---
title: Brain-Computer Interfaces
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/helix/china__brain-computer-interfaces"
hub: helix
summary: China approved its first clinical brain chip implant for paralyzed patients in 2025, with StairMed Technology raising $48M to scale the technology
---

# Brain-Computer Interfaces

China approved its first clinical brain chip implant for paralyzed patients in 2025, with StairMed Technology raising $48M to scale the technology
- Technology Readiness Level: 5/9
- Impact: 2/5
- Investment: 4/5
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.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/helix/china__brain-computer-interfaces)