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

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
View company profile
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
View company profile
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
View company profile
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
View company profile
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
View company profile

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