Science Corp Takes Its Biohybrid Brain Interface to U.S. Trials

SAN FRANCISCO — Science Corporation is preparing to launch its first U.S. human clinical trials for a biohybrid brain-computer interface, moving the Alameda, California-based startup from laboratory development toward clinical application. Founded by former Neuralink president Max Hodak, the company has brought on top neurobiological leadership to oversee the trial program, which will evaluate how biological tissue and engineered hardware can interact to treat debilitating neurological conditions.

Science Corp’s broader neural engineering roadmap includes micro-sensors and implants intended to repair damaged neural circuits, provide early warning detection for epileptic seizures, and deliver therapeutic stimulation for neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Its clinical focus extends beyond basic machine interaction, with biohybrid interface systems forming another part of the company’s work.

Unlike early-generation brain-computer interfaces developed by Neuralink, Synchron, and Blackrock Neurotech, Science Corp is pursuing architectures that integrate biological cells, targeted protein delivery, or optogenetic modifications directly with electronic hardware. Those earlier BCI platforms primarily rely on microelectrode arrays or intravascular stents made of passive silicon, metal, or flexible polymer wires.

A separate part of the company’s clinical portfolio is the PRIMA implant, a wireless, subretinal visual prosthesis engineered to restore sight in individuals suffering from severe visual impairment. Its miniaturized photovoltaic microchip measures two millimeters by two millimeters and 30 micrometers thick and is surgically implanted beneath the retina.

The PRIMA system works with external augmented-reality glasses containing a built-in miniature camera. The camera captures images of the user’s environment and projects them through near-infrared light beams onto the implanted chip. Subretinal photovoltaic pixels convert that light energy into localized electrical pulses, stimulating the remaining healthy cells in the retinal ganglion layer to send visual signals through the optic nerve to the brain.

In European clinical studies, PRIMA technology restored central vision and form perception in patients affected by geographic atrophy, an advanced stage of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that causes irreversible loss of central vision. Science Corp added the technology to its commercial pipeline after acquiring the intellectual property and visual implant assets of French medical technology manufacturer Pixium Vision in early 2024.

The company’s clinical progression has been backed by substantial private capital. Science Corp closed a $230 million Series C funding round, bringing its total market valuation to $1.5 billion. The funding has supported manufacturing facilities in California as well as ongoing clinical regulatory filings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Hodak began computer programming at age six and later studied biomedical engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering. During his time at Duke, he worked inside the brain-computer interface laboratory directed by neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis. Nicolelis’s pioneering studies in non-human primates established fundamental mechanisms for translating cortical motor signals into physical robotic movement.

In 2012, Hodak founded Transcriptic, a venture-backed automated cloud laboratory for biological research that enabled scientists to run molecular biology experiments remotely via code. He co-founded Neuralink with Elon Musk and a team of neuroscientists in 2016, serving as Neuralink’s initial president during its formative development phase. Hodak left Neuralink in April 2021 and launched Science Corporation later that year to explore alternative neural interface methodologies, including retinal optogenetics and biohybrid devices.

Neuralink continues clinical testing for its fully implanted cortical BCI, which is designed to allow paralyzed individuals to control computer cursors. Synchron is advancing endovascular interfaces that bypass open brain surgery, while Science Corp is developing its biohybrid framework for sensory restoration and direct biological repair of damaged brain tissue.

Hodak is scheduled to outline the technical findings of Science Corp’s biohybrid trials and discuss post-screen computing architectures during a “Beyond Screens” session at the TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 conference. The event will take place October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco and is expected to gather more than 10,000 technology founders, researchers, and investors.