Founder Introductions - Scott Thomson

Scott Thomson Thinks Your Brain Deserves a Training Plan

Scott Thomson’s first lesson in nutrition didn’t come from a sports drink ad or a locker-room lecture. It came from the aisles of the Berkeley Co-op, where he learned to read food labels before he could spell saccharin.

Fast-forward a few decades, and Thomson is still decoding what fuels the body — and, more importantly, the brain.

He's the founder of Cognitive Protocol, a brain-first performance company built for athletes, adventurers, and anyone who believes that thinking clearly is just as critical as running fast. His core belief: you can't out-train a broken brain.

Thomson is a science-first innovator reshaping how we think about brain health and performance. His path started with personal curiosity and became a mission.

As a college wrestler, he fueled himself with whatever fit the weight-cutting culture of the late '80s: frozen burritos, gas station hot dogs, Gatorade by the gallon. A few classes in human nutrition flipped a switch — and sent him down a rabbit hole that’s only gotten deeper.

After college and about a decade in health education, he jumped into pro cycling — not on the bike, but behind the scenes. Managing teams, running logistics, meal prepping at altitude training camps. It was there he spotted a massive blind spot: no matter how elite the athlete, brain health almost never considered.

Concussions. Burnout. Sleep deprivation. Mood swings.
No one was talking about it — and no one had a plan to fix it.

Later, working with Floyd’s of Leadville, Thomson got a crash course in plant-based supplements, recovery science, and how alternative therapies could support not just bodies, but minds. It was another piece of the puzzle.

Now, with Cognitive Protocol, he’s connecting the dots. The company’s first supplements target brain function, recovery, and resilience — but Thomson says it’s bigger than just pills and powders.

“It’s a mindset shift,” he says. “Physical performance starts in the brain. Recovery starts in the brain. If you’re not supporting that, you’re building your body on a crumbling foundation.”

Think of it as a smarter way to train — for the long game.
Because your body might take you to the finish line.
But your brain is what gets you out the door.