Alzheimer’s innovators.
From research scientist to moonshot leader: Discover Sukumar’s unique career path that bridges science, business, and healthcare, taking her from Harvard Medical School and Berkeley to working at startups and then to Gates Ventures.
The power of a Health Moonshot Community: Learn how this initiative is uniting innovators to accelerate progress against Alzheimer’s.

This episode is for you if:

You’re passionate about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s.
You believe in the power of collaboration in tackling complex challenges.
You’re curious about the journeys of inspiring healthcare leaders.

Want even more about Alzheimer’s disease innovation?

Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot
Meet the first companies to join the Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community
Meet Phyllis Ferrell, Chief Impact Officer for StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot

Join us as we explore how Aishu Sukumar’s diverse background is shaping the future of Alzheimer’s research as a member of our Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

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Gates Ventures’ Kristina Malzbender Joins Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board

May 23, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, Gates Ventures, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Impact Board, Impact Board, Innovation, Kristina Malzbender, Logan PlasterNicole Kinsey

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Hope on the Horizon: A New Era of Alzheimer’s Innovation

This episode of StartUp Health NOW dives deep into the fight against Alzheimer’s disease in the second in our series of conversations with our Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board. Join us as we chat with Kristina Malzbender, the Associate Director, Health & Life Sciences, at Gates Ventures. Hear from this key leader about the concrete realities behind the optimism in Alzheimer’s innovation.

A century of relentless pursuit: Learn how the tide is turning after decades of dedicated research.
Early detection, slowed progression, and even potential cures: Explore exciting advancements in Alzheimer’s treatment.
Gates Ventures and the Diagnostic Accelerator (DxA): Find out how Gates Ventures and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) are supporting companies and academic researchers developing novel biomarkers and diagnostics for Alzheimer’s.
Introducing StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot: Discover a powerful collaboration aimed at accelerating progress

This episode is for you if:

You’re passionate about Alzheimer’s disease.
You’re curious about the latest advancements in dementia research.
You want to learn how you can contribute to the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Want even more about Alzheimer’s disease innovation?

Learn how you can join our new Alzheimer’s Moonshot
Meet the first companies to join the Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community.
Meet Phyllis Ferrell, Chief Impact Officer for StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot

Join us as we ignite hope for the future of Alzheimer’s innovation!

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

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Phyllis Ferrell Named Chief Impact Officer for StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot

February 2, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, Dementia, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshots, Logan Plaster, Phyllis Ferrell, StartUp HealthNicole Kinsey

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In January, StartUp Health launched the Alzheimer’s Moonshot with support from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and Gates Ventures. The Alzheimer’s Moonshot is an invitation to Health Transformers, Alzheimer’s funders, foundations, advocates, and innovators, as well as leading startups and research teams, to unite in pioneering comprehensive, collaborative approaches to Alzheimer’s disease.

The Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community is powered by StartUp Health and our Health Transformer University, an entrepreneurial mastery program and lifelong learning community for ambitious founders and funders who are solving the biggest health challenges of our time.

That brings us to our podcast guest this week. Phyllis Ferrell, DrPH, will serve as the Chief Impact Officer of the Alzheimer’s Moonshot and lead its Impact Board. Ferrell has three decades of related experience, most recently serving as the Global Head of Alzheimer’s and Neurodegeneration at Eli Lilly and Strategic Advisor to the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative. The Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board will also include representatives from the ADDF, Gates Ventures, and a diverse group of stakeholders from industry, clinical medicine, academia, investment and patient and caregiver communities.

As we will discuss in the episode, shortly after Ferrell transferred from a marketing and sales role at Lilly to leading their Alzheimer’s division, her father was diagnosed with the devastating disease. She threw herself into the work and eventually became a leading voice in Alzheimer’s research and drug development. She’s served as a strategic advisor to multiple high-profile Alzheimer’s organizations, and now she’s marshaling her experience to lead StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot. We caught up with her to get a better understanding of where she sees this initiative going and why this is such a unique moment in time for Alzheimer’s innovation.

Enjoy the episode and then learn more about StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot at startuphealth.com/alzheimers.

Innovating in Alzheimer’s disease? Learn how you can join our Alzheimer’s Moonshot.

Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? Learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.

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Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

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Virtual Reality for Brain Health: Virtuleap’s New Platform Uses VR to Detect Cognitive Decline Early

September 28, 2023Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Amir Bozorgzadeh, Brain health, Dementia, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Healthy Longevity, Innovation, Logan Plaster, Neuroscience, Virtual Reality, Virtuleap, VRNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:47 — 27.2MB)

Our StartUp Health NOW guest this week is Amir Bozorgzadeh, CEO & Co-founder of Virtuleap, a brain health company that joined StartUp Health in 2019.

Headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, and expanding to Barcelona, Spain, Virtuleap improves brain health with VR. In this chat, Amir will walk us through their new platform – Cogniclear VR – that combines neuroscience with virtual reality games and activities to detect cognitive disorders. He’ll explain how VR can play an important role in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, why VR needs to be applied with care in health, and where virtual reality is going next.

Enjoy!

Innovators: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Funders: Become a Health Moonshot Champion
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Looking to break down health barriers? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our Health Equity Moonshot.
Passionate about Type 1 diabetes? If you’re an entrepreneur or investor, contact us to learn how you can join our T1D Moonshot.

Creative Collaborations: Bringing Next-Gen Alzheimer’s Tech to West Africa

May 12, 2023Business, Health, Innovation, Startups, UncategorizedAccess to care, Alzheimer's, Brain health, BrainScanology, Health Moonshots, Health Transformers, Healthy Longevity, Innovarx, Logan PlasterNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:45 — 22.7MB)

One of the words that gets thrown around so much at StartUp Health that you might get tired of hearing it is ‘collaboration.’ We say it a lot. However, you’ll only get sick of the word if you think it’s just startup jargon or lip service. But at StartUp Health that’s just not the case.

StartUp Health was designed from day one to promote a collaborative ecosystem in health innovation. For more than a decade we’ve been bringing like-minded founders together to learn from each other and support each other. It can be lonely out there as a founder, and StartUp Health has made it a top priority to connect people in meaningful ways. So that companies can grow faster, yes. But also so that founders survive and thrive in the face of the day-to-day grind of entrepreneurship.

We say all of that because it explains why our StartUp Health NOW guests today resonate so much for our team. David Nguyen, PhD, CEO & Co-founder of BrainScanology, and Ismail Badjie, PharmD, CEO & Founder of Innovarx Global Health, are from two very different health sectors – and two very different regions of the world. But they met at a StartUp Health event. And because they were fellow Health Transformers they knew they shared certain values. That prompted a connection and a conversation, which then allowed them to leapfrog into a business partnership.

In the interview we’ll get into how they met and what they’re building together to help patients thrive into old age in West Africa. And we’ll also talk about the role of creative collaborations in achieving audacious health moonshot goals. Enjoy!

Founders: Health Transformer University fuels your health moonshot

Four StartUp Health Entrepreneurs Tackling Cognitive Health Concerns

June 29, 2021Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAmir Bozorgzadeh, Brain health, Digital Health, Health Moonshot Series, India Edwards, Kate Rosenbluth, Logan Plaster, Maor Cohen, Mark CavicchiaStartUp Health NOW

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:03 — 41.3MB)

This episode is part of our monthly Health Moonshot series. Last month it was all about women’s health, today, we’re talking about founders and companies rethinking brain health. Kate Rosenbluth, PhD, Chief Science Officer & Founder at Cala Health, is transforming the standard of care for patients living with chronic diseases using non-invasive wearable neuromodulation therapies. The team has developed Cala Trio™, the first non-invasive targeted therapy that reduces hand tremor for people living with essential tremor (ET). Maor Cohen, CEO & Co-founder of n*gram health, is improving the quality of life for older adults with cognitive impairment using immersive digital experiences. RC21X co-founder Mark Cavicchia has developed two brain performance assessment tools, Roberto and RC21X, that create brain performance trend data for organizations through repeated use and produce session results in real-time, which bring about measurable improvements in work performance, productivity, and safety. Lastly, Amir Bozorgzadeh, CEO & Co-founder of Virtuleap, has created a virtual reality-based brain training platform. In this episode, the four entrepreneurs break down their innovative solutions and how they’re unlocking the mysteries of the brain.

Entrepreneurs: How to get investment from StartUp Health startuphealth.com

Investors: How to invest in StartUp Health Moonshots healthmoonshots.com
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