Science Corporation - Neural Engineering and Brain-Computer Interface Pioneer

Company Overview (Updated April 2026)

Science Corporation is a clinical-stage neural engineering company headquartered in Alameda, California. Founded in April 2021 by Max Hodak (former co-founder and president of Neuralink), the company is developing advanced brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies and devices to restore and extend life by transcending the limits of biology.

Mission: To restore quality of life to those with debilitating conditions for which there are no treatment options, creating technology and devices aimed at restoring vision, cognition, and mobility. The company engages the brain directly as an information processing organ to achieve greater effect sizes and drive unprecedented clinical impact.

Corporate History and Founding (2021)

Science Corporation was founded by Max Hodak in April 2021 following his departure from Neuralink, where he served as co-founder and president from 2016 to 2021. Prior to Neuralink, Hodak co-founded Transcriptic, a robotic cloud laboratory for life sciences.

Key Development Milestones:

- April 2024: Acquired assets from Pixium Vision (France), including three ongoing clinical trials in late-stage macular degeneration and IP for the PRIMA retinal implant, after Pixium entered liquidation

- 2024: Published working paper demonstrating biohybrid sensor could be safely implanted in mice and used to stimulate brain activity

- March 2026: Closed $230 million Series C financing led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, IQT (CIA investment arm), and Quiet Capital

Core Technology and Product Pipeline

PRIMA BCI Retinal Implant (Flagship Product)

Technology: PRIMA is a wireless retinal implant system consisting of:

- A small light-powered retinal implant placed under the retina to replace function of lost photoreceptors

- A special pair of glasses with embedded camera and infrared projector that sends wireless power and data to the implant

- Near-infrared light signals stimulate the implant to restore central vision

Clinical Results (Published in NEJM):

- Trial Population: 38 patients with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (geographic atrophy)

- Primary Outcome: 80% of patients (26 of 32 assessed at 12 months) demonstrated meaningful improvement in visual acuity

- Functional Vision Restoration: Patients able to read letters, numbers, and words

- Regulatory Status: Received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in 2023; CE mark application submitted to European Union; FDA approval application submitted

- Commercial Launch: Expected in Europe in 2026, pending regulatory approval

Expansion Trials (2026):

- Trials expanded to include Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa (leading causes of inherited retinal vision loss)

- Initial trial conducted by Dr. Matthew Simunovic at Sydney Eye Hospital, Australia

Biohybrid Neural Interface (Next-Generation BCI)

Technology: Uses living neurons instead of traditional metal wires/electrodes to connect to the brain, minimizing brain damage and enabling more natural integration

- Lab-grown neurons embedded in device form biological bridge between electronics and patient's brain neurons

- Neurons can be stimulated with Pulses of light

- Designed to circumvent constraints of traditional neural interfaces

Clinical Development (April 2026):

- Dr. Murat Günel (Chair of Yale Medical School Department of Neurosurgery) joined as scientific adviser

- Preparing for first U.S. human trials of biohybrid sensor

- Device contains 520 recording electrodes packed into an area the size of a pea

- Unlike Neuralink (inserted into brain tissue), Science's sensor rests on top of the brain inside the skull, potentially avoiding FDA approval requirements for initial trials

- Target patients: Those already requiring significant brain surgery (e.g., stroke victims needing craniectomy)

Potential Applications:

- Early use: Gentle electrical stimulation to damaged brain or spinal cord cells to encourage healing

- Monitoring neurological activity in brain tumor patients with early seizure warning

- Long-term: Treatment for Parkinson's disease by combining electronics with transplanted cells to stop disease progression

Vessel Perfusion Platform (Organ Preservation)

Technology: Prototype perfusion system to extend viability of organs outside the body for transplant and long-term life support

- Aims to improve on current ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) systems that are clunky, costly, and require hospitalization

- Modular design with swappable components to support different organs

- Integrated sensors monitor blood oxygenation, flow rate, pressure, and temperature in real-time

- Closed-loop control for automatic adjustments (unlike manual ECMO)

Preclinical Results:

- Successfully kept rabbit kidneys alive outside body for up to 48 hours

- Target: Extend viability to one month by Spring 2027

- Goal: Create portable, affordable system that could enable patients to bring home "backpack" life support rather than remaining hospitalized

Science BCI Ecosystem and Science Foundry

- Science BCI Ecosystem: State-of-the-art components and vertically integrated infrastructure for companies and institutions to build upon, including neural recording tools and MEMS foundry capabilities

- Science Foundry: MEMS foundry facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina providing manufacturing infrastructure for neurotechnology companies

- Partnership (2025): Neurosoft Bioelectronics granted access to Science BCI Ecosystem for minimally invasive BCI systems

Financial Performance and Funding

Series C Financing (March 2026)

- Amount: $230 million

- Valuation: $1.5 billion

- Investors: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, IQT (CIA investment arm), Quiet Capital (all pre-existing investors), among others

- Total Capital Raised: Approximately $490 million since 2021 founding

- Use of Funds:

- Accelerate commercialization of PRIMA retinal implant

- Expand research, manufacturing, and operational infrastructure

- Advance Biohybrid neural interface technology and Vessel perfusion platform

- Grow MEMS Foundry and BCI Ecosystem businesses

- Expand clinical trial program to additional retinal diseases

Previous Funding

- 2025: $104 million raised

- Cumulative: ~$290 million prior to Series C (per PitchBook data)

Leadership Team

Executive Leadership

Chief Executive Officer & Founder: Max Hodak

- Founded Science Corporation in April 2021

- Previously co-founder and president of Neuralink (2016-2021)

- Previously co-founder and CEO of Transcriptic (robotic cloud laboratory)

- Biomedical engineering background from Duke University Pratt School of Engineering; worked in Nicolelis Lab (neural engineering) as undergraduate

Chief Scientific Officer & Co-founder: Alan Mardinly, PhD

- Leads development of biohybrid sensor with team of 30 researchers

Chief Strategy Officer: Darius Shahida

Director of BCI Research: Emma Zhou

Chief of Staff: Aaron Bartnick

Scientific Adviser: Dr. Murat Günel, MD (joined April 2026)

- Chair of Yale Medical School Department of Neurosurgery

- Leading first U.S. human trials for biohybrid BCI

Global Presence

- Headquarters: Alameda, California, USA

- Secondary Offices: Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (Science Foundry/MEMS facility); Paris, France

- Clinical Trials: Conducted across six countries including Europe, Australia, and U.S.

Competitive Landscape and Differentiation

Competitors: Neuralink (Elon Musk's BCI company), Paradromics, Kernel, Synchron, Blackrock Neurotech

Differentiation:

- First-to-Market Advantage: Expected to be first BCI company with commercially available vision restoration product (PRIMA)

- Biohybrid Approach: Uses living neurons rather than metal electrodes, potentially reducing brain damage and improving long-term integration

- Full-Stack Integration: Vertically integrated from neural recording electronics to laser projection optics

- Diversified Pipeline: Vision restoration (PRIMA), next-gen BCI (biohybrid), organ preservation (Vessel), and enabling infrastructure (Foundry)

Company Information

Corporate Details

Legal Name: Science Corporation

Founded: April 2021

Headquarters: Alameda, California, USA

Secondary Locations: Research Triangle Park, NC; Paris, France

Status: Private company (venture-backed)

Industry: Medical Devices - Neural Engineering / Brain-Computer Interfaces / Neurotechnology

Valuation: $1.5 billion (March 2026 Series C)

Total Funding: ~$490 million

Employees: Approximately 170 (as of December 2025)

Contact Information

Website: www.science.xyz

General Inquiries: Available through website contact form

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