---
title: "Elon Musk’s Brain-Computer Startup Neuralink Raises $205 Million"
description: "Neuralink, the futuristic brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, said it has raised $205 million in fresh venture backing, by far the biggest haul of any company in its field."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Business Maverick"
author: "Bloomberg"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/bloomberg/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-07-30-elon-musks-brain-computer-startup-neuralink-raises-205-million/"
published: "2021-07-30T05:42:12"
updated: "2021-07-30T06:10:49"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 264
---

# Elon Musk’s Brain-Computer Startup Neuralink Raises $205 Million

> Neuralink, the futuristic brain-computer interface company founded by Elon Musk, said it has raised $205 million in fresh venture backing, by far the biggest haul of any company in its field.

By Bloomberg · Published 30 July 2021, 07:42 SAST · Updated 30 July 2021, 08:10 SAST

## Content

In a blog post on Thursday, Neuralink said Dubai-based venture firm Vy Capital had led the latest funding round. It comes two years after filings showed Neuralink was [raising $51 million](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-10/elon-musk-s-brain-tech-startup-is-raising-more-cash?sref=4TStDRR2) in a previous round.The funds will help Musk’s Austin, Texas-based Neuralink work on its brain implant for quadriplegics, a device which in time could also assist other people with neurological disorders. The technology could help provide patients “digital freedom” by allowing them to interact with computers and phones “in a high bandwidth and natutralistic way,” according to the announcement.

The next big step for Neuralink will be clinical trials in humans of its device, which so far has [been shown off in pigs](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-28/elon-musk-to-unveil-neuralink-brain-computer-implanted-in-pigs) and a Pong-playing monkey.

It has yet to announce human trials, although one of its rivals, Synchron, [announced early trials](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-28/elon-musk-neuralink-competitor-announces-fda-trial-for-brain-device?sref=4TStDRR2) for its own brain-computer interface just this week.

Seven months in, 2021 has already become a record year in brain-computer interface funding. A few days ago, [Paradromics said](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-22/neuralink-competitor-raises-20-million-for-brain-implants?sref=4TStDRR2) it had raised $20 million. Excluding that round and the latest Neuralink funding, brain-computer interface companies had raised $132.8 million this year. All told, including the latest funding rounds, 2021 has already tripled the $97 million raised in all of last year, according to PitchBook data.

Neuralink first registered as a California company in 2016, although Musk didn’t discuss the company publicly until the [following year](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-28/elon-musk-to-unveil-neuralink-brain-computer-implanted-in-pigs).

Vy Capital was founded by Alexander Tamas, a former partner at DST, the investment firm founded by billionaire Yuri Milner. Other investors in the Neuralink round include Alphabet Inc.'s GV, Founders Fund and Craft Ventures.