Alabama Launchpad, a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) in partnership with Innovate Alabama, has named Cognera Health, Inc. the winner of the Cycle 1 2025 Life Sciences Track.
The Newton-based mental-health company, co-founded by Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan, Jaydeep Patel and John Budala, will receive $100,000 in non-dilutive funding to accelerate its development of a truly integrated mental health platform powered by collaborative intelligence and interconnected tools.
Cognera Health, Inc. stood out in a competitive field of finalists in this category, including:
- Psigryph Corp. (Huntsville, Alabama) — Redefining bioactive molecule delivery with its patented Nanopect™ nanodelivery system, which increases bioavailability for agriculture, food, and pharmaceutical applications.
- Score Pharma, Inc. (Huntsville, Alabama) — Developing next-generation enhanced antibody therapeutics to improve patient responses in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.
Each finalist delivered pitches before an investment committee with deep expertise in health sciences and commercialization. Cognera’s progress in the program and path to success resonated with the panel, earning them the top prize.
Cognera Health, Inc. is a company developing AI-driven mental health assessment tools to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden on care providers.
“Mental health care shouldn’t end when the session does,” said Kalyan. “With Cognera, we’re transforming disconnected therapy into continuous care for everyone who needs it—and Alabama Launchpad is helping us make it possible.”
Esteemed judges and community engagement
Finalists presented to a distinguished panel of judges, including:
- Aakash Desai, associate director of the Phase 1 and Precision Oncology Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Jamie Tyler, professor of biomedical engineering and neuroengineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, co-founder of Diamond Therapeutics and co-founder and managing member at IST
- Nancy Wegner, associate director of program management at Alveolus Bio
“It was a privilege to serve as a judge for the Alabama Launchpad Cycle 1 2025 Life Sciences competition,” said Desai. “The innovation and passion demonstrated by the finalists was truly inspiring, and it was evident that these ventures are making impactful strides in advancing life sciences. The judging process provided an invaluable opportunity to witness groundbreaking ideas that have the potential to shape the future of healthcare. I am excited to see how these talented teams will continue to grow and contribute to the scientific and medical communities.”
What’s next for Alabama Launchpad
Cognera Health’s win follows last week’s $50,000 award in the Consumer Goods track to Darling Grey, founded by Anna Grace Wesson. Cycle 2 applications are open now, and programming for that cycle will kick off in the fall.
Cycle 1 2025 marks the debut of Alabama Launchpad’s track-based format, which now features:
- Three separate industry tracks
- $2,500 in upfront finalist funding
- A 12-week intensive mentorship experience tailored to each sector
“Our new track-based format allows us to provide more intentional and industry-specific mentorship that truly moves the needle,” said Estes Hughes, EDPA Vice President of Innovation and Talent. “We’re not just investing in the ideas of those who win; we’re preparing and improving all competing companies for better chances of success.”
About Alabama Launchpad
Established in 2006, Alabama Launchpad is the state’s most active early-stage seed fund investor, dedicated to driving innovation and job growth through startup competitions and ongoing mentorship for Alabama entrepreneurs. The program has invested more than $6.4 million to over 120 startups, resulting in more than 1,600 jobs created and over $1B in estimated valuation.
