Sometimes, the most challenging medical conditions and diagnoses require a change in perspective. Innovative startups using AI and Microsoft Azure are finding new ways to introduce those perspectives into the practice of medicine, every single day.
As Owen Phillips, Stanford-trained neuroscientist, watched his mother’s cognitive health in rapid decline, he found himself in a place where no amount of academic expertise could have prepared him to experience—and no existing solution seemed capable of diagnosing her condition.
Despite his deep connections in the medical field, her condition remained undiagnosed—until the technology he was building at his startup, BrainKey, eventually helped uncover the real issue: a treatable condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus.
That moment became the catalyst for BrainKey’s mission: to empower patients and physicians with earlier, more accurate insights into brain health using AI and medical imaging.
Behind everything we do at BrainKey is this drive to help people avoid the kind of uncertainty and pain my family went through. We want to make brain health more accessible, understandable, and actionable.
— Owen Phillips, Stanford-trained neuroscientist
Building responsible AI that detects patterns others overlook
The “key” to BrainKey is its use of advanced AI to analyze MRI scans and detect subtle changes in the brain—often before symptoms appear. How? By employing models that are trained on a vast normative dataset collected from clinics around the world. These massive datasets allow BrainKey technology to estimate “brain age” and identify early signs of neurological decline.
But BrainKey doesn’t stop at analysis. They have built a three-dimensional visualization interface that also allows patients to explore their own brain scans in an intuitive, user-friendly format. This focus on user experience—paired with scientific rigor—is what sets BrainKey apart.
We’re not just building tools for doctors. We’re building tools that help families understand what’s happening to their loved ones.
—Nathan Strong, CTO of BrainKey
Scaling with Azure: A platform built for precision, performance, and privacy
To support their growing user base and data-intensive workloads, BrainKey turned to Microsoft Azure. Their infrastructure uses Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) for scalable compute, Azure Blob Storage for secure data handling, and Terraform for flexible infrastructure management.
We deal with bursty workloads—some hours are quiet; others are packed with analysis. Azure’s autoscaling and heterogeneous node support have been critical for managing that efficiently.
—Nathan Strong, CTO of BrainKey
Security and compliance are also top priorities. BrainKey’s architecture is fully HIPAA-compliant, with encrypted data at rest and in transit. To further streamline the solution, BrainKey has integrated with Nuance PowerShare, a Microsoft-owned platform, to facilitate data sharing with healthcare providers.
Using the Microsoft ecosystem to support innovation in healthcare
BrainKey’s journey with Microsoft began through the Microsoft for Startups Program in 2019, where they received credits, technical support, and access to a global network.
The partnership has since deepened, with Microsoft’s Digital and Strategic Initiatives (DSI) team playing a pivotal role in optimizing BrainKey’s architecture and exploring go-to-market opportunities.
The support from Microsoft has been phenomenal. From technical reviews to strategic introductions, they have helped us move faster and smarter.
— Owen Phillips, Stanford-trained neuroscientist
BrainKey is now exploring how to integrate with Microsoft Azure Marketplace, enabling healthcare providers to procure their solution through existing Microsoft channels. This opens the door to broader adoption and deeper collaboration with Microsoft’s healthcare account teams.
From clinics to Microsoft Azure: Supporting brain health in the cloud
With a recent deal signed with one of the largest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) providers in the United States, BrainKey is preparing to scale rapidly. Their goal? To bring their AI-powered brain health platform to clinics across the country—and eventually, the world.
We’re building the infrastructure now to support massive growth. Azure gives us the scalability we need to make this available to everyone—not just a few. Soon, we will be listing Brainkey in the Azure Marketplace. This is an important milestone for us, as it will make our technology more accessible to healthcare providers worldwide and enable seamless integration into existing clinical workflows.
— Owen Phillips, Stanford-trained neuroscientist
As BrainKey continues to grow, their mission remains clear: to help millions of people better understand their brains, receive earlier diagnoses, and live healthier lives. And Microsoft helps ensure that technology plays a transformative role in getting them there.
