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Company History

Located in Santa Monica, California, Dakim, Inc., is the creator and developer of the world's most advanced brain-training system. Committed to preserving the quality of life of Seniors, Dakim's employees are on a mission to fight the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Having been affected by the ravages of Alzheimer's disease in many of their own lives, Dakim's employees have made it their personal goal to do whatever they can to combat the disease and help spread the word about the importance of maintaining brain health by making smart lifestyle choices and exercising your brain.

 

Dan Michel, founder and CEO of Dakim, Inc., and his wife Kim stand with Dan's dad early in his fight against Alzheimer's disease (AD).

 

Dan's dad, later in his struggle with AD, inspires Dan, now frustrated by the lack of cognitive stimulation tools, to begin creating his own mental stimulation devices for him.

 

Although crude, the first mental stimulation devices Dan creates provide engagement and stimulation for his dad and already point to a bigger opportunity.

 

Dan's devices grow more complex and stimulating. However, the limitations of analog devices become apparent, and the value of a computer appliance are now obvious.

 

Knowing that the design, engineering, and programming required to create an effective technology-based brain-fitness product will require lots of innovation and unique expertise, Dan reaches out to the smartest tech guy he knows: Jerry Robinson. Jerry joins Dakim as a founding partner.

 

2002-2005

Dakim, like many start-ups, has a humble beginning. Its first corporate headquarters are in Dan's garage!

 

The first prototype of a technology-based cognitive stimulation device is created by Dakim, using an Apple eMac fitted with a touch-screen interface and configured by Jerry.

 

A significant research article, "Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly," is published in the New England Journal of Medicine, confirming that Dakim's approach to making rigorous cognitive exercise fun is the answer.

 

2005

Dakim secures $3.5 million in equity funding from "angel investors," enabling the company to begin full operations developing brain-fitness products.

 

Jerry supervises movers as Dakim moves into its new headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif.

 

Jerry demonstrates Dakim BrainFitness to an attendee of the Tenth White House Conference on Aging in December, where Dakim is one of 30 universities and leading technology innovators are invited to exhibit their technology.

 

Jerry inspects an early stand-alone, touch-screen system prototype that will later be used to host the Dakim BrainFitness program.

 

John Schofield, Director of Software Programming, and then quality assurance manager Josh Cottingham work on a motherboard for an early Dakim BrainFitness prototype.

 

Rob Miller, Director of Content Development, and then production manager Melindu Wu stand in front of storyboards of the first Dakim BrainFitness brain games.

 

Dakim participates in the 2006 American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) national conference where the Dakim BrainFitness System is offered for sale for the very first time. Rick Sill, Vice President of Sales, stands in the background.

 

Doug Stuman, Director of Marketing, and Josh deliver the first Dakim BrainFitness systems to Front Porch's Villa Gardens in Pasadena, Calif., the first senior living community to incorporate Dakim BrainFitness into their resident services.

 

A resident completes the very first Dakim BrainFitness session in a senior living community.

 

In February, Dakim secures $10 million in equity financing from Galen Partners, enabling the acceleration of product development and company growth.

 

Jack LaLanne, America's Godfather of Physical Fitness, joins Dakim's team as Dakim BrainFitness' Official Brain Fitness Motivational Coach.

 

Less than two years after its introduction, the Dakim BrainFitness System becomes the #1 brand of brain-fitness products in America's senior living communities.

 

Dakim introduces Dakim BrainFitness Software for PC and Mac computers, making it possible for more than 70 million Boomers and 36 million Seniors living at home to enjoy the benefits of Dakim BrainFitness.