What Neuroscape does

Neuroscape is a translational neuroscience center at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) that develops and validates closed-loop video game platforms, multimodal biosensing tools, and cognitive assessment instruments for brain function assessment and optimization. Founded through the September 2016 unification of Dr. Adam Gazzaley's Gazzaley Lab (2005), the Neuroscience Imaging Center (2007), and the Neuroscape Lab (2014), the center is led by Dr. Adam Gazzaley (David Dolby Distinguished Professor) and operates from the Sandler Neurosciences Center and the Nancy Friend Pritzker Psychiatry Building on the UCSF Mission Bay campus. Its portfolio spans the Nexus remote clinical-trial platform, the ACE and ORCA mobile cognitive assessment batteries, the Glass Brain 3D visualization tool, and roughly fifteen intervention games including Neuroracer, MediTrain, Body Brain Trainer, Coherence, Labyrinth, and Virtual Attention Trainer, all built as adaptive closed-loop systems driven by multimodal biosensing (EEG, ECG, EMG, EOG, respiration, blood pressure, EDA) and deep-learning cognitive-state prediction.

The center targets both healthy populations seeking cognitive enhancement and clinical populations with conditions including ADHD, autism, depression, dyslexia, mild cognitive impairment and dementia, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and cancer-related cognitive impairment. As an academic research center rather than a commercial company, Neuroscape generates operating support through NIH grants (National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health), philanthropy via the Neuroscape Network (Dolby Family, Steve Jurvetson, Mark Hall, Mickey Hart), and industry collaboration. Its principal commercial pathway is technology licensing: the Neuroracer patent was licensed from UCSF to Akili Interactive Labs (co-founded by Dr. Gazzaley), which produced EndeavorRx (FDA-cleared June 2020 for pediatric ADHD), the 2023 adolescent expansion, and EndeavorOTC (FDA-approved OTC for adults in 2024) — making it the first video game ever cleared by the FDA as a treatment for any medical condition. A $225,000 grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation in December 2021 is the only specific funding event disclosed.

Neuroscape's go-to-market is primarily academic and licensing-led: technologies are developed as research prototypes tested through scientific experiments, and successful ones with demonstrated efficacy signals are licensed through UCSF's technology transfer office to industry partners for commercialization. The Neuroscape Alliance — a network of nine academic institutions across the USA, France, Switzerland, Israel, the UK, and Australia — supports multi-site clinical trials, technology sharing, and translational research at global scale, while industry partnerships with Akili, Sony, Meta, NVIDIA, Zynga, Brain Vision, Cognionics, Empatica, Neuroelectrics, High Fidelity, Meyer Sound, Qusp, Jazz, and Alternova supply hardware, software, and domain expertise. Pricing is non-commercial: all diagnostics and interventions are research tools rather than sold products, so the center's economics depend on grant cycles, philanthropic contributions, and royalty flows from licensees rather than direct sales.

Name

Neuroscape

Legal name

Neuroscape, UCSF

Website

https://neuroscape.ucsf.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Neuroscape is a UCSF-affiliated translational neuroscience center developing closed-loop video games, multimodal biosensing, and cognitive assessment tools for brain assessment and optimization, serving clinical populations with ADHD, autism, depression, and other neurological conditions through research and technology licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Therapeutics Research

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Neurocognitive Therapeutics (Digital) (HLACANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurodevelopmental & Behavioral Therapy Platforms (ADHD/Autism/Behavioral Coaching) (HLALAEAJ), Neurological Monitoring (EEG, Seizure/Sleep/Neuro Wearables) (HLAHACAE), Mental Wellness & Stress Management Devices (Biofeedback, Meditation/Neurostimulation Devices) (CRACAQAL)

Keywords

• Cognitive assessment tools
• Digital therapeutics research
• Closed-loop brain training
• Multimodal biosensing platform
• Translational neuroscience

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Philanthropy: Funding from NIH (National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Mental Health), foundations (Biggelsworth Family Foundation, The Laney Thornton Foundation), and The Neuroscape Network (a group of philanthropists).
2. Technology Licensing: Licensing of patented technologies to industry partners such as Akili Interactive Labs (Neuroracer licensed, leading to FDA-cleared EndeavorRx). Technologies with demonstrated efficacy signals may be licensed through UCSF to companies for product development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Neuroscape is a UCSF translational neuroscience research center that develops custom-designed, closed-loop video game platforms, mobile cognitive assessment tools, and multimodal biosensing systems to assess and optimize brain function. Its prototypes are validated through clinical research and licensed to industry partners for commercial productization (e.g., Neuroracer → Akili's FDA-cleared EndeavorRx). Core offerings include the Nexus research deployment platform, ACE and ORCA mobile assessments, Glass Brain visualization, and a portfolio of intervention games (Neuroracer, MediTrain, Coherence, Labyrinth, Body Brain Trainer) integrated with the Multimodal Biosensing (MMBS) platform.

Product overview

Neuroscape is a translational neuroscience center at UCSF developing closed-loop video game platforms and assessment tools for cognitive optimization. Their portfolio includes Nexus (research deployment platform), ACE and ORCA (cognitive assessment tools), Glass Brain (3D brain visualization), and multiple intervention games (Neuroracer, MediTrain, Body Brain Trainer, Coherence, Labyrinth, Engage, Virtual Attention Trainer, Beep Seeker, Big Fish Competition, Boing, Worder, Rhythmicity, Nature Journey) all designed as closed-loop systems that adapt to individual performance. The Multimodal Biosensing (MMBS) platform powers real-time physiological data collection for emotion and attention prediction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Neuroracer: The first cognitive optimization video game developed by Neuroscape, designed to challenge multitasking abilities. Its methodology was licensed to Akili Interactive Labs and evolved into EndeavorRx, FDA-cleared for ADHD treatment.
• EndeavorRx
• Nexus
• ACE (Adaptive Cognitive Evaluation)
• Glass Brain
• ORCA (Older Adult Research Characterization App)
• MediTrain
• Coherence
• Labyrinth
• Body Brain Trainer (BBT)
• Neuroscape Alliance
• Neuroscape Network
• UCSF Neuroscape Roybal Center

Products and services

• Nexus HIPAA-compliant AWS-hosted research platform that deploys large-scale clinical trials and assessment studies, enabling completely remote research workflows including recruitment, authentication, consenting, characterization, randomization, treatment, outcomes, and follow-up via digital interface.
• ACE (Adaptive Cognitive Evaluation) Mobile cognitive control assessment battery that uses adaptive algorithms to evaluate attention, working memory, and goal management in approximately 5 minutes without ceiling or floor effects.
• Glass Brain 3D brain visualization technology combining MRI and EEG neuroimaging to display personalized, real-time brain activity and connectivity between brain areas, built on Unity 3D game engine powered by NVIDIA GPU computing.
• ORCA (Older Adult Research Characterization App) Digital application for smartphones and tablets that assesses cognitive performance of older adults for research eligibility using speech-to-text technology, serving as a digital analog of standardized neuropsychological paper-and-pencil tests.
• Neuroracer Custom-designed closed-loop video game challenging multitasking abilities through simultaneous navigation and sign-response tasks with adaptive difficulty algorithms; the methodology was licensed to Akili Interactive Labs and became the foundation for EndeavorRx.
• MediTrain

Quantifiable outcome

• Neuroracer training improved vigilance and working memory in older adults - published in Nature 2013
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Akili Interactive LabscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFounded by Dr. Adam Gazzaley to commercialize Neuroracer technology. Akili developed EndeavorRx (based on Neuroracer) which received FDA clearance in June 2020 as the first video game treatment for ADHD in children, and EndeavorOTC for adults (2024). The Neuroracer patent was licensed from UCSF to Akili.
• University of Nice Sophia Antipolis - CoBTeK IAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic alliance member focusing on clinical and translational research using ICT for neuropsychiatric and neuro-developmental disorders. Collaborates on research projects, shares knowledge, and exchanges students.
• Center Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) - NeuroTechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical research organization in Lausanne, Switzerland dedicated to medical, medico-economic, societal and ethical assessment of novel technologies in clinical neuroscience. First of its kind in Europe. Neuroscape@NeuroTech lab established at CHUV.
• Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at UCSFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic alliance member focusing on integrative medicine approaches combined with neuroscience research.
• Technion - Israel Institute of Technology - Educational Neuroimaging CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance member focused on determining neuronal, cognitive, genetic, and environmental components underlying language and reading development in children using neuroimaging techniques.
• UCSF Benioff Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTop-ranked children's hospital leveraging high tech companies to improve patient care through technology innovation.
• University of Glasgow - Social Brain in Action LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic alliance focused on understanding human-robot interaction and social cognition research using psychology, cognitive neuroscience and social robotics.
• The University of Texas at Dallas - Center for BrainHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance member led by Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, conducting research to discover and implement proactive ways to build a stronger, faster, higher performing brain. Includes Brain Performance Institute.
• Monash University - Turner Institute for Brain and Mental HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance member (one of Australia's largest mental health institutes) developing lifestyle and technology-based interventions for substance and behavioral addictions through BrainPark initiative.
• University of California, Santa Cruz - ASSIST LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance member developing human-centered games, VR systems and interactive media to maintain and improve health and wellbeing of people with special needs, older adults, and people with disabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Akili Interactive Labs: Akili was co-founded by Dr. Adam Gazzaley and commercialized Neuroscape's Neuroracer technology as EndeavorRx and EndeavorOTC — the first FDA-cleared video game treatments for ADHD. Direct peer given the technology origin and indication overlap (pediatric and adult ADHD digital therapeutics).
• Posit Science: Posit Science develops BrainHQ, a cognitive training platform with peer-reviewed efficacy data across older adults, similar in commercial model and target population to Neuroscape's Body Brain Trainer. Closest analog in the cognitive training category by both mechanism (adaptive exercises) and end market.
• CogniFit: CogniFit offers a commercial cognitive assessment and brain training platform targeting both healthy users and clinical populations (ADHD, TBI, MS, dementia). Comparable to Neuroscape in combining assessments (similar to ACE/ORCA) with adaptive training games.
• Cambridge Cognition: Cambridge Cognition develops digital cognitive assessments (CANTAB) used in clinical trials and clinical practice, comparable to Neuroscape's ACE and ORCA assessment tools. Both target CNS clinical trials and clinical decision support markets.
• Click Therapeutics: Click Therapeutics is a prescription digital therapeutics company developing software-based treatments across migraine, schizophrenia, MDD, and oncology — directly comparable business model (DTx with FDA pathway) to what Neuroscape technologies pursue after licensing.
• MedRhythms: MedRhythms develops digital therapeutics for neurologic conditions (notably stroke-related walking impairment) using sensor-based rhythmic auditory stimulation. Comparable to Neuroscape's Coherence rhythm training and VR Labyrinth interventions in mechanism (closed-loop audio/motor) and clinical focus.
• Soterix Medical: Soterix Medical develops non-invasive brain stimulation and neuromodulation devices (tDCS, tACS, HD-tES) used in research and clinical applications. Comparable to Neuroscape's Neuroelectrics-partnered transcranial brain stimulation work in non-invasive brain stimulation hardware.

Broad incumbents

• Pear Therapeutics: Pear Therapeutics pioneered the prescription digital therapeutics category with FDA-authorized products for substance use disorder, opioid use disorder, and insomnia. Although the company filed for bankruptcy in 2023, it established the regulatory pathway that Neuroscape-licensed products now follow.
• Brainlab: Brainlab offers surgical planning, imaging, and neuroscience visualization tools used in clinical and research settings, including 3D brain visualization broadly comparable to Neuroscape's Glass Brain platform for real-time brain activity display.

Others

• Empatica: Empatica develops research-grade wearable biosensors (E4 wristband) used by Neuroscape in the MMBS platform. A technology partner but adjacent peer in physiological-signal-based digital biomarker collection for clinical and consumer health applications.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/neuroscapeucsf
• Facebookfacebook.com/neuroscapeucsf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Neuroscape