Science Corp raises $230M as it races to bring its brain implant to market

Source: TechCrunch

While most of the venture world has been chasing AI deals, Max Hodak — the co‑founder and former president of Neuralink — has been working on a startup that claims to be on the verge of being the first brain‑computer interface company to bring a product to market.

Funding round

Science Corporation (science.xyz) announced on Wednesday that it has raised $230 million in a Series C financing. A source close to the startup says the round gave Science Corp. a post‑money valuation of $1.5 billion.

PRIMA: a vision‑restoring implant

In the short term, Science Corp. is betting on PRIMA, a chip smaller than a grain of rice that, when implanted in the eye, works with camera‑equipped glasses to restore functional vision to people with advanced macular degeneration.

• The technology was acquired in 2024 from French outfit Pixium Vision, refined, and taken through trials that Pixium had started.
• In trials involving 47 patients across Europe and the U.S., 80 % demonstrated meaningful improvement in visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words, according to the company.

“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 told TechCrunch in an interview in December. The device also appeared on the cover of Time magazine.

Regulatory path and market launch

Science Corp. has submitted a CE mark application for the implant to the European Union and expects approval in mid‑2026, after which it plans to launch the product in Europe. The company says this timeline would make it the first BCI company with a market‑available product.

• Germany is likely to be the first market, given its established pathways for early access to new medical technologies.
• In the United States, regulatory discussions with the FDA are “ongoing.”

Expanding the trial program

The PRIMA trial is being expanded to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa, inherited retinal conditions that are leading causes of vision loss in young adults.

Use of the new capital

The $230 million will fund the commercialization of PRIMA and support Science Corp.’s broader research portfolio, which includes:

• A biohybrid neural interface program that grows engineered neurons from stem cells onto a waffle‑like device that sits on the brain’s surface and forms biological connections with existing neural circuits.
• A new business line called Vessel, an organ‑preservation platform aiming to develop miniaturized perfusion technology so organs can be transported on commercial flights or maintained by patients at home, rather than in ICU suites.

Investors

The Series C round included a mix of new and existing backers:

• Lightspeed Venture Partners
• Khosla Ventures
• Y Combinator
• Quiet Capital
• IQT (a non‑profit investment firm focused on solutions for government organizations)

Overall funding and team

The round brings Science Corp.’s total funding to $490 million. The startup currently employs 150 people.

Update: This story originally reflected the company’s pre‑money, not post‑money, valuation.