When Paul Goncharow’s (BKin ’19, MSc ’22, MBA ’23) mother lost mobility during cancer treatment, he began to wonder how technology could help patients who couldn’t easily travel to appointments with health-care professionals who provide rehabilitative care.

“My mom’s experience showed me there were moments when patients needed support beyond the clinic,” he says. “That became the spark for building a platform that could help clinicians, like physiotherapists, stay connected with patients and help patients stay engaged in their recovery.”

Several years later, Goncharow and fellow Brock University graduate Vincent Iantomasi (MSc ’22, MBA ’23) went on to found Kactis.AI, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform rooted in Brock University research that is helping clinicians streamline rehabilitation while providing students hands-on experience with emerging technology.

The platform uses computer vision and AI to support rehabilitation professionals through movement assessment, documentation, patent monitoring and exercise prescription during and between appointments.

As they grow the platform, and their company, Iantomasi and Goncharow are committed to centring the needs of health-care professionals and their patients.

“The professionals using it every day should help decide what gets built next,” Goncharow says.

That philosophy recently brought the platform back to Brock this spring, when Kactis.AI provided the University’s recently launched Master of Athletic Therapy program with access to the platform. Students and instructors in the program will provide feedback on their experience.

“Health care is changing rapidly, and our students need to be ready for that reality. Integrating emerging technologies like Kactis.AI into the Master of Athletic Therapy program helps bridge classroom learning with contemporary clinical practice,” says Associate Professor of Kinesiology Nicole Chimera, Director of the Master of Athletic Therapy program.

As well as translating research into impact and giving students opportunities to engage with emerging health-care technology, the partnership reflects Kactis.AI’s deep roots at Brock.

“Everything about Kactis.AI traces back to the University,” says Goncharow. “The research the mentorship, the connections and the opportunities all started here. Bringing the platform back to help educate future clinicians feels like the story coming full circle.”

The startup is a member of Brock LINC, a research innovation office at the University that provides research commercialization, entrepreneurship and industry partnership supports to the campus and Niagara communities. As well as Brock LINC space and facilities, Iantomasi and Goncharow also have access to one-on-one mentoring from members of the Brock LINC team and its Entrepreneur in Residence.

With the support of Brock LINC, the co-founders have expanded their professional network, connected with early clinical partners and found opportunities to share their work with the broader community.

As Brock students, the pair also spent years honing their expertise in biomechanics, machine learning and business analytics — topics central to their work at Kactis.AI.

Iantomasi completed a master’s in Health Sciences, where he focused on sports biomechanics, before earning an MBA at the University with a specialization in business analytics.

“Research creates knowledge. Business gives it path into the real world. Brock taught me how to bridge science and business,” he says.

Goncharow earned three degrees at the University, including a bachelor’s in Kinesiology, a master’s in Health Sciences specializing in biomechanics, machine learning and computer vision, and an MBA specializing in business analytics.

“Brock showed me the transformative power of research — it can improve how people receive care,” he said.

Working in the University’s Spine Biomechanics and Neuromechanics Laboratory under the supervision of Associate Professor of Kinesiology Shawn Beaudette, Goncharow published biomechanics research before turning his attention to applying that knowledge beyond academia.

“One of the greatest measures of research success is seeing it move beyond the laboratory and improve professional practice and people’s lives. Seeing research that began at Brock translate into a practical health-care solution shows what’s possible when curiosity is paired with entrepreneurship,” says Beaudette, who continues to serve as a mentor and advisor for Goncharow.