Funding History ($M)
$1.2B+ total. Investors: Sequoia, Lightspeed, Thrive, Founders Fund, GV
Human Implant Progress
Across US, Canada, UK, UAE. High-volume automated production announced Jan 2026
BCI Competitor Funding ($M)
Neuralink 8x more funded than nearest competitor. Blackrock has 40+ patients (9+ years)
Financials
Revenue: Pre-revenue (clinical trial stage). Target $1B annual by 2031
Key Rounds: $205M Series C (Jul 2023), $323M Series D (Nov 2023), $650M Series E (May 2025)
Investors: Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed, Thrive Capital, Founders Fund, Google Ventures
Profit/Loss: Loss-making (R&D stage)
Operations
Founded: Jul 2016
HQ: Fremont, CA. New facility planned: Del Valle, TX (near Tesla Gigafactory)
CEO: Jared Birchall (also manages Musk family office). Key: Shivon Zilis (Dir Ops), DJ Seo (VP Eng, co-founder)
Ownership: Musk majority owner (exact % undisclosed)
Products: N1 implant (BCI chip), R1 surgical robot
Pipeline: Telepathy (thought-to-device), Blindsight (vision restoration), Deep (Parkinson's tremor treatment)
Clinical Progress — 21 Participants Enrolled
Total Enrolled: 21 participants (as of Jan 28, 2026) across 4 countries
Cumulative Usage: 2,000+ days, 15,000+ hours
Typing Speed: Avg ~14 WPM, peak 40 WPM
Serious Device Adverse Events: Zero reported
FDA Status: Breakthrough Device Designation. PRIME + VOICE trials active
2026 Plans: High-volume production, automated surgery, 3x capability next-gen implant, Blindsight first human trial
IDENTIFIED PATIENTS
#1 Noland ArbaughActive
Implant: Jan 29, 2024 · Barrow Neurological, Phoenix AZ
Condition: Quadriplegia (C4/C5 spinal cord injury, diving accident 2016)
Capabilities: Cursor control, chess, video games, web browsing. Beat 2017 world record for BCI cursor speed on day 1
Complication: ~85% of threads retracted weeks after surgery (trapped air in skull). Fixed via software algorithm. Stabilized
First: First human Neuralink implant. First livestreamed BCI chess game (Mar 20, 2024)
Study: PRIME (US)
#2 Alex ConleyActive
Implant: Jul 2024 · Barrow Neurological, Phoenix AZ
Condition: Complete spinal cord injury (C4/C5 vertebrae fracture)
Capabilities: Cursor control within 5 min. Counter-Strike 2 within hours. 3D CAD (Fusion 360). Flew RC airplane and drone with mind. Controlled robotic arm
Complication: None. No thread retraction (improved surgical technique)
First: First to control robotic arm. First 3D CAD via BCI. Broke world record for BCI cursor control
Study: PRIME (US)
#3 UnnamedActive
Implant: ~Jan 2025 · USA (confirmed by Musk Jan 8, 2025)
Device: N1 upgraded — more electrodes, higher bandwidth, longer battery
Status: "All are working well" — Musk
Study: PRIME (US)
#4 Mike MelgarejoHealth Declining
Implant: ~Feb 2025 · USA
Condition: ALS (diagnosed 2022). 44yo survey technician, San Diego
Capabilities: Briefly held full-time job using thought. First BCI patient to work full-time
Status: ALS progressing (not implant-related). By Jun 2025 "not in a good place mentally, financially, physically." Neuralink supportive
First: First Neuralink patient to hold a full-time job via implant
Study: PRIME (US)
#5 RJ (Paralyzed Veteran)Active
Implant: Apr 2025 · Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami FL
Condition: Spinal cord injury from motorcycle accident
Capabilities: Smartphone/computer control, video games. Turned on TV himself for first time in 2+ years
First: First patient at The Miami Project (2nd US clinical site)
Study: PRIME (US)
#6 Unnamed (Former Dog Trainer)Active
Implant: ~Jun 2025 · USA
Condition: Quadriplegic after car accident (Dec 2022). Former dog trainer
Capabilities: Computer games and applications within 1 week of implant
Study: PRIME (US)
#7 UnnamedActive
Implant: ~Jun 2025 · Barrow Neurological, Phoenix AZ
Condition: Paralysis (details not disclosed)
Study: PRIME (US)
#8 Nick WrayActive
Implant: Jul 2025 · USA
Condition: ALS
Capabilities: Controlled robotic arm to feed himself (eat + drink). 8-hour work days. Operated wheelchair, opened fridge via thought. Moved 39 cylinders in 5 min, flipped 5 puzzle pegs. Microwaved meals independently
First: First ALS patient to self-feed via Neuralink robotic arm. Video got 20M+ views. Triggered 10,000+ ALS patients to join waitlist
Study: PRIME (US)
#9 Audrey CrewsActive
Implant: Jul 2025 · University of Miami Health Center FL
Condition: Quadriplegic since 2005 (C4-C5 compression, car accident, 20 years paralyzed)
Capabilities: Computer/laptop cursor, TV control. Can write her name and draw on computer
First: First woman in the world to receive a Neuralink implant
Study: PRIME (US)
#10-11 Two Canadian PatientsActive
Implant: Aug 27 + Sep 3, 2025 · Toronto Western Hospital (UHN), Canada
Condition: Both early 30s, cervical spinal cord injuries (Ontario + Alberta)
Capabilities: First patient controlled cursor by thought within minutes
First: First Neuralink surgeries performed outside the United States
Study: CAN-PRIME (Canada). Led by Dr. Andres Lozano. Up to 4 more authorized
#12 Paul (UK)Active
Implant: Oct 2025 · NHNN, UCLH London, UK
Condition: Motor neurone disease (MND/ALS)
Capabilities: Computer control with thoughts just hours after surgery. Games and daily independence
First: First UK patient to receive a Neuralink implant
Study: GB-PRIME (UK). Sites: UCLH + Newcastle. Up to 7 participants authorized
#13 Kenneth Shock (VOICE Trial)Active
Implant: Jan 2026 · USA
Condition: ALS
Capabilities: Translating thoughts into speech. Editing video. Computer control. All within weeks
First: First patient in VOICE clinical trial (speech restoration). Confirmed by Musk Mar 31, 2026
Study: VOICE (speech restoration — separate from PRIME). 20-30 planned by end 2026
Patients #14-21 (Unidentified): ~8 additional participants enrolled whose identities are not public. Likely include additional US patients (Barrow + Miami), UAE patients (Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi via UAE-PRIME), and additional UK/Canada participants.
ACTIVE CLINICAL TRIALS
PRIME (US)Barrow + Miami · 9+ implantedEnrolling
CAN-PRIMEToronto Western · 2 implanted / 6 maxActive
GB-PRIME (UK)UCLH + Newcastle · 1 implanted / 7 maxActive
UAE-PRIMECleveland Clinic Abu DhabiRegistered
VOICEUSA · 1 implanted / 20-30 plannedActive
BlindsightUAE planned · Vision restoration2026
Catalysts & Risks
▲ Expanded clinical trials — more patients, more countries
▲ Breakthrough Device designation speeds FDA path
▲ High-volume automated surgical implantation in development
▲ Morgan Stanley TAM estimate: $80B early, $400B long-term
▼ Neural inflammation (10% incidence in preclinicals)
▼ Signal degradation over time
▼ Long FDA timeline for non-medical use
▼ Ethical/regulatory barriers for enhancement use
Competitors: Synchron ($145M, no craniotomy), Blackrock Neurotech (40+ patients, 9+ years), Precision Neuroscience ($102M), Paradromics (wireless)
BCI TAM: $351M (2025), projected $684M by 2030. MS estimate: $80-400B