European brain-computer interface startup Inbrain Neuroelectronics SL has raised €46 million in a new round of funding to advance the development of graphene-based neurotechnologies.
The Barcelona-based company hopes that these devices will be used in the future to treat neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, positioning itself alongside other leading companies in the sector, such as Neuralink Corp. Written by Elon Musk, who has developed solutions for conditions such as paralysis, depression, and blindness.
Although the amount is large for a young, four-year-old European company, the value is still far from the amount raised by Neuralink, which is more than 462 million euros. However, Inbrain did not disclose its current market valuation, Bloomberg says.
Graphene, a material valued for its resistance, conductivity, and flexibility, is what the startup considers its greatest competitive advantage. Inbrain implants are just 10 microns thick — thinner than a strand of human hair — and have the ability to decode and modify brain cells with exceptional precision, according to the company.
Although the initial focus is on treating Parkinson's disease, Carolina Aguilar, CEO and co-founder of Inbrain, highlights that graphene implants could in the future treat a wide range of diseases affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems.
However, the project is still in an experimental phase and far from being widely implemented. At this time, Inbrain's priority is to prove the safety of graphene. In September, the company implanted a device for the first time in a human cortex during brain cancer surgery, where it remained for 79 minutes. This initial trial will be expanded to include up to 10 patients.
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