Zhiran Medical Secures Over RMB 300 Million in Series A Funding to Accelerate Clinical Translation of Invasive Flexible Brain-Computer Interface

36Kr learned that BCIFlex has announced the completion of an over 300 million yuan Series A round of financing, led jointly by the Social Security Fund Zhongguancun Independent Innovation Special Fund (managed by Legend Capital), Legend Capital, and IDG Capital. Existing shareholder OrbiMed continued to increase its investment significantly, while Guoshou Capital, Beijing Medical and Health Industry Investment Fund, Lenovo Ventures, and existing shareholders Meituan Longzhu and BV Baidu Ventures also participated in the investment.

Since its establishment in 2022, the company's cumulative financing has approached 500 million yuan. This round of funding will mainly be used to advance the development of next-generation technology and conduct large-scale clinical trials.

BCIFlex was co-founded by Dr. Fang Ying and Dr. Song Qi. Dr. Fang Ying is a researcher and doctoral supervisor at the Beijing Institute of Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, and the leader of the Ministry of Science and Technology's brain initiative "New Technology Platform for Neural Recording and Modulation." He has long been engaged in research on flexible high-throughput electrodes and neural recording and modulation. Dr. Song Qi graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. A serial entrepreneur, he has served as the founder and CEO of a leading AI medical company in China and led the clinical translation and registration of China's first Class III AI medical device.

According to the introduction, the BCIFlex team has accumulated extensive experience in the field of flexible electrodes over the years. During their collaboration with Harvard University, they developed ultra-thin, high-throughput flexible electrodes that can be applied in animal experiments and achieved the world's first public publication of self-assembling neural tassel electrodes.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology has garnered dual attention from both policy and industry in recent years. According to the "Ethical Guidelines for Brain-Computer Interface Research" issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, a brain-computer interface establishes an information channel between the brain and external devices, enabling direct interaction as a cross-disciplinary technology. In March 2025, the National Healthcare Security Administration designated brain-computer interface technology as an independent chargeable item for the first time, covering various types including invasive and non-invasive, laying the foundation for commercial clinical applications.

Among various technical routes, BCIFlex has focused on invasive brain-computer interface technology since its establishment. This approach involves directly implanting electrodes into the brain to achieve in-situ acquisition of high-resolution, information-rich neural signals and allows for precise regulation of neurons. Despite the technical challenges in implantation surgery and long-term stability, it is considered the only method currently capable of comprehensive recording and modulation from individual neurons to millions of neurons.

BCIFlex's core competitiveness focuses on flexible electrodes, fully implantable hardware systems, and decoding algorithms. The company’s self-developed invasive high-throughput flexible electrode has been granted patents in both China and the US. This electrode features ultra-high neuronal acquisition efficiency, supporting an average of more than one active neuron collected per channel. Additionally, it employs a stretchable design to minimize relative displacement between the electrode and brain tissue post-implantation, reducing immune inflammatory responses and overcoming the long-standing bottleneck of unstable signal acquisition with traditional electrodes.

Based on this electrode, the company has developed a fully implantable high-throughput wireless signal acquisition system, which supports precise acquisition of neuronal action potentials with up to 1024 channels. It is equipped with an implantable rechargeable battery and has passed international safety standard certifications. The accompanying neural signal chip has been reduced to the size of a coin, and the system power consumption has been decreased by 75%.

In terms of algorithms, BCIFlex has independently developed deep neural network algorithms to enhance signal quality, extract high-dimensional features, and improve decoding accuracy and versatility through adaptive networks. The company has built its own high-precision EEG data platform, which includes over 20TB of animal neuron data and more than 6TB of human deep brain region data, used for pre-training neuronal EEG models, accelerating model training speed, and enhancing decoding performance.

To improve the efficiency and safety of implantation, the company has also developed a multi-degree-of-freedom implantation robot that supports micrometer-level positioning accuracy. It allows for the free selection of the number of implantation points, automatic avoidance of blood vessels, planning of safe locations, and precise control of implantation depth to achieve rapid and automated electrode implantation.

In terms of industrial layout, BCIFlex has built a clinical-grade micro-nano processing workshop and GMP workshop covering over a thousand square meters in Changping, Beijing. This establishes a complete capability ranging from core component R&D to product manufacturing, achieving self-control and scalable production conditions for clinical-grade products. BCIFlex stated that it will continue to leverage policy and capital support to accelerate core technology iteration and clinical translation, promoting the implementation of invasive brain-computer interface technology in more medical scenarios.

Recently, the global brain-computer interface industry has entered an acceleration phase, with companies like Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, successively disclosing progress in clinical trials of human implants. Start-up tech teams are also advancing thinner, more flexible implantable electrodes into clinical use. Technologically, signal acquisition quality, long-term stability, and implant safety of brain-computer systems remain core industry focuses. The evolution from rigid to flexible electrodes has improved the resolution and stability of neural signal acquisition while reducing the risk of immune reactions, widely regarded as a key driver for clinical applications. In the future, invasive brain-computer interfaces hold the potential for breakthroughs in treating spinal cord injuries, ALS, and even depression.