Neuralink, the brain-computer interface (BCI) company founded by Elon Musk, has quietly raised an additional $43 million in venture capital, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The funding brings Neuralink’s total raised to date to over $323 million.
The SEC filing indicates that the latest funding round was led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, with participation from 32 other investors. The company’s valuation remains undisclosed, but Reuters reported in June that Neuralink was valued at around $5 billion based on privately executed stock trades.
Neuralink is developing implantable chips that can read and stimulate brain activity. The company’s goal is to use these chips to restore lost functions in people with paralysis, blindness, and other disabilities, as well as to enhance human cognition and capabilities.
The company has made significant progress in recent years. In 2019, Neuralink unveiled a sewing machine-like device that can implant ultra-thin threads into the brain. These threads attach to a custom-designed chip containing electrodes that can read information from groups of neurons.
In 2020, Neuralink demonstrated that its technology could be used to control a robotic arm using brain signals. A paralyzed man was able to move the arm’s cursor on a screen simply by thinking about it.
Neuralink’s latest funding round is a sign of investor confidence in the company’s potential. However, the company still faces many challenges, including regulatory hurdles and ethical concerns.
Despite these challenges, Neuralink is making strides in developing BCI technology that has the potential to revolutionize medicine and human interaction with technology. The company’s latest funding round is a significant milestone in its journey to achieve its ambitious goals.
