Elon Musk’s brain implant startup, Neuralink, has recently secured $600 million in a funding round, elevating the company's pre-money valuation to $9 billion. While the specific investors remain undisclosed, earlier reports indicated the startup was targeting $500 million at an $8.5 billion valuation. This neurotechnology company, focused on implantable brain–computer interfaces, previously raised $43 million in venture capital in November 2023 and was valued at approximately $5 billion in June 2023. Since its establishment in 2016 by Elon Musk and a team of eight scientists and engineers, Neuralink has expanded its team by hiring several high-profile neuroscientists from various universities.

Three years after its inception, Neuralink received $158 million in funding, with $100 million contributed by Musk, and had grown to 90 employees. At that time, the company unveiled its ambitious project: a “sewing machine-like” device designed to implant extremely thin threads (4 to 6 μm in width) into the brain. It successfully demonstrated a system capable of reading information from a lab rat using 1,500 electrodes. Neuralink’s core technology involves a brain implant that reads neural signals and wirelessly transmits them to external devices, including computers and mobile devices, to transform treatments for neurological disorders.

Significant regulatory milestones have been achieved by Neuralink. Last September, the company was granted a “breakthrough device” designation from the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), a pivotal step for the brain-chip startup. Following this, Neuralink announced its patient registry and career openings, inviting individuals to join their quest to restore sight. In a further development in November 2024, Neuralink received approval from Health Canada for its first clinical trial in the country, named CAN-PRIME, which is set to be led by Andres M. Lozano.

The company has already made strides in human applications, with three individuals having received Neuralink implants. In the first half of 2024, a second patient with a Neuralink brain-computer interface demonstrated the ability to control video games and create 3D designs solely with their thoughts. More recently, a nonverbal patient shared a video showcasing how they utilize a Neuralink implant to edit and narrate YouTube videos using only their brain signals, highlighting the practical applications of the technology.

One of Neuralink’s most anticipated breakthroughs is the Blindsight project, a new sight-giving chip planned for human implantation for the first time in the second half of 2025. This experimental medical device aims to restore sight to individuals who are completely blind but have an intact visual cortex. Blindsight works by bypassing the damaged optic nerve and directly stimulating the visual cortex to generate visual perception. Elon Musk articulated the vision for Blindsight in March, stating that while the initial vision would be low resolution, akin to “Atari graphics,” it has the potential over time to surpass natural vision, enabling sight in infrared, ultraviolet, or even radar wavelengths, similar to Geordi La Forge.

Musk emphasized that Blindsight could restore vision even in the most severe cases of blindness, working for those born blind or who have lost both eyes, provided their visual cortex is functional. Experts have highlighted what differentiates Blindsight from other innovative retinal implants: while others send signals from a camera to electrodes on retinal nerves, Blindsight is a brain implant that directly interfaces with the visual cortex. This direct stimulation allows it to benefit individuals who are born blind, unlike other solutions that may not apply to such cases.

Beyond Blindsight, Neuralink is pursuing other innovative projects. Business World reports that the company is developing an implant designed to enable paralyzed individuals to control digital devices with their thoughts. Additionally, a clinical trial involving three participants is underway to evaluate the device’s effectiveness in assisting individuals with spinal cord injuries. As Neuralink continues to achieve significant milestones, its value contributes to Elon Musk’s growing empire, though it remains one of the smaller, yet rapidly advancing, components. For context, SpaceX was valued at $180 billion in August and $350 billion on the secondary market by December 2024, while Musk's newest venture, xAI, was valued at $80 billion, merging with X to form a combined entity worth $113 billion.