Tony Simon: The life-changing power of the Big Bang!
Quick Summary
- In 2018, the Big Bang! helped to shape Simon's career by giving him the skills to found a startup.
- Simon said he received advice, goal-setting guidance, and business skills in the Big Bang!. And he won second place!
- Now, he feels the pull to give back to the Big Bang! as a mentor.
Tony Simon's professional journey is a testament to the transformative power of the Big Bang! Business Competition.
A Ph.D. and NIH-funded scientist with a background in cognitive neuroscience, Simon developed an innovative approach to stroke rehabilitation that uses virtual reality. But he had little experience running a business and was unsure how to enter the world of startups.
The Big Bang! changed that. He and MBA candidate Sara Howard entered their startup, Cognivive, in the 2018 Big Bang! and won second place. But Simon said he received so much more than just an award. He received advice, goal-setting guidance, and business skills that helped transform him from a longtime academic researcher into a startup founder.
You cannot fail to get valuable experience from Big Bang! that you can use in your company. It might just change your life, too." — Tony Simon
Life After Big Bang!
Cognivive quickly gained traction, raising close to $1 million in angel investments. The startup graduated from the highly selective Creative Destruction Lab accelerator and caught the attention of the Kaiser Foundation Rehab Center. This led to Cognivive’s selection as the vendor for Kaiser’s first clinical trial of at-home stroke rehab using virtual reality.
However, the onset of the pandemic abruptly halted Cognivive’s forward momentum, and potential investors withdrew their interest. Despite this setback, Simon’s resilience led him to REACT Neuro, a startup with a similar mission that decided to acquire Cognivive. Simon took on the role of Chief Science Translation Officer and helped to expand its diagnostics, assessment, and treatment offerings.
Simon was soon recruited by Akili, a company known for its FDA-authorized, prescription digital therapeutic for ADHD, which is delivered via a video game. As Akili’s first VP, Head of Cognitive Science, he drove the translation of neuroscience into therapeutic products. After 2 years he and most of the Akili team, were laid off when Akili was acquired.
Giving Back
Simon is now continuing the mission that Big Bang! helped launch, by taking consulting roles to help neuro- and mental health-focused digital treatment companies avoid mistakes and achieve success.
Simon feels an important pull to give back to the Big Bang! Community as a mentor and judge because of the significant role it played in shaping his career – and in his life. The camaraderie with other founders, the valuable experience, and the lasting connections made during the competition have left an indelible mark.
To anyone interested in innovation who is thinking of entering the competition, Simon said, “DO IT. You cannot fail to get valuable experience that you can use in your company. It might just change your life, too."