Jieti Medical Secures $485M Series B Funding Led by Qiming Venture Partners to Advance Invasive Brain-Computer Interface Commercialization

Recently,StairMed, a pioneering innovator in China's implantable brain-computer interface field, announced the completion of its RMB 350 million Series B financing round. This round was co-led by Qiming Venture Partners.The financing funds 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.

This financing represents the largest single funding round in the history of China's implantable brain-computer interface industry.Prior to this, StairMed had secured hundreds of millions of yuan in Series A financing and tens of millions of yuan in angel round financing.

StairMed was founded in August 2021.Focuses on the research, development, and application of minimally invasive implantable brain-computer interface technology. Like Neuralink, the company has chosen the technically challenging and high-application-potential invasive brain-computer interface technology path. It has successfully developed China's first high-throughput implantable brain-computer interface system that complies with medical device standards, designed to help paralyzed patients perform complex brain-controlled tasks. This is China’s first invasive brain-computer interface product to complete registrational type inspection.StairMed successfully entered the list of "Challenge Leader" projects for the 2023 future industry innovation tasks of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology with this project. It is the only implantable brain-computer interface enterprise rated in Shanghai and has received support from the 2024 "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" brain-computer interface project in Shanghai.

Currently,StairMed has collaborated with multiple top-tier hospitals in China, conducting over 50 investigator-initiated clinical trials related to brain-computer interface research.（IIT）`, achieving remarkable clinical outcomes, and constructing the world's largest flexible electrode human single-cell dataset.`StairMed Plans to Launch China's First Prospective Clinical Trial for Long-Term Implantation of Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces in 2025（FIM）In 2026, large-scale clinical trials will be further advanced to pave the way for product registration and market entry.

In terms of neural electrode technology, StairMed has achieved a revolutionary breakthrough:Adopting a super-flexible electrode design, with a size only 1/100 of a hair strand.(1/5 of Neuralink), with a flexibility hundreds of times superior to Neuralink, making it difficult for brain tissue to "sense" the "foreign invasion" of electrodes. For the first time, a neural electrode interface that does not form immune scars has been developed, ensuring long-term stable neural activity recording. By introducing semiconductor micro-nano fabrication technology, the company has solved the problem of scaling production of medical-grade brain-computer interface electrodes.

In terms of implant design and implantation procedures, the implant size designed by StairMed is only half that of Neuralink. The implant surgery requires only a 3-5 mm micro-hole in the skull, which can be completed with the assistance of mature minimally invasive neurosurgical puncture technology, 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 capability, to ensure product reliability,StairMed has built a 2,000-square-meter production plant that meets international GMP standards for production management and quality requirements.Which includes a 300-square-meter Class 10,000 cleanroom and an independent quality inspection laboratory.The company plans to complete the first medical-grade brain-computer interface MEMS production base in China by 2025, achieving a full-chain closed loop of "R&D - production - quality inspection."

Zhao Zhengtuo, founder of StairMed, said: “In the short term, StairMed will develop a range of products for language function reconstruction, artificial hearing, facial paralysis repair, and spinal cord injury repair based on underlying technologies such as ultra-flexible electrodes, micro implants design, and minimally invasive implant procedures to address critical clinical needs.In the long term, the company is developing a new generation of brain-computer interface systems with thousands of channels, aiming to drive a disruptive improvement in human-computer interaction efficiency. In the future, it looks forward to collaborating with leading enterprises in fields such as large language models and embodied intelligent robots to jointly explore innovative paths for intelligent collaboration."

"Becoming a stepping stone for human progress" is the corporate mission of StairMed. Zhao Zhengtuo emphasized that talent is the key to realizing this vision. StairMed is now recruiting top talents worldwide in fields such as neuroscience, microelectronics engineering, artificial intelligence, and clinical medicine. At the same time, it is open to strategic cooperation with industry chain partners to jointly promote the application of brain-computer interface technology for human health.

Mao Shuo, Executive Director of Qiming Venture Partners, stated:“StairMed, as the first enterprise in China to complete the registrational type inspection of implantable brain-computer interface, leads the industry with remarkable clinical progress and technical advantages. StairMed is about to launch a prospective clinical trial and accelerate the product’s market entry process.Qiming Venture Partners highly recognizes the capabilities of its interdisciplinary team and the clinical implementation pathway. We firmly believe that StairMed will continue to break through technical barriers, promote the benefits of brain-computer interface technology for more patients, and lead the industry to new technological heights."

As a pioneer in China's implantable brain-computer interface, StairMed is redefining the boundaries of medicine and technology through innovation and industrial practice.With the continuous support of capital and resources, this human-computer interaction revolution concerning the future has already accelerated.

This round of financing was led by Qiming Venture Partners, OrbiMed, Lilly Asia Ventures, and a well-known industry investment institution, with continued participation from angel round investor Origin Capital. Summit Capital served as the financial advisor.