Cortica Secures $75 Million in Series D Funding to Expand Comprehensive, Neurology-Based Care for Neurodiverse Children

According to data from the “Report on the Development Status of China’s Autism Education and Rehabilitation Industry III” released in 2019, one in every 160 children worldwide has autism.

Autism typically manifests before the age of three and is often accompanied by symptoms such as impairments in social interaction, communication deficits, restricted interests, stereotyped and repetitive behaviors, and emotional and behavioral abnormalities. Individuals with autism tend to be immersed in their own worlds, engaging minimally with others, much like stars twinkling alone in the night sky. Hence, this special population is also referred to as “children of the stars.”

Cortica is a company dedicated to safeguarding this special group of children. The company believes that every “child of the stars” is unique, and their treatment plans should be equally individualized. Cortica specializes in autism care while also providing comprehensive care services for other neurodiverse individuals, including those with developmental delays, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, genetic syndromes, and sensory processing disorders.

Building on advanced technologies from fields such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and neuroscience research, Cortica has developed a novel, neurology-based behavioral therapy. This treatment approach connects physicians, therapists, parents, children, and the broader community to deliver personalized care plans for neurodiverse pediatric patients.

Cortica’s comprehensive care model is grounded in the scientific research and clinical practice of Dr. Suzanne Goh, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, integrating neurology, biomedicine, behavioral, speech, and sensory-motor therapies. Dr. Suzanne Goh is a pediatric behavioral neurologist, behavior analyst, neuroscience researcher, and author. She is dedicated to researching and developing treatments for neurological disorders that affect children’s brain development, with a focus on autism. Recognized for designing the first clinical protocol for a holistic model of pediatric autism care, she was named one of Inc. magazine’s Top 200 Female Founders.

Cortica believes that neurodiverse children should not be labeled with rigid stereotypes or subjected to one-size-fits-all diagnostic and treatment protocols. Instead, they should be regarded as individuals with unique neurodevelopmental profiles and personalized learning needs. To this end, Cortica offers a range of standardized assessment tools, including the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS).

Through diverse assessment methods, physicians can gain a more comprehensive understanding of each child’s specific circumstances, including neurological function, cognitive abilities, family background, and emotional status, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy.

When a pediatric patient undergoes an initial neurodevelopmental assessment at Cortica, Cortica’s physicians will review the patient’s medical history, including findings from physical and neurological examinations, laboratory test results, and other diagnostic studies such as electroencephalography (EEG). Based on this assessment, the physician will develop a personalized education plan and intervention strategy that respects each child’s neurodiversity. This treatment plan encompasses medical care, behavioral and developmental therapies, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications.

Throughout the treatment process, parents will be fully engaged in their child’s personalized care plan. Cortica will collaborate with parents to address barriers related to insurance, scheduling, and home care, thereby delivering care that is best suited to the child and their family. Based on the specific needs of the pediatric patient and their family, Cortica’s services can be provided at Cortica centers, in the home, at school, within the community, or via telehealth. Additionally, every six months, parents will be asked to complete a set of questionnaires to facilitate the re-evaluation of the pediatric patient, helping physicians monitor progress, establish new goals, and adjust the treatment plan accordingly.

Although there is currently no therapy applicable to all individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), these effective treatments share a common fundamental element: biomedical testing. This approach helps physicians determine which pharmacological intervention is most suitable for the pediatric patient.

In the field of autism, the term “biomedical” is widely used to refer to a specific therapeutic approach that takes into account the biological underpinnings of autism and incorporates these biological processes as part of an individual’s medical care. Among these approaches, genetic testing serves as a biomedical test that can help patients and parents better understand a child’s biological characteristics and determine which pharmacological interventions may provide optimal support.

Many known medical causes can lead to brain differences, thereby giving rise to certain characteristics of autism; some of these conditions are treatable. Following a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), biomedical testing can be conducted to screen for genetic abnormalities associated with ASD, help identify factors that may affect the physical health and behavioral manifestations of individuals with ASD, and analyze individual differences in genetic, neurological, immune, and metabolic aspects, so as to ensure the implementation of optimal treatment strategies.

Cortica offers a variety of biomedical tests for autism, including chromosomal microarray analysis, whole-exome sequencing, gene panels for neurodevelopmental disorders, epilepsy, and mitochondrial diseases, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) testing (including MTHFR), metabolic testing (including mitochondrial testing), comprehensive stool analysis, pharmacogenomic testing, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among these, EEG and genetic testing can be performed directly at Cortica centers, while other tests can be ordered by the Cortica team and conducted at laboratories or healthcare facilities near the patient.

Autism affects children’s communication, social interaction, and behavior. Cortica addresses this challenge through a multifaceted approach to medical care. By integrating medical care, applied behavior analysis (ABA), and developmental therapies, Cortica helps neurodiverse children enhance their life and social skills, facilitating better social integration.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) testing is one of Cortica’s core diagnostic modalities. This neurophysiological technique records the brain’s electrical activity and is used to detect abnormal electrical patterns that may affect cognition, behavior, or development. It also provides data on an individual’s sleep, particularly brain activity across different sleep stages and any sleep disturbances.

Meanwhile, electroencephalogram (EEG) testing can aid in the diagnosis of epileptic seizures. Due to a vicious cycle of mutual influence between brain disorders causing developmental delays and epilepsy, individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders have incidence rates of epilepsy and EEG abnormalities that are tens of times higher than those in the general population. Typically, appropriate treatment to slow the progression of epilepsy will help improve behavioral, cognitive, and developmental outcomes.

In addition, Cortica conducts in-depth evaluation and treatment of comorbidities associated with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. This includes the diagnosis and management of epilepsy, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal conditions, anxiety, ADHD, and mood dysregulation. Furthermore, adjunctive therapies are provided through cranial electrotherapy stimulation, other forms of neuromodulation, and pharmacological interventions.

Cortica’s therapists employ a naturalistic ABA approach. Grounded in positive, caring social relationships, this method enables children to learn new skills within their daily environments, with treatment goals and strategies tailored to each child’s strengths and each family’s unique circumstances. ABA clinicians provide therapy in patients’ homes, at Cortica centers, and in community settings. Service offerings include parent training, one-on-one programs focused on addressing specific challenges, group programs targeting social skills for children aged 6–18, and both in-person and telehealth services.

In its Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy programs, Cortica not only employs the most cutting-edge and effective techniques in ABA but also continuously refines them by incorporating key insights from neuroscience research. This approach enables the successful reshaping of neural networks that influence behavioral patterns in pediatric patients, fostering the establishment of long-range neural connections. Consequently, it helps enhance children’s capacity to process complex information and promotes the integration of sensory, motor, cognitive, and socio-emotional functions.

Developmental therapy is an umbrella term for a group of therapies focused on improving cognitive, social, motor, communication, and functional skills, addressing the needs and strengths of children in specific areas of early life development.

Cortica integrates a range of therapeutic tools to help pediatric patients, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and music therapy.

Among these, occupational therapy employs play-based techniques to build foundational skills in sensory processing and integration, as well as fine motor development. This therapy aims to enhance daily living skills in pediatric patients, fostering greater independence. Speech therapy addresses communication barriers in children with neurodevelopmental differences, improving their abilities in self-expression, social comprehension, articulation, chewing, and swallowing through various daily activities and games.

Research indicates that children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders typically exhibit more pronounced neural responses and interest in music. Therefore, Cortica’s neurologic music therapy utilizes rhythm, pitch, and instrumental performance to facilitate sensory integration and cognitive control. Meanwhile, these pediatric patients often present with underdeveloped musculature or poor balance. Consequently, Cortica employs therapeutic exercise activities to help children enhance muscle strength and motor control, thereby ensuring their safety during daily activities and promoting better integration with their peers.

Each of Cortica’s service regions is served by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by pediatricians, including pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians, epileptologists, pediatric nurse practitioners, speech-language pathologists, behavior analysts, social workers, and marriage and family therapists. Building on this foundation, Cortica is also committed to advancing research in the field of neurodevelopment, with its physicians having published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles.

The company has also established the Cortica Innovation Network, composed of researchers and specialist physicians, dedicated to conducting clinical neuroscience research and leveraging the latest medical breakthroughs to provide technological confidence in the Cortica care model. As a global leader in clinical trial recruitment, the Cortica Innovation Network is currently conducting multiple clinical studies to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of innovative pharmaceuticals, XR technologies, and other interventions for children with neurodiversity.

Meanwhile, Cortica partners with numerous health insurance plans to ensure that patients can receive therapeutic care services at Cortica centers, in their homes, and online. The company accepts a variety of PPO, POS, and EPO plans and has established partnerships with leading health insurers, such as Aetna, Blue Shield, Cigna, and United Healthcare. Prior to initiating services, Cortica’s benefits team assists patients in estimating monthly out-of-pocket costs and any non-covered services, providing benefit verification and cost estimates to help patient families manage their health plan coverage.

On April 17, 2023, Cortica announced the completion of a $75 million Series D financing round and the acquisition of Springtide Child Development. The round was led by Optum Ventures and Deerfield, with participation from RA Capital Management, Echo Health Ventures, Autism Impact Fund, and other investors.

Springtide is a data-driven autism service provider. With the completion of the acquisition of Springtide, its investors have fully transferred their equity interests to Cortica. In addition, Cortica has acquired Melmed Center, a company established by a leading team of developmental pediatric clinicians and researchers. Currently, Cortica owns and operates 23 comprehensive autism treatment centers. Through continuous expansion of its business scope and new acquisitions, the company will serve more than 10,000 neurodiverse children and their families this year.