Splink

Splink Inc., established in January 2017, is a Tokyo-based HealthTech firm operating in the brain healthcare sector. The company was founded by Yuki Aoyama, who serves as the President and CEO. Mr. Aoyama's background includes a tenure at Keyence Corporation, where he was involved in North American business development and the establishment of Brazilian and Mexican subsidiaries, followed by an Entrepreneur in Residence position at a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. This international business and technology experience, combined with a personal drive to address the challenges of dementia, led him to found Splink after completing his MBA at Dartmouth University.

The firm focuses on developing medical AI solutions to tackle the societal challenges of aging, with a particular emphasis on dementia. Japan's position as a leading aging nation, where it's projected that by 2040 one person with cognitive decline will be supported by every three working individuals, forms the core of Splink's market focus. The business model is centered on providing a comprehensive suite of products that address different stages of cognitive health, from prevention to diagnosis. This strategy targets both consumers for preventative care and medical professionals for diagnostic support, creating a one-stop solution in the brain healthcare space. Revenue is generated through the provision of these technology solutions and data services.

Splink offers several key products. For clinicians, it has developed "Braineer," a certified medical device program that analyzes brain MRI data to quantify brain atrophy, assisting doctors in making more accurate diagnoses by translating expert knowledge into a formal, data-driven platform. This Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) aims to reduce diagnostic complexity and the risk of overlooked findings. For the general public and for early-stage awareness, Splink provides a self-check cognitive function tool known as the "CQ test," which quantifies multiple cognitive domains to provide an early understanding of one's brain health. Another product is a brain checkup program that uses AI to measure the hippocampus from MRI scans, visualizing age-related changes to the brain for patient-friendly reporting. By collaborating with leading medical researchers, Splink's AI is trained not just on imaging data but also on the comprehensive diagnostic expertise of specialists.

Keywords: brain healthcare, medical AI, dementia diagnosis, cognitive decline, neuroimaging, SaMD, software as a medical device, brain atrophy analysis, MRI analysis, cognitive function test, CQ test, HealthTech, Japan, aging society, preventative healthcare, clinical decision support, Yuki Aoyama, Braineer, hippocampus measurement, digital health