Chinese brain-computer interface (BCI) startup BrainCo has completed a CNY 2 billion (US$286.3 million) funding round, setting the largest BCI financing record globally outside Elon Musk's Neuralink, Shanghai Securities News reported.
IDG and Walden lead
The round was co-led by IDG Capital and Walden International, the investment firm founded by Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Strategic industry investors joining the round included smart terminal components supplier Lens Technology and semiconductor design company Omnivision Integrated Circuits Group. Proceeds will accelerate R&D in core BCI technologies, engineering breakthroughs, and product manufacturing and delivery, Hangzhou-based BrainCo said.
A million prosthetic users — and 10 million patients
BrainCo founder Bicheng Han, a Harvard PhD, said the company is aiming to help one million people with limb disabilities regain daily function within the next five to 10 years through neuro-controlled prosthetics. It also plans to improve outcomes for 10 million patients with autism, ADHD, Alzheimer's disease and insomnia using consumer-grade BCI devices, while enabling more users to interact directly with the world through thought-driven interfaces.
Founded in 2015, BrainCo focuses on developing non-invasive BCI technology and has launched several mass-produced products, including the FDA-cleared BrainRobotics smart bionic prosthetic hand, the FocusEDU classroom EEG headband and consumer sleep aids.
Against the Neuralink benchmark
For comparison, Neuralink completed a US$650 million Series E in 2025, reaching a US$9 billion post-money valuation. BrainCo's raise joins a wave of Synchron's $200M Series D, Phantom Neuro's Ottobock-backed Series A and Neuracle's commercial rollout that is rapidly globalising the BCI race beyond Silicon Valley.
Reporting based on coverage from Yicai Global, Shanghai Securities News and BrainCo corporate disclosures.