Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Teen Founder Battles Alzheimer’s with AI Startup
Alex Yang is an 18-year-old high school student from Seoul who started a company called Reteena.
He and his team use AI to help doctors detect Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more affordably.
They began by improving MRI scans and later created a product called Remembrance, which helps patients remember past memories.
Alex wakes up at 3 am to work with his team, who are in different countries.
They faced some challenges, like getting approval from hospitals, but they are still working hard to make their product better.
Alex believes that the experience of building the company is valuable, even if it means staying up late.
Alex Yang, an 18-year-old high school senior in Seoul, founded Reteena, an AI startup focused on improving Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
The team, spread across multiple countries, developed a product called Remembrance to help Alzheimer’s patients reconnect with past memories.
Reteena’s research was accepted at the IEEE BigData 2024 Conference, validating their early efforts.
The startup faces regulatory barriers in testing their product in clinical settings due to compliance requirements.
Alex Yang balances running the startup with his high school studies, waking up at 3 am to coordinate with his team.
- Who
- Alex Yang, an 18-year-old high school senior in Seoul, and his team of 12 members from different parts of the world.
- What
- Founded Reteena, an AI research startup focused on improving Alzheimer’s diagnostics and launched Remembrance, an AI-based therapeutic service.
- When
- The startup was founded by Alex Yang, and the team's first research paper was accepted at the IEEE BigData 2024 Conference.
- Where
- The team is spread across multiple countries, with the founder based in Seoul.
- Why
- Alex Yang was motivated by family members affected by Alzheimer’s and aims to make early Alzheimer’s detection more accessible and affordable.
- Founder
- Alex Yang
- Startup Name
- Reteena
- Product
- Remembrance
- Team Size
- 12 members
- Research Focus
- Alzheimer’s diagnostics
- Key Achievement
- IEEE BigData 2024 Conference acceptance
- Challenges
- Regulatory barriers in healthcare
- Founder's Age
- 18 years old