NeuroNation
 | |
Type of site | cognitive training |
|---|---|
| Available in | German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Russian, French |
| Created by | Rojahn Ahmadi and Jakob Futorjanski |
| URL | www |
| Commercial | yes |
| Users | 10 million |
| Launched | 2011 |
NeuroNation is a cognitive training website and app that was launched in 2011. The app is available on Android and iOS and as of 2015, was offered in eight languages.[1] The app is well-designed but expensive.[2]
Its use is reimbursed by several German health insurers, including Deutsche BKK.[3] While the NeuroNation app and similar ones are heavily advertised with claims of improving general cognitive function, there is no evidence to show that NeuroNation or similar programs do so; at most they improve performance in the training tasks given in the program.[4][5]
It was created by coders Rojahn Ahmadi, Ilya Shabanov, and Jakob Futorjanski in a collaboration with psychologists of the Free University of Berlin and Technische Universität Dortmund.[6] Their venture was funded by a bank loan, a grant from Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin, and by 50000EUR raised on the crowdfunding site Seedmatch.[6][7] The online platform was launched in 2011, and initially served Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.[7] In 2014, Der Spiegel and XLHealth AG bought a 25% stake in NeuroNation, financing an expansion into French, Spanish, Russian, and Portuguese markets.[7]
The program began with a single-payment model, later shifting to a subscription business model.[6] The app offers some content free, while other activities are available through in-app purchases.[8]
References
- ^ Maas, Marie-Charlotte (18 March 2015). "Senioren-Start-ups: Alt, aber oho - WiWo Gründer". WiWo Gründer (in German).
- ^ Zellfelder, Steffen (14 September 2014). "Gehirntraining mit NeuroNation". PC Welt (in German). Archived from the original on 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Schlaganfall: Kasse zahlt erstmals Digital-Health-Anwendung". Ärzte Zeitung (in German). 26 August 2014.
- ^ Vincent, James (June 21, 2016). "The benefits of brain-training games? They're all in your head". The Verge.
- ^ Simons, DJ; Boot, WR; Charness, N; Gathercole, SE; Chabris, CF; Hambrick, DZ; Stine-Morrow, EA (October 2016). "Do "Brain-Training" Programs Work?" (PDF). Psychological science in the public interest. 17 (3). American Psychological Society: 103–86. doi:10.1177/1529100616661983. PMID 27697851.
- ^ a b c "Rojahn, Jakob & Ilya, Founders Of NeuroNation - Asian Entrepreneur". Asian Entrepreneur. October 14, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Spiegel picks up stake in Berlin brain-training startup NeuroNation". Venture Capital Post. 24 January 2014.
- ^ NeuroNation, Bangkok Post, 2014
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