In 2026, brain-computer interface was written into the government work report for the first time, marking that this cutting-edge technology has officially become a focal point of competition at the national strategic level. In this technological race among major powers, the most "challenging" track is undoubtedly using implantable chips to help the blind regain their vision.
Recently, Nanochap Electronics Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Nanochap"), which is committed to this field, has completed a 300 million yuan strategic financing round led jointly by well-known industry investment institutions and Legend Capital. The existing shareholder, Harvest Capital, made an oversubscribed follow-up investment, with GF Xinde and Caitong Capital also participating. The funds will be mainly used to advance clinical trials of visual brain-computer interface products and iterate core technologies.
Speaking of Legend Capital, it is no stranger in the brain-computer field, and this is not its first investment in the brain-computer interface sector. Since 2025, Legend Capital has successively invested in Neural Medical, Zhiran Medical (leading the Series A round and following up in the A+ round), and now Nanochap. It has made moves in multiple directions such as invasive flexible brain-computer interfaces and vision reconstruction, indicating a possible strategic intention for a comprehensive layout in this track.
From Melbourne to Yuhang: A Scientist's Journey Back to China for "Visual Reconstruction"
Can a Chip Let the Blind See the World Again?
This question has been pursued by Dr. Yang Jiawei, founder of Nanochap, for more than a decade.
Dr. Yang Jiawei, Founder of Nanochap
He is from Ruian, Wenzhou, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Zhejiang University, and later pursued a doctoral degree in Integrated Circuit Design and Neural Engineering at the University of Melbourne in Australia, where he advanced to become a researcher. This university is one of the birthplaces of global brain-computer interface and neural engineering technology, having produced the world's first cochlear implant in 1976 and nurtured Cochlear, the world’s largest cochlear implant company. In 2014, as one of the few scientists internationally who mastered high-resolution visual brain-computer interface technology, he chose to return to China to start a business, founding Nanochap in Yuhang Overseas High-Level Talent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park (Hai Chuang Yuan). Currently, the Nanochap team consists of over a hundred members, with about 70% being R&D personnel. The core technical team mainly originates from the Centre for Neural Engineering at the University of Melbourne, possessing more than 15 years of experience in biochip development. Apart from its headquarters in Hangzhou, the company has subsidiaries or R&D centers in Shanghai, Melbourne, Shenzhen, Wenzhou, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
丨Dual-Path Progress: Nanochap's Vision Reconstruction Layout
Nanochap, established in 2014 and located in Hangzhou, is a hardcore technology company specializing in the research, development, production, and sales of brain-computer interfaces and neuro-bio chips. In 2023, it was listed on Zhejiang University's future unicorn alumni roster. Unlike most brain-computer companies that focus on motor rehabilitation, Nanochap has been committed to the technically challenging and clinically urgent field of vision restoration since its inception—this is also the core focus of Musk’s Neuralink. The company has proactively laid out two pathways: the retinal route (E-BCI) and the visual cortex route (V-BCI), which can cover the majority of blind populations.
Among them, the retinal pathway (E-BCI) is Nanochap's main focus. The principle involves implanting electrodes into the macular area of the retina through minimally invasive fundus surgery to stimulate residual nerve cells. This approach is suitable for patients with retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, and other conditions, with over 3 million such patients in China and more than 10 million globally. The solution is implanted through minimally invasive ophthalmic surgery, presenting significantly lower risks compared to craniotomy. It has accumulated nearly a decade of clinical safety data and is expected to be rapidly implemented within the next 2-3 years. Currently, its retinal interface product obtained a type inspection report in 2024, with key indicators such as biocompatibility and an implant lifespan exceeding 10 years verified. It has completed experiments on nearly a hundred large animals and primates, and human clinical trials have now been initiated.
Fig. Left Retinal Pathway Brain-Computer Interface E-BCI
Fig. Right Visual Cortex Pathway Brain-Computer Interface V-BCI
The visual cortex pathway (V-BCI) is more radical, targeting patients with completely damaged optic nerves by directly implanting electrodes into the brain's visual cortex, bypassing the eyeball and optic nerve. This approach has broader applicability, but craniotomy surgery requires higher technical expertise. In terms of progress, its product is about to enter the prospective clinical trial stage. Additionally, the Nanochap team has successfully built a full-chain technology platform from core integrated circuits to system algorithms, achieving breakthroughs in several key technologies such as high-density 3D electrodes, high-throughput brain-computer chips, ultra-precision MEMS processes, dynamic parameter regulation, and charge balancing technology, establishing a strong moat of underlying technologies.
Notably, since its establishment in 2014, Nanochap has successfully completed six rounds of financing, receiving investments fromLegend Capital, GF Xinde, Caitong Capital, Harvest Capital, Dandelion, Setian Capital, Huafeng Group, Jiayuan FundContinuous support from well-known industry investment institutions and professional investors.
From its humble beginnings in the angel round to now receiving significant support from top-tier institutions, Nanochap has spent a decade demonstrating the long-term value of the patient-demanding hard tech track of brain-computer interfaces. This also indirectly reflects the long-term confidence of existing shareholders and the strategic optimism of new investors.
丨In Conclusion
Today, brain-computer interfaces have been incorporated into China's national strategy, a necessary choice to address global health challenges and a forward-looking layout for future industrial competition. The injection of favorable policies will accelerate the implementation of technical standards, advance clinical trials, and promote the construction of the industrial chain, driving China's transition from a technology follower to a rule maker. Visual reconstruction, as one of the most disruptive directions in brain-computer interface technology, has become a focal point of global technological competition — Neuralink, under Musk, announced that its Blindsight product aims to help the blind restore low-resolution vision by 2026, while Science Corporation is set to release clinical trial data for its PRIMA product in 2025, with multiple companies and research institutions advancing in parallel.
Behind this competition lies a huge unmet demand. According to the World Health Organization's statistics in 2020, about 1.2 billion people worldwide have visual impairments, including 43 million blind individuals and 238 million with low vision. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of technological pathways, Nanochap has established itself in the visual brain-computer interface sector. As a leading company in this field, Nanochap is expected to become one of the core forces driving the global implantable brain-computer interface industry revolution, bringing more surprises and breakthroughs to China's technological innovation.
