Graphene medical startup grabs $17 million funding
ICN2 is a participant in the European Union’s Graphene Flagship project and InBrain was founded in 2019 to develop intelligent graphene-based neural implants for personalised therapies in brain disorders.
One such application is to sense brain signals and devise medical treatement for epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.
The funding round was co-led by Asabys Partners and Alta Life Sciences, and joined by Vsquared Ventures, a DeepTech-focused early-stage venture capitalist based in Munich; TruVenturo GmbH and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. An earlier investor, ICF Venture Tech II, also participated.
The money will be used to allow InBrain to apply their nanoscale graphene electrode to experiments with human subjects and to demonstrate the safety of the material.
InBrain claims its use of carbon-based graphene will overcome the risk of rejection of brain interfaces made with the metals platinum and iridium.
The strength and electrical conductivity of graphene means that devices can be made at the nanometer-scale and inserted with the potential of single-neuron resolution. Such devices can consume much less power and be recharged wirelessly.
InBrain plans to make interface devices with their own artificial intelligence and that are able to learn from the neuronal activity of the patient and trigger adaptive responses to deliver personalised neurological therapy.
Biocompatibility and toxicity tests and tests on large animals have been completed.
“This investment will be fundamental to speed up the development of graphene-based medical devices, which will be tested on patients much earlier than everyone expected,” said Cinzia Spinato, Graphene Flagship Business Developer for Biomedical Applications, in a statement issued by InBrain.
Related links and articles:
www.inbrain-neuroelectronics.com
www.graphene-flagship.eu
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