Internet and technology group Alphabet has participated in a $205m series C round for US-based neurological device developer Neuralink through corporate venture capital subsidiary GV.
Technology investment firm Vy Capital led the round, which also featured DFJ Growth, Valor Equity Partners, Craft Ventures, Founders Fund, Gigafund and private investors Blake Byers, Robert Nelson, Sam Altman, Fred Ehrsam and Ken Howery.
Neuralink is developing technology intended to help human brains interface with machines in order to more seamlessly control devices or use them to transmit text or create on digital platforms.
The company’s lead product will be a multichannel implantable system called the N1 Link, which is designed to send data through a wireless connection to enable quadriplegics to neurologically interact with connected electronic devices.
The capital will be channelled into bringing the N1 Link to market as well as research and development for future products. Neuralink was founded by Elon Musk, also the founder of electric carmaker Tesla and space launch services provider SpaceX.
Musk had provided $100m of the $158m the company had raised as of July 2019, according to TechCrunch. It disclosed $27m in series A funding in 2017 and $39.3m in May 2019 through regulatory filings.
