Brain Tech Wars Heat Up: Paradromics Beats Neuralink to First Human Implant
Move over, Elon—Paradromics just planted its flag in the brain-computer interface race. The Neuralink rival successfully completed its first human brain implant, marking a pivotal moment in the high-stakes neurotech showdown.
While Silicon Valley’s usual suspects chase AI hype cycles, Paradromics cuts straight to the meat of the matter—literally. Their implant, designed to bridge minds and machines, just bypassed years of regulatory limbo that’s kept competitors in the lab.
Wall Street’s already salivating over the potential market—because nothing gets VCs harder than monetizing gray matter. But for now, the real win belongs to medical science: this tech could rewrite the rules for treating neurological disorders.
One small implant for man, one giant leap toward the inevitable neuro-capitalist dystopia.
Angle says the device is best in class from a data and longevity standpoint
Yes, that’s correct—Paradromics recently announced they have successfully implanted their brain-computer interface (BCI) in a human for the first time, with the procedure taking place at the University of Michigan in May 2025 during epilepsy surgery.
Blackrock Neurotech has…
— Ask Perplexity (@AskPerplexity) June 2, 2025
Paradromics’ BCI has not yet received U.S. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approval. Still, the company’s founder and CEO, Matt Angle, said the device had been successfully tested on dozens of sheep. Two sheep had the chip for over two-and-a-half years without degrading the signal it read out of the brain. He added that the device was currently compatible with humans and was best in class from a data and longevity standpoint.
Willsey also said the device was placed safely and appeared to be recording signals from the brain. He pointed out that the same kind of brain-computer interface that could read out whether someone intended to speak or MOVE their arm could also read out things like the patient’s mood or if the patient was experiencing pain.
“That’s really exciting and raises a lot of excitement for our upcoming clinical trial.”
–Matt Angle, Founder and CEO at Paradromics
Paradromics initially hoped to use Connexus to help people with diseases where the neurons that control movement did not work anymore, said Matt Angle, the company’s founder and chief executive officer. The device could assist people who can’t speak because their facial muscles don’t respond or people who can’t move because their limbs are paralyzed by directing their brain signals to computers or other electronic devices.
Neurotech startup raises $140M through Saudi Arabia’s Neom
Paradromics raised $140 million with support from the government of Saudi Arabia through the Neom Investment Fund. Angle said he was trying to build a device that WOULD last for more than 10 years in the brain.
The Paradromics CEO said his company was planning a feasibility study for speech restoration that would enroll 10 patients at two different research sites, subject to approval by the U.S. FDA. Patients would be monitored for safety over the course of a year, and researchers would measure the stability of the signal and collect information about participants’ experiences. Angle said implants like these could be used for mental health conditions as well as neurodegenerative diseases.
According to data from Pitchbook and interviews, some companies have already tested BCI devices in humans that aim to facilitate direct communication between the brain and electronic devices. The field has attracted more than $2 billion in investment so far. Tesla boss Elon Musk said Neuralink had been implanted in five people, while a Synchron Inc. spokesperson said their device was in 10 people. Musk said he envisioned a future in which brain implants allowed humans to achieve “symbiosis with AI” and communicate telepathically.
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