Cognexo In the Press

Cognexo didn't begin with a glossy pitch deck or a Silicon Valley postcode. It began in Leeds in 2017, founded as Cognito Learning by two Leeds-based founders who remain in the business today. It was built to solve a real problem: knowledge fade after training. Organisations were investing heavily in learning and development, only to watch new knowledge disappear within weeks of a course finishing. AI-driven, adaptive reinforcement helped people retain what they'd been taught, with learning taking less than two minutes per day.

‍

When Dan Buckley joined as CEO, a deeper realisation took shape: organisations didn't just struggle with learning — they struggled to understand whether people could actually perform in their day-to-day roles. This meant understanding behaviour, sentiment and wellbeing and adapting quickly. This insight changed everything.

Cognito Learning evolved into Cognexo — a platform designed not just to reinforce knowledge, but to build micro-habits that change daily behaviour. The focus shifted from 'do people remember this?' to 'can people deliver what the business needs?'

A key chapter in this evolution was the partnership with Zenith, another Yorkshire-based business. What began as a client relationship quickly became a genuine collaboration. Zenith's challenges sharpened Cognexo's thinking and their belief in the platform gave confidence to push further. Zenith didn't just use Cognexo — they influenced it.

That partnership introduced Tim Buchan, then CEO of Zenith, who moved from client to investor to Chairman, backing the business with both capital and experience.

Today, Cognexo supports organisations operating across multiple time zones and languages. Strategic partnerships have been built with Fortune 500 companies including Workday and ADP, contributing behavioural insight into these industry-leading technologies. Shortlisted in the Innovation category at the Yorkshire Business Awards.

‍

"Yorkshire has a long tradition of building businesses that last. We like to think Cognexo fits that mould."

‍