StairMed, Founded by Scientists, Secures Largest-Ever $50M Series B in China's Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Sector and Files for IPO
StairMed
Developer of Implantable Brain-Computer Interface Technology
Biotech Transformation Network: Recently,Shanghai StairMed Technology Co., Ltd. (referred to as StairMed) announced the completion of a 350 million yuan B round of financing. This round of financing was jointly led by Qiming Venture Partners, OrbiMed, Lilly Asia Ventures, and well-known industry investment institutions, with continued participation from angel round investor Origin Capital, and Peak Capital serving as the financial advisor.This round of funding will be used to accelerate product clinical trials, the development of next-generation technologies, and the construction of a medical-grade MEMS production base, providing strong support for the commercial implementation of brain-computer interface technology.
It is worth mentioning that,This roundThis financing represents the largest single funding round in the history of China's implantable brain-computer interface industry.Prior to this, StairMed had secured Series A financing worth hundreds of millions of yuan as well as tens of millions in angel round funding.
StairMed was founded in August 2021, focusing on the research and application of minimally invasive implantable brain-computer interface technology, and was co-founded by several top scientists in the fields of brain-computer interfaces and neuroscience.StairMed focuses on implantable brain-computer interface technology, dedicating itself to the research and development of neural interfaces (electrodes), the development of implantable brain-computer interface platform systems, and the clinical application transformation of related scientific research achievements. It aims to achieve motion control, monitoring and regulation of neurological disease foci, and sensory restoration. StairMed also independently researches and produces neuro-electrophysiological scientific research tools, providing strong support for basic research in brain science and neuroscience.
Like Neuralink, StairMed has chosen the technically challenging and highly applicable invasive brain-computer interface technology path. It has successfully developed China's first high-throughput implantable brain-computer interface system that meets medical device standards, aiming to help paralyzed patients accomplish complex brain-controlled tasks. This is China's first invasive brain-computer interface product to complete registrational type inspection.
Currently, StairMed has collaborated with multiple top-tier hospitals in China, conducting over 50 investigator-initiated clinical studies (IIT) related to brain-computer interface research, achieving significant clinical outcomes. It has also built the world's largest human single-cell dataset using flexible electrodes. StairMed plans to initiate China’s first prospective clinical trial (FIM) for long-term implantation of invasive brain-computer interfaces in 2025, and further advance large-scale clinical trials in 2026 to pave the way for product registration and market launch.
In terms of neural electrode technology, StairMed has achieved a revolutionary breakthrough: adopting an ultra-flexible electrode design with dimensions only 1/100th the size of a hair strand (1/5th the size of Neuralink’s), and flexibility hundreds of times superior to Neuralink. This makes it extremely difficult for brain tissue to "sense" the "foreign invasion" of the electrode. For the first time, the company developed a neural electrode interface that does not form immune scars, ensuring long-term stable neural activity recording. By introducing semiconductor micro-nano processing technology, the company solved the challenge of scaling up production for medical-grade brain-computer interface electrodes.
In terms of implant design and implantation procedures, StairMed's implants are only half the size of Neuralink's. The implantation surgery requires only a 3-5 millimeter micro-hole in the skull, which can be completed using mature minimally invasive neurosurgical puncture techniques, greatly reducing surgical trauma and risks. With this innovative design, StairMed's product has become the smallest and least invasive implantable brain-computer interface system currently available.
In terms of mass production capabilities, to ensure product reliability, StairMed has built a 2,000-square-meter production facility that meets international GMP standards for production management and quality requirements. This includes a 300-square-meter Class 10,000 cleanroom and an independent quality inspection laboratory. The company plans to complete China's first medical-grade brain-computer interface MEMS production base by 2025, achieving a full-chain closed loop of "R&D - production - quality inspection."
Source: StairMed Official WeChat Account and Official Website
