Reports in China say that brain-computer interface (BCI) startup StairMed Technology has raised approximately $72.6 million.
Shanghai-based StairMed develops implantable BCIs and surgical robotic technology. The company’s offerings include ultra-flexible neural electrodes that it says come in at a fifth of the size of BCI competitor Neuralink’s electrodes.
StairMed also claims that its material is significantly softer to offer a less intrusive option for brain tissue. The implantation procedure still requires drilling into the skull, which some BCI companies aim to avoid, like Synchron and its catheter-based procedure. StairMed develops robotic systems for the procedures.
The company expects to use its BCI for speech reconstruction, artificial hearing, facial palsy repair and spinal cord injury repair.
Alibaba Group led the financing, according to the South China Morning Post. The latest funds add to $48 million raised by the company in February 2025.
According to the report, the startup, founded in 2021, aims to begin a clinical trial by mid-2026. The report says StairMed hopes to enroll and implant around 40 patients by the end of the year, claiming the company already completed three BCI clinical trial implants in 2025.
China’s BCI space continues to expand, with ultrasound-based BCI company Gestala announcing $21.7 million in funding yesterday and news today of regulatory approval in the country for BCI technology from Neuracle.
