Baycrest

A first of its kind brain fitness company This year Baycrest proudly announced an exciting new venture that taps into the $1-billion plus brain fitness market and promises great hope for improved brain and cognitive health worldwide. products engaging and fun so that consumers will not only benefit from them, but will enjoy using them. "Creating a commercialized science enterprise was a natural step in the evolution of the Baycrest Centre for Brain Fitness," notes Anthony Melman, Chair of the Baycrest Board of Directors. The Centre launched In partnership with MaRS, Canada's premier inno- last year with the support of a $10-million investment vation centre which helps science, technology and from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, social enterprises build their companies, Baycrest has matched by an additional $10 million from private launched Cogniciti, a for-profit company that will de- donors. "A big part of our mandate is to share our velop and market brain fitness products to help people discoveries through the commercialization of our around the world maintain their brain and cognitive evidence-based cognitive interventions," he says. health longer in the lifespan than was ever possible in the past. "There is growing scientific evidence that keeping the brain active throughout the lifespan can delay the Cogniciti, the first venture of its kind for a Canadian onset of dementia," he adds. "Even older brains retain health sciences centre focused on aging, will build on the capacity for neurogenesis (the growth of new brain 20 years of world-renowned memory and aging science cells). And brain regions damaged by injuries such conducted by Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute. as a stroke can form new compensatory connections through a process known as neuroplasticity." The company will produce a suite of research-supported products, games and training protocols that Test-marketing will begin next year for Cogniciti's first target those memory and cognitive functions that product, Memory@Work™. Other products in the pipe- matter most in our busy lives — planning, organizing, line for test-marketing in 2011 and 2012 include brain and staying focused on a task. The idea is to make the exercise games for mobile devices and the web. 5 Baycrest and baycrest foundation Annual Report 2009 | 2010

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