What Cognition Studio, Inc does

Cognition Studio, Inc. is a Seattle-headquartered life science brand strategy and product strategy consultancy founded in 2001 that serves biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical clients, as well as global health organizations and venture capital firms. The firm delivers science communication, science visualization (including mechanism of action animations, data visualization, and infographics), brand and digital strategy, design strategy and innovation, web and digital innovation, and strategic communications through interdisciplinary teams that combine board-certified medical illustrators (CMI), PhD-level scientists and writers, brand strategists, designers, and developers. Its work is grounded in FDA AdPromo training and the full product development arc from pre-clinical through clinical trials to commercial deployment.

The business operates as a professional services consultancy on a project-based, retainer, annual service agreement, or grant basis, using a two-week sprint planning cadence with weekly check-ins. Go-to-market is entirely direct: discovery calls, project inquiries via website contact forms, and strategic consultation with biotech and pharma executives — no marketplace, channel, or self-service distribution. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to engagement scope, with no public pricing. The firm maintains offices in Seattle and Boston and reports serving clients globally.

Named clients span enterprise biopharma (Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Moderna, Regeneron, Cytokinetics, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Pacira BioSciences, Veracyte, Oxford Nanopore Technologies), biotech startups (Ring Therapeutics, Sana Biotechnology), venture capital (Flagship Pioneering, Gates Ventures), and global health/research institutions (Gates Foundation, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Surgo Health, Seattle Children's Research Institute, TriSalus Life Sciences). The firm has accumulated industry recognition including a Cooper Hewitt 2023 National Design Award nomination, a SIGGRAPH 2023 Electronic Theater official selection, AMI Awards of Excellence, AIGA (re)Design Awards, Rx Club Awards of Excellence, and Telly Awards. Cognition Studio is privately held, co-founded and led by David Ehlert and Kristine Johnson, with no disclosed external institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.

Name

Cognition Studio, Inc

Legal name

Cognition Studio, Inc.

Website

https://cognitionstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cognition Studio is a Seattle-based life science brand strategy and product strategy consultancy serving biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as global health organizations and venture capital firms, through interdisciplinary teams of board-certified medical illustrators, PhD scientists, brand strategists, and designers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Professional Services: Project-based consulting engagements for science communication, brand strategy, design, and digital innovation services. Structured through project-based work, annual service agreements, grants, or retainers. Two-week sprint-based planning with weekly check-ins and clear milestones.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cognition Studio is a Seattle-based life science brand strategy and product strategy consultancy that helps biotech, medtech, and pharmaceutical executives develop science value propositions, brand positioning, and communications strategies. The firm delivers interdisciplinary services spanning science communication, science visualization (including mechanism of action animations), brand and digital strategy, design strategy and innovation, and strategic communications, delivered by teams that combine board-certified medical illustrators, PhD scientists, brand strategists, and designers.

Product overview

Cognition Studio is a life science brand strategy and product strategy consultancy that offers a comprehensive suite of services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Science Communication Services, Science Visualization, Brand & Digital Strategy, Web & Digital Innovation, and Strategic Communications. These services are delivered through interdisciplinary teams combining PhD scientists, board-certified medical illustrators (CMI), brand strategists, designers, and developers. The company also supports biotech and pharmaceutical clients through specialized offerings such as investor presentation design and corporate communications design. Additionally, the Cognition Fellows Program provides talent development for emerging professionals in the field.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Science Communication Services
• Science Visualization
• Brand & Digital Strategy
• Design Strategy & Innovation
• Web & Digital Innovation
• Strategic Communications
• Investor Presentation Design
• Corporate Communications Design

Quantifiable outcome

• COVID-19 case study visuals published in Nature and used by organizations worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Concentric Health Experience: Healthcare creative agency under Accenture Song serving pharma brands across strategy, creative, and digital — a comparable full-service healthcare communications peer to Cognition Studio.
• MicroMass Communications: Healthcare communications agency focused on behavior change, brand strategy, and scientific storytelling for pharma — comparable in client base (biotech, pharma, medical affairs) and in blending scientific credibility with strategic communications.
• Dudnyk (VMLY&R Health): Healthcare-focused brand and communications agency serving pharma, biotech, and medical device companies with strategic positioning, branding, and creative execution — directly comparable to Cognition's brand and digital strategy work for life science clients.
• Snow Companies: Patient storytelling and healthcare communications agency serving pharma and biotech with patient narratives, advocacy, and brand communications — overlaps with Cognition's ethical storytelling and patient/HCP education work.
• Harrison & Star: Healthcare communications agency within Omnicom Health Group serving biotech and pharma with brand strategy, launch communications, and creative — overlapping with Cognition's life science brand strategy and product launch work.
• Random42 Scientific Communication: London- and New York-based scientific animation and medical communications agency producing MOA animations, scientific storytelling, and educational content for pharma/biotech — a direct comparator to Cognition Studio's science visualization and storytelling practice.
• Invivo Communications: Health-science creative agency specializing in medical animation, MOA storytelling, and scientific visualization for pharma and biotech — closely overlapping with Cognition Studio's science visualization and strategic communications services.

Broad incumbents

• Fishawack Health (Lumanity): Large global healthcare communications network offering medical communications, consulting, and creative services to pharma/biotech — overlaps with Cognition's science communications and strategy work but at significantly broader scale.
• Havas Health & You: One of the largest global healthcare and wellness communications networks with health strategy, creative, and medical communications capabilities — broad incumbent comparator to Cognition's life science communications work.

Emerging players

• LifeSci Communications: Specialist life sciences public relations and communications agency serving biotech and pharma with PR, investor communications, and scientific storytelling — comparable to Cognition's strategic communications and investor narrative work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cognition Studio, Inc