Neuralink, the neurotechnology firm co-founded by Elon Musk, has just announced a hefty Series E funding round, pulling in a staggering $650 million. It’s a major financial boost that lands at a critical moment as the company ramps up human clinical trials and broadens its work on implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) tech.
This funding round attracted a slate of high-profile investors: ARK Invest, DFJ Growth, Founders Fund, G42, Human Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, QIA, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Vy Capital, among others. With this influx, Neuralink’s reported valuation has now climbed to around $9 billion—a notable leap from earlier estimates.
Progress in Human Trials and Clinical Applications
According to Neuralink, the new funds are earmarked to speed up development, widen patient access, and refine devices meant to deepen the bridge between human biology and artificial intelligence. Since its last funding round in August 2023, the company seems to have gained solid ground.
One particularly compelling milestone involves Neuralink’s so-called “first pioneers”—five individuals living with severe paralysis who are now using the company’s implants. Early reports suggest they’re able to control both digital and physical devices with their thoughts. It’s a remarkable step, especially for people facing profound mobility limitations.
Right now, Neuralink is conducting clinical trials in three countries across two continents, working with some of the leading institutions in neurosurgery. These include the Barrow Neurological Institute, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami, and Toronto’s University Health Network (Toronto Western Hospital).
Expanding Beyond Digital Device Control
While the initial focus is on digital interface control, Neuralink’s ambitions go further. The company is exploring broader applications, recently launching the CONVOY trial and securing FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for two new programs: “Blindsight,” focused on vision restoration, and a separate effort aimed at restoring speech.
These designations are part of the FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program, which is designed to streamline the path to market for medical technologies with transformative potential. It doesn’t guarantee success—but it does signal real promise.
Meanwhile, Neuralink is working on extending the number of neurons and brain regions their device can interact with. The goal? To create a richer, more multidimensional brain interface—something that, while ambitious, could push the boundaries of what’s possible.
The Telepathy System: How It Works
Neuralink’s core product, the “Telepathy” system, centers on ultra-thin, flexible threads—each finer than a strand of human hair. These threads house 1,024 electrodes, which are implanted directly into the brain. They capture neural signals and then wirelessly send them to devices like computers or smartphones.
The current iteration, called the N1 Implant, is an intracortical BCI that records activity through 64 flexible threads. These are so delicate that they need to be placed by a robotic surgeon, the R1 Robot. Once implanted, the system routes neural signals to onboard electronics, which then wirelessly transmit the data to an external Neuralink app. That app decodes the signals into actions—say, moving a cursor or tapping out text.
The implant itself is powered by a rechargeable battery and sits beneath the scalp, entirely invisible from the outside—no external ports or connectors.
This latest round of funding is expected to significantly speed up Neuralink’s roadmap. The company is actively hiring across multiple domains, emphasizing traits like first-principles thinking and full ownership of projects.
For those interested in the medical side, Neuralink is expanding its Patient Registry. They’ve expressed a strong commitment to widening access and pushing the limits of what brain-computer interfaces can do in the future.
Of course, Neuralink isn’t alone in the race. The BCI field is getting increasingly crowded, with several companies exploring similar, though often distinct, paths. But with this level of funding, Neuralink may have secured itself a sizable head start. Whether that translates to real-world breakthroughs remains to be seen—but it’s clear the next few years could be pivotal for the future of neurotechnology.
