In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Leon Young, CEO and Founder at Cogniss, and Dr Frank Iorfino, Associate Professor at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney.

The discussion focuses on no-code health technology platforms, digital mental health solutions, and the challenges and opportunities in delivering predictive and preventative healthcare, particularly in youth mental health.

The episode covers Cogniss' evolution, the role of digital and predictive tools in healthcare systems, and real-world applications in clinical research and practice.

The conversation offers insights into how health professionals can use no-code platforms to build, refine, and scale digital solutions, the importance of personalisation in mental health care, and the ways predictive analytics can identify risks and support early intervention.

It also examines the barriers to scaling innovation in health systems and how collaborative approaches are helping to bridge the gap between pilots and broader implementation.

Practical examples of digital health tools in action are highlighted, from apps supporting youth mental health to predictive solutions for conditions such as sepsis and chronic illness.

Key Takeaways

✨ No-code technology enables health professionals and researchers to build, maintain, and scale digital health solutions more efficiently, reducing development costs and barriers to market entry.

🤝 Effective prediction and early intervention in healthcare, particularly mental health, require accessible digital solutions that can personalise care, track outcomes, and help prevent illness escalation.

📱 Real-world applications, such as using wearables and health data integration for predictive models, are being developed for youth mental health and chronic conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases.

🔗 The challenge of delivering digital therapeutics at scale stems from complex procurement, a lack of clear ownership in health systems, and the need for unified infrastructures that support solution interoperability and patient data control.

🌏 Initiatives like Ripple aim to support priority populations and address gaps in digital health by building a catalogue of evidence-based solutions targeted to specific health challenges, such as women’s health and youth mental health.

Timestamps & Main Topics

00:00 Introduction

01:08 Leon Young introduces himself and Cogniss

02:57 Dr Frank Iorfino shares his experience in youth mental health and digital solutions

04:08 Discussion on the importance of early intervention

06:21 The vision for predictive tools

08:28 Dr Frank Iorfino explains the Mind Your Mind app

10:54 Researcher challenges and the value of no-code platforms

13:01 Adapting no-code solutions beyond white-labelled apps

14:09 Growing the platform through demand-driven development

17:03 The need for infrastructure that can deploy multiple digital solutions

19:49 Areas of highest potential for predictive healthcare technologies

20:36 Examples of predictive health projects

22:12 Dr Iorfino expands on why youth mental health is a pressing priority

24:51 Barriers to scaling predictive and preventative healthcare solutions

26:11 Developing a marketplace approach to better match innovations

30:37 Closing remarks and how to connect with Cogniss

----

Want to keep the conversation going?

The full article and extended show notes for this episode are available inside the THT+ Community here: View Full Article Here

In the THT+ Community, our members keep the discussion going, share perspectives, and unpack what this episode actually means in practice with other people working in healthtech.

If you’re enjoying the show and want access to full articles, episode discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus.

And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.

Mentioned in this episode:

This episode is supported by Vanta - the platform trusted by 14,000+ companies to get SOC 2 and ISO audit-ready faster and build enterprise-grade security early. Save $1,000 at https://vanta.com/THT