Brain Computer interface
State of the race for dominance
I’ve been posting on three companies, which I believe are closest to commercializing clinically useful brain computer interface (BCI) technology: Neuralink, Blackrock Neurotech and Synchron.
Let’s get up to date on those and some surprising upstarts.
Neuralink: The latest iteration of Neuralink’s BCI device has been dubbed Telepathy. The implant boasts 64 “threads” (thinner than a human hair) each bearing 1,024 electrodes, which are inserted directly into the brain.
In the first half of 2025 Elon Musk’s venture secured a boat load of fresh funds. Neuralink closed on a $650 Million raise at an $9 Billion pre-money valuation. ARK Invest, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners and other firms participated in the round. Neuralink plans to use the infusion of capital to propel their dual ongoing studies: Firstly, PRIME (which focuses on human patients with motor and speech impairments). Additionally, CONVOY (which explores Telepathy’s ability to control assistive robotic devices). Neuralink also manufactures an assistive robotic arm.
During remarks at the 2025 Qatar Economic Forum Musk announced the development of another BCI device called Blindsight. According to Musk, Blindsight may ultimately be capable of “restoring vision, and I think this is notable in that even if someone has never had vision ever, like they were born blind, we believe we can still restore vision. The visual part of the cortex is still there. Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re confident they could see.”
Blackrock Neurotech: since the last update, Blackrock Neurotech has been chugging along, notching hours and hours of clinical human trial experience. Their flagship product (called the Utah Array (also known as the NeuroPort Electrode)) is a microelectrode array implanted in the brain to record and stimulate neural activity, enabling patients to control devices like prosthetic limbs, computers, or robotic arms using their thoughts. The technology has been used in over 40 human implants, with some patients achieving tasks like typing at 90 characters per minute, playing video games, or even controlling exosuits for movement.
The company has developed the MoveAgain BCI system, aimed at enabling communication and mobility for paralyzed patients, and introduced Neuralace, a next-generation BCI with over 10,000 channels for whole-brain data capture, designed to be less invasive and more biocompatible.
Synchron: The big update involves a team-up with some very rich fruit. Apple has partnered with Synchron to produce software, which is designed to work seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem. The idea is to allow those whose brains have been implanted with the stentrode to control apps and devices via thought alone.
And now for the new kids on the block…
Paradromics: Well maybe not so new. The company has been around for a decade. In June, 2025, though, Paradromics had its first human contact. Neurosurgeons at University of Michigan implanted one of their devices in a human who was undergoing epilepsy surgery. The chip was used to record some brain activity and then removed.
Precision Neuroscience: In April 2025, the three year old company reached the human implantation milestone. Dr. Joshua Bederson, Neurosurgeon and Chairman of Mount Sinai in New York City, inserted Precision’s Layer 7 Cortical Interface onto the surface of the brain of the patient undergoing surgery for tumor removal. Like the Neuralink device, the Layer 7 is a device that’s made up of 1,024 electrodes and is thinner than a human hair. Observers reported the Layer 7 to resemble a piece of yellow scotch tape.
Want to dig deeper? Check out https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/brain-computer-interface-update-12a?utm_source=publication-search
*Disclaimer*: I am not a financial advisor. Please consult with a professional before making investment decisions.