Brain-Computer Interfaces
Geography: Asia Pacific · East Asia · China
StairMed's implant uses soft, thin, flexible electrodes inserted through a small incision by a surgical robot — a less invasive approach than Neuralink's rigid electrode array. The company completed its first clinical implant in 2025 and aims for 13 patients by year-end.
BCI is named as a 'future industry' in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), signaling state-level investment commitment. NeuCyber, another Chinese BCI startup, is developing non-invasive alternatives using high-density EEG. The sector attracted over $200M in funding in 2025.
The tradeoff between invasive and non-invasive approaches maps to different use cases: invasive BCIs offer higher signal quality for paralysis treatment, while non-invasive systems target consumer applications like focus enhancement and gaming. China is pursuing both tracks simultaneously.