Google Ventures, Others Back Elon Musk's Neuralink Startup With $205 Million Musk's project aims to develop brain implants that will be able to communicate with devices.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Bloomberg | Getty Images

Elon Musk's Neuralink startup raised $205 million in a series C round from investors like Google Ventures, DFJ Growth, Founders Fund, and OPEN AI CEO Sam Altman.

Musk's project aims to develop brain implants that will be able to communicate with devices.

Vy Capital led the fundraising round, which Crunchbase says helped Neuralink hit $363 million in overall funding. Valor Equity Partners, Craft Ventures, and Gigafund also joined the round, as did ARCH Venture Partners co-founder Robert Nelson, Byers Capital's Blake Byers, Paradigm and Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam, and PayPal and Founders Fund co-founder Ken Howery.

Neuralink, founded in 2016, seeks to build "the first high channel count brain machine interface intended for therapeutic use in patients," according to a blog post announcing the funding round. The post added that the first indication the company's initial product, the N1 Link, is intended for is to help quadriplegics interact with devices "in a high bandwidth and naturalistic way." The funding from the round, the post said, will be used to take the first product to market as well as accelerate research and development on future products.

Neuralink's technology has been trialed on pigs as well as a monkey that was able to play a video game with its mind. Musk said in February that Neuralink could begin implanting computer chips in humans later this year.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

Why Your Audience Isn't Listening Anymore (And What You Can Do About It)

People are tired of being marketed to. When every message feels like a promotion, trust disappears.

Business News

'Not a Money Thing': Elon Musk Says He Is Committing to 5 More Years as Tesla's CEO. Here's Why.

Tesla's CEO said there is "no doubt" that he is staying at the electric vehicle maker.

Business News

Instagram Is Paying Some Users Up to $20,000 to Bring New People to the Platform

Instagram has been testing the program among U.S.-based creators.

Leadership

Barbara Corcoran Reveals Who the Cheapest Shark Really Is — And Explains the True Passion That Drives Her Success

Are you searching for your calling in business? You aren't going to find it standing on the sidelines, says the real estate icon and "Shark Tank" star.