Subsense, a neurotechnology company developing the first non-surgical, nanoparticle-based Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), emerged from stealth to formally reveal its efforts in the emerging field of non-invasive brain connectivity. Founded by neurotech entrepreneur Tetiana Aleksandrova and serial entrepreneur Artem Sokolov, Subsense has raised $17 million in seed funding led by Sokolov’s Golden Falcon Capital to accelerate the development of bidirectional nanoparticle-based technologies that connect the human brain with external sources.
Subsense works with a consortium of leading international neurological research institutions, including UC Santa Cruz and ETH Zurich, Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology.
With targeted neural stimulation and precise monitoring via nanoparticles, Subsense is developing therapeutics for patients with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, depression, strokes, chronic pain, etc.
The company is also targeting more expansive applications for later stages such as:
— Sensorimotor recovery of vision, hearing, and movement
— Inner speech decoding and thought translation
— Integration with AI by merging brain and artificial neural networks
— External memory as an instant backup and extended capacity
— Mental health regulation – happiness monitoring and control
— Appetite control – identification and managing of regulatory mechanisms
KEY QUOTES:
“Brain-computer interfacing promises to unlock limitless human potential, but innovation has been held back by a lack of effective non-surgical approaches. By delivering nanoparticles that bind with receptors in the brain, Subsense can achieve more extensive connectivity with a far gentler approach.”
– Tetiana Aleksandrova, Subsense’s Chief Executive Officer
“The integration of nanoparticles into brain-computer interfaces marks a significant advancement in neuroscience. The system-on-a-nanoparticle approach could greatly enhance the precision of neural communication, offering new possibilities for treating neurodegenerative diseases and expanding human cognitive capabilities.”
– Prof. Ali A. Yanik, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC Santa Cruz, a Subsense research partner
“Subsense is adopting a very different approach to unlock a key area of medical potential, the ability to interact with the brain. By offering an alternative to complicated and acute neurosurgical implantations, Subsense holds promise for tens of millions of neuro-compromised patients.”
– Artem Sokolov, General Partner, Golden Falcon Capital and Subsense co-founder; Sokolov has been an investor in companies that include: Space X, Asana, SoFi, Coursera, Lemonade, and Digital Ocean among many others
