Science Corporation, founded by Max Hodak (former president of Neuralink), just raised $230 million in Series C funding to bring the first brain-computer interface product to market. The startup's immediate focus is PRIMA, a microchip smaller than a grain of rice that, when implanted near the eye and paired with camera-equipped glasses, restores functional vision to people with advanced macular degeneration. In clinical trials across 47 patients in Europe and the United States, 80% showed meaningful improvement in visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words .

What Makes Science Corp.'s Approach Different From Other Brain-Computer Interface Companies?

While most venture capital has chased artificial intelligence deals over the past two years, Hodak has been quietly building a company positioned to achieve what many thought was years away: regulatory approval for a brain implant. The Series C round valued Science Corp. at $1.5 billion post-money, bringing total funding to $490 million . The company currently employs 150 people.

Science Corp. didn't develop PRIMA from scratch. The company acquired the technology's assets from French medical device maker Pixium Vision in 2024, then refined it and completed clinical trials that Pixium had started. However, the clinical results that matter most are Science Corp.'s own. According to Hodak, the restoration of reading ability in blind patients represents a genuine breakthrough. "To my knowledge, this is the first time that restoration of the ability to fluently read has ever been definitively shown in blind patients," Hodak told TechCrunch in December .

The achievement has already attracted mainstream attention. PRIMA made the cover of Time magazine, signaling that the technology has moved beyond academic curiosity into genuine clinical impact.

When Will PRIMA Actually Be Available to Patients?

Science Corp. has submitted a CE mark application (the regulatory approval required in the European Union) and expects approval by mid-2026. Germany is likely to be the first market, as the country has established pathways for granting early access to new medical technologies. If the timeline holds, Science Corp. would become the first brain-computer interface company to bring a product to market .

In the United States, regulatory discussions with the FDA are ongoing, but no specific timeline has been announced. The company is also expanding PRIMA trials to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa, inherited retinal conditions that are leading causes of vision loss in young adults.

How Is Science Corp. Using the New Funding?

The $230 million Series C will support commercialization of PRIMA, but the company is also investing in multiple research programs that extend far beyond vision restoration:

• Biohybrid Neural Interface: A program that grows engineered neurons from stem cells onto a waffle-like device that sits on the brain's surface and forms biological connections with existing neural circuits, potentially enabling broader brain-computer communication.
• Vessel Platform: A new business line focused on organ preservation that aims to develop miniaturized perfusion technology so organs can be transported on commercial flights or maintained by patients at home rather than in intensive care units.
• PRIMA Expansion: Scaling manufacturing and clinical deployment of the vision restoration implant across multiple markets and patient populations.

The Series C investors include a mix of new and returning backers: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, Quiet Capital, and IQT (the nonprofit investment firm focused on solutions for government organizations like the FBI and CIA) .

Why Does This Matter Beyond Vision Restoration?

Science Corp.'s push to market signals a fundamental shift in the brain-computer interface industry. For years, companies like Neuralink have focused on paralysis treatment and broader neural communication. Science Corp. is taking a narrower, more pragmatic approach: solve one specific, high-impact problem first, get regulatory approval, and then expand. This strategy appears to be working.

The neurotech space has been crowded with ambitious claims and long timelines. Science Corp.'s ability to acquire existing technology, improve it through rigorous trials, and move toward regulatory approval within a realistic timeframe demonstrates that the path to commercialization doesn't require inventing everything from scratch. It requires execution, capital, and clinical evidence.

For patients with advanced macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, or retinitis pigmentosa, the implications are profound. These conditions cause progressive vision loss that no current treatment can reverse. If PRIMA delivers on its clinical promise, it could restore functional independence to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The fact that 80% of trial participants could read fluently after implantation isn't just a statistic; it's the difference between navigating the world independently and relying on assistance for basic tasks .

Science Corp.'s $1.5 billion valuation and $490 million in total funding reflect investor confidence that this company will be the first to cross the finish line. Whether it actually achieves that goal will become clear within the next 12 months as European regulatory decisions unfold.