The brain-tech industry has sparked a race between tycoons like Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezoswho compete for manufacturing and marketing brain implants that can help people with neurological dysfunctions.
This investment in so-called “brain tech” has experienced significant growth in recent years, with investments in the sector increasing 600% from 2014 to 2021, according to Deep Knowledge Ventures, a venture capital firm.
As it explains Chroniclerwhile Gates and Bezos have become shareholders in a neurotech company called SynchronousMusk has founded his own company, Neuralink Corp.specialized in the development of brain implants.
In 2016, Musk established Neuralink Corp with the goal of develop a brain implant capable of correcting neurological disorders and provide people with abilities such as computer mind control and virtual avatars, as well as a form of “high-speed telepathy.”
Neuralink advances
Although Neuralink’s clinical studies were expected to begin this year, the company has faced regulatory hurdles and been the subject of controversy. The most outstanding reviews refer to potential animal welfare violations, as around 1,500 animals, including monkeys, have been reported to have died during Neuralink’s experiments.
Meanwhile, the biotech company Synchron has managed to successfully implant the first brain chip in a human being and has recently secured a $75 million investment in venture capitalwith the participation of investors such as Bezos and Gates.
Synchron focuses on the restoration of lost functions through neuroprostheses, allowing the recovery of neural pathways in patients with severe paralysis.
In addition to Neuralink and Synchron, there are other companies that are also betting on wearable brain technology as a medical solution. Investors are keeping an eye on this market as the neurotech industry is expected to nearly triple in size in the next 10 years, reaching a value of $38 billion.
We would love to thank the author of this write-up for this awesome material
Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and their most controversial million-dollar investment: control of human brains