Brain-computer interface big news! Neuralink, founded by Musk, raised $600 million and reached a valuation of $9 billion

The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to media reports, Neuralink, a neurological technology company focusing on brain-computer interface technology, co-founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has completed a new round of financing of up to 600 million US dollars. The overall valuation of Neuralink was already as high as 9 billion US dollars before the new financing was officially put in place.

Last month, some media said that Neuralink is in talks with global institutional investors and plans to raise at least 500 million US dollars in this round of financing. Previously, Neuralink completed Series D financing of US$280 million in August 2023.

Neuralink was founded and led by Musk, who is currently the CEO of Tesla (TSLA.US), SpaceX, and xAI, a leader in generative artificial intelligence.

Neuralink announced in April this year that its patient registration system was open to all countries around the world. The company's core technology is a brain-computer interface technology: a wireless implantation chip device is installed in the human skull and connected to the brain through an electrode wire. This rechargeable device is designed to help patients with neurological diseases such as limb paralysis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to control computers and other external electronic devices with just their mind.

Musk said earlier this week that the upgraded brain-computer interface chip “Blindsight” developed by Neuralink may be first implanted into human patients by the end of 2025. In January of this year, he revealed that in 2025, 20 to 30 human patients will be able to receive the new upgraded version of Neuralink's experimental brain-computer interface implantation chip.

In January 2024, Neuralink completed the first human brain implantation of a brain-computer interface chip. At that time, Neuralink implanted a Neuralink brain-computer interface chip into the brain of the first human patient. This is an important step for the company to one day enable the human brain to control a computer. Neuralink's first brain-computer interface chip product was called “Telepathy” (Telepathy). Musk said at the time that the “telepathy” chip made it possible to “control your phone or computer just by thinking, and control almost any device through thought.”

Neuralink is a neurotechnology company co-founded by Elon Musk. Its main goal is to develop implantable brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. This groundbreaking innovative technology aims to read and stimulate neural signals by implanting miniature BMI chips and electrode technology into the human brain. It aims to treat various neurological diseases (such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc.) by implanting chips, while also paving the way for seamless integration between the human brain and artificial intelligence technology, and strives to create the “AI-enhanced human” that Musk expects in the near future.

Neuralink's exclusive technology includes the use of highly advanced, flexible, high-density electrodes and automated implantation of surgical robots, which greatly reduces the complexity of surgery. Over the past 6-7 years, with hundreds of millions of dollars of investment, Neuralink has developed a comprehensive leading R&D chain in the global implantable brain-computer interface, making it at the international cutting edge. Compared to earlier technologies, Neuralink technology aims to provide a higher density of electrodes and a more accurate minimally invasive implantation process. Neuralink's vision goes beyond medical applications. It may enhance human cognitive ability, enhance human intelligence and physical strength, and strive to fully integrate human consciousness with artificial intelligence.