As we reflect on 2025, we’re proud of the momentum Rune Labs continued to build across Parkinson’s care, research, and advocacy. This year was defined by meaningful patient stories, scientific progress, and deeper collaboration with clinicians, industry leaders, researchers, health systems, and advocacy organizations - all centered around a shared goal: helping people with Parkinson’s live more informed, empowered lives.

From launching new AI-powered services and advancing real-world research, to engaging in national policy conversations and connecting directly with the Parkinson’s community, 2025 reinforced the impact of combining continuous data, clinical insight, and patient voice. 

Below is a look back at the milestones and partnerships that shaped our year, and set the foundation for what’s ahead: 

January: The Parkinson’s industry kicked off the year with an important recognition by Michael J. Fox, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His recognition is a powerful reminder of how much we can achieve together, especially our shared mission to empower the lives of those living with Parkinson’s.

Mid January, Rune Labs was named one of Built In’s 2025 Best Startup Places to Work in San Francisco for the fourth year in a row. We were also honored to be a part of the UCSF Rosenman Institute ADAPT Cohort as finalists as a company transforming patient care! 

The full Rune Labs team also came together for a retreat in Point Reyes, CA and had the incredible opportunity to connect with our PD partners, PD-Connect. We focused on Parkinson’s specific exercises, techniques, and heard from PwPD about the challenges they're overcoming. 

February: We attended the AMDAPP Annual CME Conference in Austin, an event that brought together Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), Movement Disorders Specialists, and industry leaders to discuss innovations and best practices in Parkinson’s care. 

In February, we also partnered with the Brian Grant Foundation for an exclusive webinar sharing how StrivePD empowers individuals to take control of their Parkinson’s care through personalized insights, symptom tracking, and proactive support. 

March: The team launched StrivePD Guardian, the first AI powered, personalized coaching service designed to support people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers in real time. StrivePD Guardian combines continuous symptom tracking, proactive risk monitoring, AI generated summaries, and human coaching to help identify concerning trends early, prepare for clinical visits, and provide support between appointments, bringing greater clarity and peace of mind to Parkinson’s care.

In March, we were also recognized by Fast Company as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Data Science for 2025! This recognition highlights our commitment to transforming Parkinson's care through precision neurology, leveraging real-world evidence, patient-centric AI, and groundbreaking partnerships. At Rune Labs, innovation is at the core of everything we do, from empowering patients with actionable insights to optimizing clinical care and advancing research. Read more about our innovation and the full list here.

At the end of the month, we sponsored the 19th World Congress on Controversies in Neurology (CONY) in Prague! One highlight for us was a powerful session focused on Parkinson's disease, emphasizing how wearables and AI can significantly improve clinical outcomes. At Rune Labs, we've harnessed these technologies to deliver impactful results, including a 42% reduction in hospitalizations, an 18% saving in providers' time, and enabling clinicians to better operate at the top of their license by eliminating busy work and streamlining data analysis. 

April: During Parkinson’s Awareness Month, our team traveled to Vienna for the  AD/PD 2025 conference, where Rune Labs’ Lead Neuroscientist, Ro’ee Gilron, presented new research  on our tremor algorithm. Using real-world data from StrivePD, the work demonstrated how passively collected movement data combined with medication logging can assess levodopa response at one-minute resolution - highlighting the growing role of continuous data in improving clinical trials and care delivery for Parkinson’s.

That same month, CEO Brian Pepin shared insights with BioPharm International on the challenges facing emerging therapies in neurology, including outdated clinical endpoints and limited patient awareness of clinical trials. At Rune Labs, we’re addressing these gaps by generating scalable, real-world evidence through StrivePD and connecting people with Parkinson’s to research opportunities they might not otherwise discover. Read the full piece here. 

Fewer than 10% of people with Parkinson’s participate in clinical trials - not due to lack of interest, but lack of access. StrivePD helps bridge this gap by matching individuals to relevant trials based on disease stage and eligibility, making participation simpler and more transparent. As StrivePD user Verial Whitten shared, discovering clinical trial opportunities through the app opened doors she didn’t know were possible. Our goal is simple: ensure everyone with Parkinson’s has the opportunity to explore research that could shape their future. Read the blog here. 

May: In May, we shared how StrivePD helps people turn everyday data into meaningful action through the story of Kevin Krejci, who uses StrivePD to track symptoms, medications, stress, and activity. By organizing what was happening between visits, Kevin and his care team were able to spot patterns, make more informed decisions, and even begin conversations about advanced therapies like DBS. Stories like Kevin’s reinforce why empowering people with clearer insight and confidence remains central to our work. Read his story here. 

We also highlighted the role of AI and personalized coaching in Parkinson’s care. Featured in The AI Journal, Amanda Hare, DNP, from Rune Labs shared how combining AI-driven insights with human coaching through StrivePD Guardian helps people better understand symptom changes, track progression, and prepare for more productive conversations with their clinicians

That same month, StrivePD was featured on Apple’s healthcare website for its use of Apple Watch and HealthKit data to support research and care in Parkinson’s. As an FDA-cleared solution on Apple Watch, StrivePD enables continuous tracking of movement symptoms like tremor and dyskinesia, helping clinicians and researchers better understand what’s happening beyond the clinic.

At the end of the month, we announced a new clinical program with the Parkinson’s Foundation, the first to integrate genetic testing with real-world wearable data in Parkinson’s disease. Supported by GP2, this initiative combines StrivePD and Apple Watch data with PD GENEration testing to advance earlier diagnosis, more precise trial recruitment, and better-targeted therapies, with initial results expected in 2026.

June: In June, we shared the story of Larry, a StrivePD Guardian user and Parkinson’s advocate, whose journey reflects the impact of feeling truly supported between visits. After years of misdiagnosis and frustration, Larry found clarity through StrivePD Guardian’s personalized coaching, AI-powered reports, and real-time symptom tracking. With more organized data and proactive support, he now walks into appointments feeling confident and in control, bringing peace of mind not just for himself, but for his entire family. Read his story here. 

That same month, Rune Labs continued advancing Parkinson’s research at the GBA1 Canada Conference, where our team shared early work from a new clinical program with the Parkinson’s Foundation. This initiative combines genetic testing with wearable-based symptom tracking through StrivePD to uncover genetic and digital biomarkers and medication response patterns that could enable earlier diagnosis, smarter trial recruitment, and more personalized therapies.

We also engaged directly in shaping the future of digital health policy by responding to CMS and ONC’s Request for Information on health technology for Medicare beneficiaries. Drawing from our real-world experience supporting people with Parkinson’s, we highlighted the importance of patient-generated health data, passive sensors, and equitable access to digital tools in improving outcomes and reducing acute care use. Read the full response here. 

At the end of the month, our team connected with clinicians and researchers at the Advanced Therapeutics in Movement and Related Disorders (ATMRD) Congress in Washington, D.C., sharing how StrivePD and StrivePD Guardian help people with Parkinson’s feel better supported between visits and make every clinical interaction more productive.

July: In July, national conversations around the future of healthcare highlighted the growing role of wearable technology in making care more proactive. For people with Parkinson’s, that future is already here. Through StrivePD, our iPhone and FDA-cleared Apple Watch platform, individuals and care teams can access real-time insights that support better treatment decisions, improved engagement, and fewer emergency visits. Read our response here. 

StrivePD was also spotlighted by the Michael J. Fox Foundation during its Webinar & Podcast series on finding the right tech tools for Parkinson’s care. Dr. Siegffried Hirczy, a movement disorder specialist at UT Southwestern, shared how StrivePD’s clinician-ready summaries help translate raw wearable data into insights that are easier to understand and act on in clinical practice. We’re grateful to the MJFF team and Dr. Hirczy for recognizing the importance of tools that support both patients and clinicians. Listen to the full episode here. 

August: In August, Rune Labs received recognition for our leadership and impact in digital health and precsion neurology. CEO and Founder, Brian Pepin, was named one of Slice of Healthcare’s Top 50 Digital Health Leaders, an honor driven by public vote and shared alongside innovators shaping the future of healthcare.

We were also featured in Inc. Magazine, where our team discussed how StrivePD uses personalized, real-world data to support better decision-making for people with Parkinson’s and their care teams, helping move care beyond episodic clinic visits toward more continuous, data-driven insights. Read the full feature here. 

That same month, StrivePD was highlighted in Brain & Life Magazine, featuring stories from users like Stacee Hawkins, who shared how tracking symptoms and activity helped her better understand medication response and reduce tremor severity. We’re grateful to our community members who continue to share their experiences and inspire others living with Parkinson’s.

September: In September, Rune Labs joined national leaders shaping the future of Parkinson’s care. CEO Brian Pepin represented Rune Labs at the Parkinson’s Foundation National Roundtable on Parkinson’s Care and Innovation, contributing to discussions on priorities and actionable solutions to improve care for people with Parkinson’s. We’re proud to bring our perspective in precision neurology and real-world data through StrivePD to conversations driving national progress. A readout will be launched in 2026! 

That same month, Rune Labs was recognized in Fierce Pharma’s 2025 Fierce 50 Innovation category, honoring our team’s work advancing Parkinson’s care through continuous data and personalized insights.

Our commitment to advocacy continued as Medical Science Director, Amanda Hare, DNP, traveled to Capitol Hill for the 2025 Parkinson’s Policy Forum, joining patients, care partners, and advocates working to advance research funding and support the National Parkinson’s Project.

Lastly, patient voices remained central to our work. In a News From The States feature, StrivePD user Stacee Hawkins shared how wearable data helped her identify patterns between exercise, medication timing, and symptom control, reinforcing the value of continuous, at-home insights for both patients and clinicians. Read the full feature here. 

October: In October, we highlighted how everyday data can empower people living with Parkinson’s through the story of Don Mac Neil, a StrivePD user who has long viewed exercise as his medicine. By pairing StrivePD with Apple Watch, Don gained objective insight into how movement and sleep affect his symptoms. This allowed him and his neurologist to move beyond memory and toward more confident, data-driven care decisions. Read his full story here. 

That same month, Rune Labs’ Medical Science Director Amanda Hare, DNP, joined the Live Parkinson’s – Live an Exceptional Life podcast to discuss the evolution of Parkinson’s care, the role of wearables and coaching, and how continuous monitoring and AI are shaping more personalized, proactive care. Listen to the podcast here. 

Our work also received national recognition when STAT News spotlighted Rune Labs for redefining symptom monitoring and precision treatment in Parkinson’s. The feature highlighted our partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the FDA-cleared StrivePD platform on Apple Watch, and our continued growth as new therapies demand better insight into what happens between clinic visits.

October marked continued leadership and growth for Rune Labs. Zach Henderson, our Chief Commercial Officer, shared how wearable data and AI are transforming precision neurology at industry conferences including THWET and HLTH, while we welcomed Adam Pellegrini to the Rune Labs Board of Directors, bringing deep expertise in scaling AI-driven digital health as we expand the StrivePD ecosystem.

November: In November, Rune Labs was featured by Neurofounders, highlighting how our team is transforming real-world brain data into clinically meaningful insight. Ro'ee Gilron, PhD, VP of Neuroscience, shared how we turn multimodal data into validated digital biomarkers, and what it takes to ensure those insights translate into everyday Parkinson’s care. The feature underscored our continued focus on precision neurology through continuous, real-world monitoring with StrivePD.

‍December: To close out the year, the Rune Labs team attended two key scientific meetings: the Parkinson Study Group (PSG) Annual Meeting in San Diego and the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) conference. These events brought together leaders across research, clinical care, and industry to share the latest advances in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease research.

As we head into the new year, the insights and conversations from these meetings are helping shape what comes next for Rune Labs. We’re energized by the momentum across neurodegenerative research and excited to build on this foundation with new initiatives launching early next year.

More exciting news to come in 2026 - thank you for being a part of our Rune Labs journey!