Healthtech
Q2 202408.04.2024

Neurotech

Picture of Éanna Kelly

Éanna Kelly

at Sifted

If Elon Musk does it, fascination soon follows. The billionaire’s startup Neuralink announced the first successful human trial of its brain chip in February, which allowed paralysed patient ​​Noland Arbaugh to play Mario Kart with his mind.

Brain implants aren’t anything new — but Musk’s company has captured unprecedented attention from investors, who have piled $700m into Neuralink to date. It’s inspired a new generation to dream of advanced hardware that can push our capabilities further. Founders hope their creations could eventually allow for futuristic goals such as helping humans merge with AI — ideas that probably sound fanciful, for the moment, to many brain experts.

Many companies share the (slightly more modest) goal of influencing brain activity to treat conditions such as depression and Parkinson’s disease.

20 most promising early-stage startups

  • Muna Therapeutics logo

    Sifted score

    7.92
    +0.16

    Muna Therapeutics

    Targeting neurodegenerative diseases through microglia.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)
    • Year founded

      2020

    • HQ

      Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Latest round

      Grant
      4.5m / Oct 2022

    • Total funding

      66.4m

  • AviadoBio logo

    Sifted score

    7.23
    +0.11

    AviadoBio

    Gene therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Year founded

      2019

    • HQ

      London, United Kingdom

    • Latest round

      Series A
      72.7m / Dec 2021

    • Total funding

      87.1m

  • Charco Neurotech logo

    Sifted score

    7.18
    -

    Charco Neurotech

    Parkinson's symptom relief device.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Year founded

      2019

    • HQ

      Cambridge, United Kingdom

    • Latest round

      Seed
      9.1m / Nov 2021

    • Total funding

      10m

  • Neotiv logo

    Sifted score

    6.81
    -

    Neotiv

    Digital platform for Alzheimer's assessment.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)
    • Year founded

      2017

    • HQ

      Magdeburg, Germany

    • Latest round

      Seed
      10m / Nov 2022

    • Total funding

      10m

  • NeuroClues logo

    Sifted score

    6.77
    -

    NeuroClues

    Eye-tracking device for neurological disorders.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Hiring
    • Year founded

      2020

    • HQ

      Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    • Latest round

      Grant
      2.5m / Oct 2022

    • Total funding

      7.2m

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