Science Corp Secures $230 Million, Aims to Deliver First Commercial Brain Implant by 2026

Science Corporation, a brain-computer interface startup founded by former Neuralink president Max Hodak, announced a $230 million Series C funding round on Wednesday. The investment values the company at $1.25 billion and brings its total funding to $490 million. This significant capital infusion arrives as the company positions itself to be the first in its field to bring a product to market.

The immediate focus is PRIMA, a vision-restoring implant smaller than a grain of rice. Designed for patients with advanced macular degeneration, the chip works with special glasses to transmit visual data. Science Corp acquired the technology from France's Pixium Vision in 2024, then completed and expanded clinical trials. Results from 47 patients in the U.S. and Europe showed 80% experienced meaningful improvement, with many regaining the ability to read.

"To my knowledge, this is the first time that restoration of the ability to fluently read has ever been definitively shown in blind patients," Hodak stated in a recent interview. The device was featured on the cover of Time magazine.

The company has submitted for a CE mark in the European Union, with approval and a commercial launch anticipated in mid-2026, likely starting in Germany. Discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are ongoing. Science Corp is also extending trials to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa.

Beyond PRIMA, the new capital will support a broader research portfolio. This includes a biohybrid neural interface program and a new business line called Vessel, an organ preservation platform. The funding round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, Quiet Capital, and the non-profit IQT. Science Corp currently employs 150 people.

Source: TechCrunch