Musk’s Neuralink gets $27 mn to build brain computers
Neuralink, the startup cofounded by billionaire Elon Musk, has taken steps to sell as much as $100 million in stock to fund the development of technology that connects human brains with computers.
The San Francisco-based company has already got $27 million in funding, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk said via Twitter that Neuralink isn’t seeking outside investors. A spokesman didn’t respond to questions about the source of the funds.
Musk, 46, is the CEO of Tesla and Space Exploration Technologies and has several other pet projects, including a venture to bore tunnels for roads or tube-based transportation systems known as the hyperloop, and another project for the responsible development of artificial intelligence.
In June, Musk said Neuralink is a priority after much more demanding commitments to his automotive and rocket companies. “Boring is may be 2 per cent of my time; Neuralink is 3 per cent to 5 per cent of my time; OpenAI is going to be a couple of percent; and then 90-plus per cent is divided between SpaceX and Tesla,” said Musk at the electric-car maker’s annual shareholder meeting.
Few details are known about Neuralink. The company’s sparse website says it’s “developing ultra-high bandwith brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers.” It’s also recruiting engineers and scientists to join the effort.
“No neuroscience experience is required: talent and drive matter far more,” the company says on the site. “We expect most of our team to come from other areas and industries.”