Neuralink is not the only company building brain implants. At least 10 other companies are developing implantable brain-computer interfaces across four distinct approaches: intracortical (electrodes inside brain tissue), endovascular (electrodes inside blood vessels), electrocorticographic (electrodes on the brain surface), and minimally invasive architectures. This page tracks every Neuralink competitor with implant-grade technology, their funding, FDA status, surgical approach, and target indications.
| Company | Approach | Indications | Funding | FDA Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuralink Corp | Invasive (intracortical) | ALS, quadriplegia, spinal cord injury, blindness | $1.29B | IDE (PRIME study) + Breakthrough Device (Blindsight) |
| Synchron | Endovascular | ALS, severe paralysis, motor neuron disease | $365M+ | Breakthrough Device Designation |
| Precision Neuroscience | Minimally invasive (ECoG) | Epilepsy monitoring, paralysis, motor control | $183M | 510(k) cleared (30-day implant) |
| Blackrock Neurotech | Invasive (intracortical) | Paralysis, ALS, research | $250M+ | IDE (multiple studies) |
| Paradromics | Invasive (intracortical) | ALS, paralysis, speech restoration | $127M | IDE (in preparation) |
| Science Corporation | Invasive (visual cortex) | Blindness, visual prosthesis | $490M | Pre-clinical |
| Motif Neurotech | Minimally invasive | Depression, neurological disorders | $30M+ | Pre-clinical |
| NeuroPace | Invasive (responsive neurostimulation) | Epilepsy (FDA-approved) | $250M+ | PMA approved (RNS System) |
| ONWARD Medical | Invasive (spinal cord stimulation) | Spinal cord injury, paralysis | CHF 100M+ | Breakthrough Device Designation |
| INBRAIN Neuroelectronics | Invasive (graphene) | Parkinson's, epilepsy | $60M+ | Pre-clinical |
| BrainGate Consortium | Invasive (intracortical) | Paralysis, ALS (research) | — | IDE (BrainGate2 trial) |
Beyond implantable devices, several companies compete with Neuralink using non-invasive approaches that require no surgery. These trade bandwidth and precision for safety and accessibility, targeting consumer and enterprise markets rather than clinical paralysis patients.
Neuralink has the most funding ($1.29B+), the highest electrode count (1,024), and the most media attention. But it is not alone. Synchron implanted humans four years before Neuralink did. Precision Neuroscience matches Neuralink's electrode count with a less invasive approach. Blackrock Neurotech has the longest track record of chronic human BCI implants (since 2004 via BrainGate). Science Corporation has raised nearly $500M for visual prosthetics.
The BCI implant market is a multi-company race, not a monopoly. Different approaches will likely serve different patient populations.
Company data sourced from SEC filings, Crunchbase, FDA device databases, ClinicalTrials.gov, and verified company disclosures. Last verified: March 2026.