OpenAI Backs Coherence Neuro in $45 Million Funding Round for Brain Implants
OpenAI’s venture capital arm and Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund are investing in Coherence Neuro, a San Francisco startup developing a brain implant designed to detect and treat cancer. The investments form part of a $45 million seed funding round for the company.
Big Tech Targets Brain Data
The funding round highlights a growing corporate interest in brain-computer interfaces. Ben Woodington, CEO and cofounder of Coherence Neuro, stated that capturing neural data helps train better models and optimize medical treatments. “The idea of capturing data to train better models and use it to optimize treatments is going to be super important,” Woodington said, adding that AI companies share the thesis that this data source holds significant value. According to Woodington, AI provides a practical use case for brain-computer interfaces because these devices generate datasets too large for human analysis. AI models assist in reading raw neural data and connecting it to actions such as cursor movement or speech synthesis.
This investment follows OpenAI’s direct funding in January of Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface company cofounded by Sam Altman. Merge Labs launched with $252 million in initial funding to pursue ultrasound technology for decoding brain information. OpenAI stated at the time that it funded Merge Labs to create a natural, human-centered way to interact with AI. Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund has also backed Elon Musk’s Neuralink and CTRL-labs, a wristband creator acquired by Facebook in 2019.
Targeting Brain Tumors With Electrical Signals
Unlike brain-computer interfaces focused on restoring function to paralyzed individuals, Coherence Neuro is building AI models to decode subtle electrical signals tied to brain tumors. The startup reports it can already detect these signals in animals to track whether cancer is growing, shrinking, or recurring, and the team is working to adapt these findings for human research and clinical trials.
The company tested the recording capabilities of its implant this summer in three patients undergoing tumor removal surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia. The device remained in place for roughly 30 minutes to complete a safety check. Coherence plans to test both recording and stimulation functions in another seven patients. The device is designed to emit mild electrical stimulation to halt tumor growth, learning to detect cancer signals over time to provide real-time treatment. Coherence intends to use the new capital to launch a clinical trial for long-term implantation in patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, and eventually develop implants for other types of cancer.
Contrasting OpenAI Partnership Terms
Ian Hathaway, a partner at the OpenAI Startup Fund, praised the investment in a statement, calling Coherence’s approach an innovative method for developing a data-improving cancer therapy. However, unlike OpenAI’s agreement with Merge Labs—where OpenAI stated it would collaborate on scientific foundation models—Woodington noted that OpenAI will not access Coherence Neuro’s data. “There’s nothing in the contracts or arrangements that would mean that we would share, or they would have access to, any brain data or other health data that we’re generating,” Woodington said.
What Cancer Does Coherence Neuro Target?
What specific type of cancer is the Coherence Neuro implant targeting first?
Coherence Neuro plans to use its new funding to launch a clinical trial for long-term implantation in patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer.
Where was the initial safety test of the Coherence implant conducted?
The startup briefly tested the recording ability of its implant in three patients undergoing tumor removal surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia.