Chinese BCI startup Gestala raises $21.6 million in angel round
Gestala, a Chinese brain-computer interface (BCI) startup, just raised $21.6 million in its angel round, the biggest early-stage BCI funding in China so far.
The round was co-led by Guosheng Capital and Dalton Venture, with several other investors joining in.
Gestala is developing noninvasive ultrasound BCIs
Gestala is developing noninvasive ultrasound BCIs intended to stimulate brain activity and to explore whether blood-flow-linked ultrasound signals can be used to infer neural activity; reliable noninvasive readout has not yet been demonstrated.
Founded by Phoenix Peng and gaming entrepreneur Tianqiao Chen, the company is first tackling chronic pain with clinical devices targeting the anterior cingulate cortex.
Down the line, it is planning wearable helmets for home use to help with depression, stroke recovery, and sleep issues.
Investor excitement is running high for its next-generation BCI technology
Early tests are promising: one session reportedly cuts pain scores in half for up to two weeks.
Gestala wants to grow its team from 15 to 35 people and launch a prototype by the end of 2026.
Its clinical trials could cost just a fraction of what similar US or European trials do.
With more than $58 million already committed at a valuation between $100 million and $200 million, investor excitement is running high for its next-generation BCI technology.