Science Corporation Raises $230 Million Series C to Advance PRIMA Retinal Implant and BCI Programs
Science Corporation, a California-based neural engineering company developing brain–computer interface (BCI) technologies, has raised $230 million in an oversubscribed Series C financing round to support the commercialization of its PRIMA retinal implant and advance additional pipeline programs. The round included participation from existing investors such as Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Y Combinator, IQT, and Quiet Capital. The new funding brings the company’s total capital raised to approximately $490 million since its founding in 2021.
Science Corp. plans to use the proceeds to advance the commercial rollout of PRIMA, a retinal implant designed to restore vision in patients with severe retinal degeneration. The device has been studied in clinical trials involving patients with advanced dry age-related macular degeneration, where it demonstrated the ability to restore functional central vision by acting as artificial photoreceptors within the retina.
Results from a European clinical study evaluating the PRIMA system in 38 patients with advanced disease were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. According to the study, about 80% of participants showed meaningful improvements in visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words. Science has submitted a CE mark application in the European Union and is also seeking regulatory approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“There is a profound sense in which the brain is the ultimate central object of medicine: it is the only organ which is not, even in principle, transplantable, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that engaging with it directly as an information processing system facilitates extraordinary effect sizes,” said Max Hodak, cofounder and CEO of Science. “We are deeply committed to research and new technologies that can provide treatment options where none existed before to drive fundamental improvements in the human condition.”
Science Corp. is also expanding its clinical research program to evaluate PRIMA in additional retinal conditions, including Stargardt disease and retinitis pigmentosa, which are leading causes of inherited vision loss. Early trials are expected to be conducted at Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia under the leadership of retinal specialist Dr. Matthew Simunovic. In parallel, Science said it will use the new capital to expand its research, manufacturing, and technology platforms supporting biohybrid neural interfaces and related BCI development.
