$1.4 Billion Funding! Brain-Computer Interface Star Company Completes Series D Round

Recently, U.S. neurotechnology company Synchron announced the completion of a $200 million (approximately RMB 1.4 billion) Series D funding round. This round was led by Double Point Ventures, with participation from several renowned institutions including ARCH Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Bezos Expeditions.

This represents one of the largest single funding rounds to date in the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) field. The company stated that the funds will be used to accelerate the commercialization of its core product, the Stentrode™ system, including regulatory submissions, manufacturing capacity building, and the development of next-generation high-channel brain interfaces. This news has garnered significant attention within the global medical device community.

For a long time, BCI technology has primarily remained in the realms of scientific research and neurorehabilitation. Synchron is now pioneering the transition into a "implantable, scalable, and clinically viable" stage, marking the field's entry into a substantive industrialization cycle.

Company Profile

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in New York, Synchron is one of the first medical device companies globally to focus exclusively on an endovascular BCI approach.

Unlike traditional BCIs that require craniotomy for electrode implantation, Synchron's system accesses the cerebral vasculature via a catheter inserted through the jugular vein. This allows the electrode array to be deployed against the blood vessel wall near the motor cortex, enabling the recording and transmission of neural signals.

This innovative non-craniotomy approach provides significant advantages in terms of safety, accessibility, and scalability, positioning it as a "practical pathway for BCI clinical translation." The company's founder and CEO, Dr. Tom Oxley, a neurointervention specialist, has long been dedicated to brain signal decoding and the translation of neural implant technologies. His guiding principle is: "Make brain-computer interfaces implantable like a stent, not via open-brain surgery."

To date, Synchron has successfully implanted its device in multiple patients in the United States and Australia. Participants have been able to control computers and smart devices using their brain signals to perform daily tasks such as sending text messages, online shopping, and browsing the web.

Product and Strategic Advancement

(1) Product Overview | The Stentrode™ System

Synchron's core product, the Stentrode, is the world's first endovascular BCI system designed for human implantation. The complete system consists of three main components:

• Stentrode Electrode Array: Made of flexible nitinol, it is delivered via catheter through the jugular vein and expands against the wall of a blood vessel near the brain's motor cortex to capture neural signals.

• CortiComm™ Communication Module: Implanted subcutaneously in the chest, it wirelessly connects to the electrode array, serving to amplify signals and transmit data externally.

• BrainOS™ Decoding System: Utilizes AI algorithms to analyze brain signal patterns in real-time and translate them into control commands, enabling users to operate computers, mobile devices, or prosthetics via "thought."

Its key technical features include:

• No Open-Brain Surgery: The endovascular approach significantly reduces surgical risks and recovery time, allowing procedures to be performed in an interventional radiology suite.

• Long-term Stability: The electrodes integrate with the endothelial lining of the blood vessel, forming a stable interface for chronic signal recording.

• Strong Compatibility: Has demonstrated direct communication with iOS systems, supporting the operation of devices like iPads.

• Real-time Bidirectional Communication: Possesses both signal recording and stimulation capabilities, laying the groundwork for future neuromodulation applications.

To date, the Stentrode has received the U.S. FDA "Breakthrough Device" designation and is currently undergoing clinical studies in the Early Feasibility Study (EFS) phase.

(2) Commercialization Path and Strategic Focus

Synchron has indicated that this funding round will primarily focus on three areas:

• Accelerating Commercial Registration: Advancing multi-center clinical studies and FDA submissions in the US and European markets, targeting initial market access by 2026.

• Building Mass Production Systems: Expanding manufacturing facilities in both New York and Australia to transition from research-oriented production to scalable manufacturing.

• Developing Next-Generation Products: Researching and developing "High-channel" brain interface systems to improve signal bandwidth and resolution, expanding applications to more neurological disorders.

Synchron's long-term strategy aims to extend the technology from "motor control" to broader "neurological intervention," potentially covering conditions such as aphasia, post-stroke cognitive impairment, and motor neuron disease (ALS).

Conclusion

Synchron's $200 million funding round is not merely a capital event; it signifies a landmark transition for the BCI industry from the technology validation phase to the commercial validation phase.

Viewed against the cycle of "lab demonstrations — concept hype — clinical exploration" seen in various BCI companies over the past decade, Synchron's model aligns more closely with the practical logic of medical devices: it must be definable by regulators, usable by physicians, and trusted by patients.

Its significance is threefold:

First, the pathway is replicable. The endovascular approach significantly lowers the clinical entry barrier for BCIs, moving "neural decoding" into the operating room rather than confining it to the lab bench.

Second, applications are expanding. From mind-controlled devices for paralyzed patients to neuromodulation, cognitive rehabilitation, and treatment of mood disorders, the clinical boundaries of BCI are being redefined.

Third, the ecosystem is being reshaped. Brain-computer interfaces are no longer a point innovation but a full-stack industry chain encompassing materials science, signal processing algorithms, clinical neuroscience, and device manufacturing.

Over the next year, Synchron's clinical data, regulatory progress, and production scaling will serve as key indicators for observing the trajectory of the global neural interface industry.

As "brain-computer interfaces" shift from experiments to standardized products, they represent not just tools for reading brain activity, but the next definable therapeutic platform within the medical device landscape.