Funding for Neuralink surges to $600 million, pushing its estimated value to a staggering $9 billion.
Neuralink, the brain-computer interface (BCI) startup founded by Elon Musk in 2016, has announced its second human trial and secured a new funding round of $600 million. The funding round was led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, with other investors including Gigafund, Google Ventures, and the UAE's Vy Capital.
The new capital is expected to be used to accelerate clinical testing, expand the company's engineering and neuroscience teams, and enhance manufacturing capabilities. Neuralink aims to develop implantable brain chips for direct communication between the human brain and external devices.
The first human trial began in late 2023, after receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At least five participants have been implanted as part of the initial FDA-approved PRIME Study, including patients with ALS and spinal cord injuries. One of these participants, Alex, has already started using the Neuralink implant to regain some control over his body.
Alex, the second human trial participant, can now control a computer cursor using only his thoughts. This demonstrates early success in restoring motor function for people with paralysis due to spinal cord injury or ALS. These trials are crucial steps toward proving Neuralink's capabilities in real-world scenarios.
In addition to motor function restoration, Neuralink has joined a University of California, Santa Barbara–led clinical trial developing a "Smart Bionic Eye" visual prosthetic. This device uses microelectrode arrays implanted in the visual cortex to bypass damaged optic nerves, combined with AI-processed visual input from glasses-mounted cameras to create a sensation of vision. Though testing has been successful in monkeys, this implant has not yet been implanted in humans, with a targeted launch around 2030.
Neuralink's trials show promise for people with paralysis by restoring communication and control over digital devices, significantly improving quality of life and autonomy. The Smart Bionic Eye trial offers hope to the blind for partial vision restoration. Beyond therapeutic uses, the technology enables users to interact digitally using only brain signals, potentially marking the beginning of broader cognitive augmentation applications.
In 2025, Neuralink expanded these trials internationally, launching the first UK clinical trial recruiting seven patients with severe paralysis to test their fully implantable BCI. This study extends PRIME and partners with major NHS hospitals, focusing on restoring digital autonomy for quadriplegia patients by translating neural signals into cursor or keyboard control via a wireless implant. Trials are also extending to Canada, Germany, and the UAE, aiming to enroll 20–30 new participants worldwide by the end of 2025.
Neuralink's vision is a future where neurological conditions can be treated and augmented cognition becomes possible through a device smaller than a coin. These advancements represent significant steps toward a more interconnected and technologically-enhanced future for people with neurological conditions. However, widespread therapeutic and augmentation applications remain at early clinical stages with further safety and efficacy data pending.
The new funding of $600 million for Neuralink will likely be utilized to advance the development of artificial intelligence-powered brain chips for direct communication between the human brain and external devices. The collaboration between Neuralink and the University of California, Santa Barbara aims to create a "Smart Bionic Eye" visual prosthetic, an artificial-intelligence-processed device that bypasses damaged optic nerves, potentially marking a significant step in technology for those with vision impairments.
