A Cyprus-based digital health startup is advancing cognitive rehabilitation through its innovative platform, CAT-BRAIN, which addresses significant gaps in treatment awareness and access within the healthcare system.
Transforming Cognitive Rehabilitation
The CAT-BRAIN platform is the result of collaborative efforts from a multidisciplinary team of researchers and innovators in Cyprus. Led by Fofi Constantinidou, a professor with expertise in neurocognitive rehabilitation, the platform combines over two decades of neuroscience research with real-world clinical applications.
A Diverse Team of Experts
The startup’s team includes key figures such as Nicole Christodoulides, the chief executive officer who focuses on commercial strategy and investor relations, and Ioulia Solomou, a clinical psychologist serving as the chief research officer responsible for scientific validation and design. Eric Hetzel, the chief technology officer, oversees the technical development, while Savvas Yiangou, the marketing and communications associate, plays a crucial role in market positioning and outreach.
Evidence-Based Approach to Therapy
According to the team, “CAT-BRAIN is a digital platform that helps clinicians deliver structured, evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation, making therapy easier to manage, more consistent, and more efficient while improving how progress is tracked and outcomes are achieved.”
The platform is built upon the established Categorisation Programme, which has been clinically validated and is now fully digitalised for healthcare professionals. This innovation is designed to bridge the gap between existing tools that either offer simplistic “brain games” without scientific backing or robust clinical systems that are challenging to use.
Supporting Clinicians and Patients
CAT-BRAIN encompasses the entire therapeutic process, from patient assessment to treatment and progress tracking, all within a single integrated system. It aims to serve a broad array of clinicians, including speech and language therapists, psychologists, and rehabilitation professionals.
This startup is addressing a pressing issue in Cyprus, where cognitive rehabilitation remains under-recognised, even among healthcare professionals. Many patients miss out on critical rehabilitation services despite the potential benefits for conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and long Covid.
Challenges in Awareness and Access
The team highlights that cognitive rehabilitation is a structured and personalised therapeutic process that trained specialists deliver, rather than just simple activities like puzzles or games, which are often mistakenly associated with the field. The lack of awareness about cognitive rehabilitation leads to systemic challenges, particularly as access often depends on referrals from physicians. When these referrals are not made, patients do not receive necessary treatment.
The startup identifies limited collaboration among healthcare disciplines and insufficient public and professional awareness as critical barriers that hinder patients from receiving comprehensive neurological care. By developing CAT-BRAIN, they aim to provide clinicians with tools for consistent and measurable rehabilitation while enhancing patient access.
Recognition and Market Validation
Recently, the startup has gained international recognition, having been selected as one of the top 12 global innovations in the health and wellbeing category at the World Summit Awards 2025. This accolade has increased their exposure to international investors through participation in Athenian Nexus, marking a significant step towards commercialisation.
CAT-BRAIN has also secured early market validation, with its first one-year paying client in the United States and three paying clients in Cyprus, which include private practices and rehabilitation units. The startup is currently in the early stages of commercialisation, with four paying customers and completed pilot programmes.
Future Goals and Expansion Plans
The team’s immediate objective is to secure a cohort of additional paying customers and establish repeatable customer acquisition channels, alongside seeking strategic investment. Achieving these goals will be crucial for scaling the platform and expanding into international markets.
The startup aims to tap into a global market comprising approximately 3 million clinicians, with an initial focus on about 1.2 million professionals in regions with developed digital health infrastructure. In the United States, an estimated 340,000 clinicians provide cognitive or neurorehabilitation services, with the startup targeting around 35,000 within five years.
Support and Partnerships
Support from the Cyprus Seeds programme has been instrumental in the company’s growth, providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and exposure to investors. The team credits guidance on intellectual property and market positioning as vital in transitioning from academic research to a commercially viable product.
However, securing early-stage funding remains a significant challenge. The startup is relying on investor connections and support networks to further its commercial ambitions. Additionally, they are actively seeking partnerships that will facilitate access to clinicians, rehabilitation centres, and healthcare providers, particularly in Cyprus, the United States, and the European Union.
Modernising Cognitive Rehabilitation
Through their innovative platform, the startup aims to modernise cognitive rehabilitation and ensure that more patients can access timely and effective care. By addressing gaps in treatment awareness and improving access through digital means, CAT-BRAIN has the potential to transform the landscape of cognitive rehabilitation both in Cyprus and beyond.
