According to recent reports, the billionaire founder of Neuralink, Elon Musk, revealed that the first human patient has received an implant from the brain-chip startup on Sunday and is currently recovering well. Musk’s ambitious plan to allow humans to connect their brains wirelessly with phones and other devices has taken a new step, with the announcement that Neuralink has implanted a brain chip in a human for the first time.
Neuralink, a company owned by Elon Musk, received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a clinical trial. The trial will involve people aged 22 and above who are living with quadriplegia caused by a spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company began recruiting potential human test subjects several months ago. The aim of the trial is to test the safety and efficacy of Neuralink’s technology in restoring movement to those who have lost control of their bodies due to these conditions.
A recent study employed a robot to implant a brain-computer interface (BCI) in a specific area of the brain responsible for the intention to move. The company behind the study, Neuralink, has stated that their initial objective is to allow individuals to control a computer cursor or keyboard purely through their thoughts.
How Neuralink Chip Works
The N1 Implant developed by Neuralink includes 1024 electrodes distributed across 64 threads and is the primary hardware component for the trial. The other focus areas are the surgical robot and the Neuralink user app that connects wirelessly to a computer or any other device. The implant is powered by a small battery that is charged wirelessly from the outside using a compact, inductive charger making it easy to use from anywhere.
Elon Musk announced that the implant product of his company would be called Telepathy, which would enable users to control their phone or computer by just thinking. The initial users of Telepathy will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. The goal is to help such people communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer, much like Stephen Hawking.
Neuralink aims to redefine the boundaries of human capability and has invited participants to join the PRIME trial. They could significantly shape the future of interaction and independence, not just for themselves but for countless others.
Neuralink Stock and How to Buy to buy
Recently, Neuralink’s shareholders, including employees and early supporters, carried out trades at a valuation of around $5 billion, instead of the company selling new shares to investors. These trades are known as secondary trades, and they aren’t a perfect measure of a company’s value since they lack the wider market consensus of a fundraising round or initial public offering (IPO), and their volume is thin.
It’s essential to note that Neuralink’s valuation jump in secondary trades is in stark contrast to other startups. According to data provider Caplight, about 85% of pre-IPO companies are currently valued in secondary trades at an average discount of 47% to their last funding round.
Neuralink’s last known fundraising round took place in 2021, during which it raised $205 million at an approximate valuation of $2 billion, according to data provider Pitchbook.
How to Buy to buy Elon Musk Neuralink Stock.
Neuralink is not publicly traded, but there are ways to invest indirectly.
Investors who are interested in Neuralink, a company co-founded by Elon Musk that specializes in developing brain-machine interfaces, have limited options to invest in the company since it has not yet gone public. However, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), two renowned companies that are listed on the stock exchange, offer exposure to Neuralink. It should be noted that
Tesla does not directly own shares in Neuralink, as it is a separate venture founded by Elon Musk. On the other hand, Google Ventures, a subsidiary investment fund of Alphabet Inc., has direct exposure to Neuralink. Therefore, buying GOOGL shares could be the best way for the general public to gain indirect exposure to Neuralink.