{"689631":{"#nid":"689631","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mapping Independence: How MapHabit Supports People With Cognitive Challenges ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDaily routines such as brushing teeth, preparing meals, and getting ready for work can be challenging for individuals who need cognitive support. For many people with developmental disabilities, autism, or other cognitive challenges, completing everyday tasks typically requires additional guidance and structure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.maphabit.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMapHabit\u003C\/a\u003E is a digital platform that visually maps routines, breaking complex tasks into manageable steps that build users\u2019 confidence and independence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 2018 by entrepreneur Matt Golden and co-founder Stuart Zola, a former Emory University neuroscientist, the company has developed technology that enables users, caregivers, and therapists to easily create visual task guides using photos, short videos, and prompts. Those guides are then used to help individuals through each step of a routine. The platform draws on established cognitive and behavioral research, showing that task analysis, visual cues, and structured routines can help individuals learn and retain daily living skills.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Family Challenge to Startup\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea for MapHabit grew from a challenge Golden saw within his own family. His cousin with Down syndrome often needed help completing everyday routines, and family members created visual guides using photos and written instructions to help her move through tasks independently. After trying different methods for months, the visual approach proved remarkably effective.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we tried the visual method, she was able to learn the routine within a couple of days,\u201d Golden said. Additionally, it was \u201cmore accessible and affordable than in-person support. That\u2019s when we realized this approach could help many more families.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGolden also had an uncle with early-onset Alzheimer\u2019s disease whose caregiver faced similar challenges navigating daily routines. Those two experiences reinforced a broader insight: Many families were already creating visual support on their own, but no scalable digital solution existed to make that approach accessible to everyone.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow It Works\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA typical routine on the platform might include getting ready for the day, preparing for school, or heading to work. The app allows users to break an activity into simple steps, such as choosing clothing, packing a bag, or completing morning hygiene tasks. Users check off each step as they complete it, reinforcing habits and reducing reliance on constant reminders from caregivers. This form of task analysis taps our procedural memory, also known as the \u201cmuscle memory\u201d of the brain, and allows people to build routines faster and more organically.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe platform is designed so that individuals, caregivers, and therapists can create and customize it to fit individual needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Prototype to Market\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the span of seven years, the platform has evolved through multiple iterations informed by user feedback and research. Early versions of MapHabit focused primarily on individuals with dementia. However, the team discovered that caregivers and individuals with disabilities achieve faster outcomes and adopt mobile technology more frequently in daily life. That shift in adoption patterns prompted the team to refocus its strategy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, MapHabit\u2019s primary users include individuals with developmental disabilities and autism, as well as therapists, educators, and caregivers who support them. Community-based organizations, healthcare providers, managed care organizations, schools, and individual families use the platform.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Startup With Support From ATDC\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the company grew, in 2019, MapHabit joined the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center\u003C\/a\u003E (ATDC), Georgia Tech\u2019s statewide startup accelerator, now part of the Office of Commercialization\u2019s broader venture support ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGolden said the ATDC community has played an important role in helping the company move from an early prototype to a growing business.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cATDC gives founders access to experts, mentors, and other entrepreneurs who have faced similar challenges,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you run into a roadblock, there\u2019s usually someone who has experienced it before and can help you move forward faster.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough ATDC, MapHabit gained access to coaching, office space, networking opportunities, and industry connections that helped the company refine its strategy, accelerate commercialization, and strengthen its approach to grants. Through ATDC\u2019s Small Business Innovation Research program, MapHabit received guidance on preparing competitive funding applications and identifying new non-dilutive funding opportunities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cATDC helped us become more aware of resources and how to position our applications, so they have a stronger chance of getting funded,\u201d Golden said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding and Growth\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince launching commercially in 2020, MapHabit has secured research funding from the National Institutes of Health and raised several million dollars from investors and strategic partners. The company generates revenue across healthcare, education, and community-based organizations, while continuing to expand its reach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, MapHabit continues to refine its platform and is leveraging AI in more aspects of the user experience. For Golden, the impact of the technology remains closely tied to the insight that inspired the company\u2019s creation. Through ATDC and Georgia Tech\u2019s broader commercialization ecosystem, founders like Golden can transform early insights into technologies that improve everyday life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re trying to give individuals the tools to do things on their own,\u201d he said. \u201cThat sense of independence is incredibly important.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMapHabit turns daily routines into visual, step-by-step guides that help individuals with developmental disabilities and autism build independence. Founded in 2018 and supported by Georgia Tech\u0027s ATDC, the company has grown from an early prototype into a funded platform used by caregivers, therapists, schools, and healthcare organizations nationwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"MapHabit, an ATDC-supported startup, uses visual task mapping to help individuals with cognitive challenges build independence through everyday routines."}],"uid":"36434","created_gmt":"2026-04-11 18:26:37","changed_gmt":"2026-04-11 19:11:25","author":"lcameron30","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679917":{"id":"679917","type":"image","title":"Matt Golden","body":null,"created":"1775932127","gmt_created":"2026-04-11 18:28:47","changed":"1775932127","gmt_changed":"2026-04-11 18:28:47","alt":"MapHabit Founder Matt Golden","file":{"fid":"264139","name":"MGOLDEN.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/11\/MGOLDEN.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/11\/MGOLDEN.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1883517,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/11\/MGOLDEN.JPG?itok=D73yDaCZ"}},"679918":{"id":"679918","type":"image","title":"MapHabit Logo","body":null,"created":"1775932221","gmt_created":"2026-04-11 18:30:21","changed":"1775932221","gmt_changed":"2026-04-11 18:30:21","alt":"MapHabit  logo","file":{"fid":"264140","name":"Icon-256x256-V20230629152720.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/11\/Icon-256x256-V20230629152720.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/11\/Icon-256x256-V20230629152720.png","mime":"image\/png","size":10462,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/11\/Icon-256x256-V20230629152720.png?itok=FbMVocJ-"}}},"media_ids":["679917","679918"],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELacey Cameron\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lcameron30@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}