Brilliant Innovators 2025 winner, Sandra Challma, is a cognitive neuropsychologist turned medtech entrepreneur, with a background in cognitive neuroscience from San Diego State and Stockholm University. She is dedicated to transforming how dementia is detected and managed. As CEO and co-founder of Cognes Medical Solutions, Sandra leads the development of AI-powered tools for early, non-invasive detection of dementia through facial analysis. She has secured early-stage funding, built global research partnerships, and developed technology that could cut diagnostic delays from years to months.

Sandra’s mission is deeply personal – driven by her mother’s dementia diagnosis. She envisions a future where dementia is detected early, enabling longer, healthier lives with dignity and independence.

The jury’s motivation:
“From neuropsychology researcher to trailblazing entrepreneur, Sandra embodies the spirit of innovation that changes lives. She is committed to solving a global human problem: the undiagnosed early signs of dementia. We hope that advances in the latest technology, with Sandra and her team at the forefront, will lead to families identifying and potentially treating dementia at an early stage with a screening process that is accessible, painless and affordable – improving the quality of life for tens of millions around the globe.”