Neuralink, the brain-tech startup founded by Elon Musk, has raised $650 million in new funding to accelerate development of its brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The round included participation from ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, and Lightspeed Venture Partners, among others.
Neuralink says the investment will be used to expand patient access and to develop new devices that enhance the interface between human cognition and artificial intelligence.
The company’s flagship system, Telepathy, is currently in human trials and allows individuals with severe paralysis to control digital and physical devices using only their thoughts. The technology uses ultra-thin threads — each embedded with 1,024 electrodes — to detect and translate neural signals.
As of this week, five patients have received the implant, and Neuralink is actively running four clinical trials. CEO Elon Musk has previously described Telepathy as the foundation for future devices that may restore sensory functions such as vision. Neuralink’s Blindsight device, designed to help blind individuals — including those without optic nerves — see again, has already received FDA Breakthrough Device designation.
While several competitors, including Paradromics, Synchron, and Precision Neuroscience, are also advancing in the BCI space, Neuralink’s new funding reinforces its leadership in the race to commercialize brain interfaces. Musk has repeatedly stated that Neuralink’s ultimate goal is to “deepen the connection between biological and artificial intelligence” — a mission now backed by some of the world’s most influential investors.
