VENN INNOVATION GARAGE PROGRAM PROFILE: Atlantic Memory Clinic

A TECH STARTUP FOR THE AGED
Atlantic Memory Clinic develops innovative tool to help diagnose dementia

When Professor Sarah Pakzad first came to Moncton, NB from Toulouse, France twenty years ago, she did not plan to become a tech entrepreneur.

“I arrived in Moncton for a short-term teaching assignment at the Université and I’m still here today,” sats the clinical neuro psychologist, who continues to teach at the Université de Moncton.

Professor Pakzad is now on the brink of commercializing a comprehensive new tool which can promote early diagnosis of dementia and be used in Canada and around the world.

Her initiative, called the Neurocognitive Frailty Index, or NFI for short, has been developed into a mobile app that can help identify patients who may be at risk of developing dementia.

The mobile app takes in basic patient information (age, gender, education, income level, residential situation, etc.), then asks questions that measure physical, mental and cognitive variables. The entire process can take as little as ten minutes (results may require another session twenty minutes).

Once all information is entered, the mobile app immediately produces the results in a PDF document, showing the patient’s cognitive abilities which helps health professionals better predict the risk of dementia and if a referral to a specialist or additional treatment is needed.

The NFI has been tested, and recommended by local neurologists and neuro psychologists who are eager to begin using it, and the app has drawn serious interest from the healthcare system in France.

How important is this innovative tool? “Right now the global population is facing a dementia and aging tsunami,” states Professor Pakzad. “Our healthcare systems are in danger of being overwhelmed by this illness and early detection can help the system deal with these patients in a timely way. That is why we developed the NFI.”

The road to a fully developed NFI mobile app took Professor Pakzad years of research and study. It started when she began volunteering at a local hospital as a way to augment her career development. She soon recognized the issue of rising cases of dementia. “Back in 2004 we were seeing the beginnings of the Baby Boom generation developing this condition and as we know, they comprise a large part of our population.”

She decided to study this condition and began her research not only with healthcare professionals but with the general population as well. “At the beginning, we sent hundreds of letters to physicians and talked to almost 800 people over 50 years of age who lived in nursing homes and independently, in rural and urban areas, every six months - three times in total.” Sarah admits that it wasn’t too hard to get people to participate – she offered them a $20 gift card for every visit.

That research prompted an idea for an accessible, quick and reliable diagnostic tool and Professor Pakzad developed the first version of the NFI in 2017. It draws on a database of at least 25,000 patients over 50 years of age and Professor Pakzad has partnered with Alzheimer’s Society of Canada as part of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging.

While COVID may have slowed down her project, it didn’t dampen her passion for bringing this unique tool to the healthcare system.

Today, the NFI mobile app has been tested to more than 90% accuracy, can help rule out illnesses that mimic dementia such as depression, has been peer reviewed and published in the Journal of Frailty and Aging (2021), an international publication.

Professor Pakzad approached Venn Innovation’s Garage Program last year when she realized she was ready to make her vision of an early diagnostic tool a reality. “I heard of Venn Innovation at the Université and came to the program for help on the next steps of getting this tool into the hands of healthcare professionals,” she says. “We’ve been meeting regularly and I have received guidance to help the process move along. I’m glad to be part of the program.”

---

Venn Innovation helps tech startups develop innovative ideas and enter the marketplace to change our world!
Have an innovative tech idea? Contact Aïssa Azzouzi, Manager of Startup Incubation Services at Venn Innovation. 

Unleashing the Power of Innovation: My Internship Journey at Venn

By Morgan Arbeau

Morgan Arbeau (left) with Marisa Piccini, Communications and Public Relations Manager, Venn Innovation

During my internship at Venn Innovation, I learned that businesses must be adaptable and proactive to succeed. From day one, I got to work on real projects alongside talented professionals, greatly enhancing my skillset and knowledge. The company's commitment to fostering a learning environment meant I was constantly exposed to new ideas and technologies. One of the things that impressed me the most about Venn Innovation was their emphasis on collaboration. They recognized that true innovation does not happen in isolation; it requires diverse perspectives and expertise. As an intern, I was encouraged to actively participate, share my thoughts and ideas, and contribute to the overall success of the projects I was involved in.

Venn Innovation Fosters Creativity and Collaboration

I was impressed by the company's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation. One of the ways they accomplished this was by promoting brainstorming sessions and idea-sharing, which allowed for the exchange of thoughts and insights on various topics. This approach encouraged collaboration between individuals from different businesses in The Junction, which ultimately led to increased effectiveness and efficiency of the teams. I had the opportunity collaborate on projects with Atlantic Fintech and Cloudandmore. It was a great experience to work alongside such talented professionals and contribute
to the projects’ success. 

Key Takeaways from My Internship Experience

I gained valuable insights on how innovation can impact personal and professional growth. Here are the key takeaways to remember throughout my career: 

1. Embrace curiosity and never stop learning: You can expand your horizons and discover new growth opportunities by continuously seeking information and learning from others. 

2. Collaboration is critical: Innovation is a team effort, and by working with others, you can tap into diverse perspectives and expertise, leading to more creative and effective solutions. 

3. Innovation involves taking risks: Not all ideas will succeed, but it's important to see failure as a learning opportunity and a stepping stone towards future success. 

Key Projects that I worked on over my time here

During my internship at Venn Innovation, I worked on a project where I remade new business cards for the Venn Innovation team. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase my skills and receive feedback to create something even better the next time. My supervisor, Marisa, was impressed with how I incorporated QR codes into the design, and I was thrilled to have learned something new. Innovation involves taking risks, embracing curiosity, and always learning. Collaboration is also critical, and by working together with others, we can tap into diverse perspectives and expertise, leading to more creative and effective solutions. 

After we finished the business card project, we decided to rework the Venn Innovation website. It was an excellent opportunity to learn more about website maintenance and how to use Squarespace effectively. I'm now comfortable with it and confident I can manage and modify a website without many issues. Of course, keeping the Venn website up-to-date is a never-ending task. Still, during my internship, we tackled many website-related tasks like improving the backend and optimizing SEO (search engine optimization). 

One of the projects I enjoyed the most during my internship was with Atlantic Market Intelligence (AMI). I had the chance to create pop-up banners for them, which was a great experience. It was fulfilling to see my designs come to life and be utilized in a professional setting.

Working with the Venn Innovation team and collaborating on these exciting projects has been an amazing learning opportunity. I feel grateful to have been part of such a fantastic team.