A man practices Chinese calligraphy with bionic hands developed by BrainCo. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

BrainCo, a Hangzhou-based brain-computer interface (BCI) unicorn, has completed a financing round of about 2 billion yuan ($288 million), marking the world's second-largest BCI funding to date after Elon Musk's Neuralink.

The round drew a heavyweight investor lineup, including IDG Capital, Walden International founded by Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Apple supply-chain partners Lens Technology, as well as strategic investors such as Will Semiconductor and Runze Technology, as well as top family offices from Hong Kong and the United States.

Dubbed one of the Hangzhou Six Little Dragons, alongside DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, BrainCo focuses on BCI product development and is among the few companies globally to achieve large-scale mass production of BCI devices. Its products have received US FDA and EU CE certifications and were named among TIME magazine's Best Inventions in 2025.

Lens Technology confirmed on Jan 6 that it is a strategic investor and the exclusive mass-production partner for BrainCo's core hardware modules. The deal highlights growing industrial momentum behind BCI commercialization.

The funding comes amid a surge of market interest in brain-computer interfaces, fueled by Neuralink's recent announcement that it plans to begin large-scale production of its devices in 2026, reinforcing investor confidence in the sector's long-term prospects.

A man walks with his bionic leg developed by BrainCo. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]