Precision Neuroscience lands $102m to advance AI-powered brain implant

Neurotech seeks to accelerate commercialization of BCI technology that enables operation of digital devices via thought alone.

US neurotech company Precision Neuroscience has secured $102 million in Series C funding round to advance its brain–computer interface (BCI) technology towards commercialization. The new capital, which makes Precision second only to Elon Musk’s Neuralink in terms of overall funding, will accelerate the development of the company’s AI-powered brain implant, which is designed to empower individuals with severe paralysis to operate digital devices using their thoughts.

Founded in 2021, Precision was co-founded by Michael Mager and Benjamin Rapoport , a neurosurgeon-engineer and former Neuralink co-founder, who envisioned creating a BCI system that would provide a safe, minimally invasive alternative to traditional penetrating electrodes. The company’s proprietary technology, the Layer 7 Cortical Interface, is a thin-film microelectrode array is engineered to conform to the brain’s surface without causing tissue damage. It incorporates a cranial micro-slit insertion technique that allows for fast, reversible implantation.

My take on this: Precision’s innovative technology translates brain activity into machine-readable code using advanced neural data processing. Its modular design supports multiple flexible electrode arrays, enabling broad coverage across the brain’s surface.

Each array features a density 600 times greater than standard cortical arrays, with the ability to both record and stimulate neural activity, providing a bidirectional communication pathway between the brain and external devices. These features open doors for broader applications, including stroke rehabilitation and treatments for refractory depression, in addition to its initial focus on aiding individuals with motor paralysis.

“We’re beginning by addressing some of the most debilitating disorders – severe spinal cord injury, stroke, ALS – and our goal is to develop a product that is safe enough, and scalable enough, to treat a broad range of neurological conditions,” said Mager, the company’s CEO. “This funding brings us one step closer to that vision.”

The new funds will be directed towards expanding Precision’s workforce, refining the design and functionality of its cortical interface and broadening its clinical testing initiatives. Thus far, the company has conducted testing in 27 patients through partnerships with institutions including Mount Sinai Health System, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute.

Discover how Precision Neuroscience's groundbreaking BCI technology is driving advancements in neuroscience and beyond right HERE.

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