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Overview
Merge Labs develops brain–computer interfaces to connect human brains with computers. Its product focus is high-bandwidth neural implants that read neural signals and transmit data to AI systems and software, enabling bidirectional communication between brain and machine. The implants are designed to work with advances in AI and neural sensing hardware, using a system of implants, interfaces, and software to interpret brain activity and control devices or software. Compared with competitors, Merge Labs aligns with Sam Altman’s vision of human–machine convergence, leveraging OpenAI ventures connections and positioning itself as a Neuralink rival with an emphasis on higher data throughput and scalable AI-assisted interpretation. The company’s goal is to create seamless, high-bandwidth brain–computer communication that enhances human capabilities and enables new ways of interacting with technology.
About Merge Labs
Industries
Data & Analytics
Robotics & Automation
AI & Machine Learning
Healthcare
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
$252M
Headquarters
Palo Alto, California
Founded
2025
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- January 2026 seed raised $252 million at an $850 million valuation.
- OpenAI’s largest check signals strategic support and recruiting leverage across AI talent.
- March 2026 China approved its first brain implant, expanding validation for BCI demand.
What critics are saying
- March 2026 scrutiny says Merge disclosed no clinical timeline or peer-reviewed human data.
- Ultrasound-plus-molecules still needs safe gene delivery; failures block any human product.
- Neuralink’s 2026 mass production and automated surgery outpace Merge’s still-theoretical platform.
What makes Merge Labs unique
- OpenAI-backed ultrasound BCI targets non-invasive brain access, unlike Neuralink’s implanted electrodes.
- Sam Altman and Caltech’s Mikhail Shapiro give Merge elite AI-neurotech credibility.
- OpenAI collaboration on foundation models helps Merge interpret noisy neural signals faster.
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Funding
Total Funding
$252M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
1 Rounds
Industry standards
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↓ -2%2 year growth
↓ -2%OpenAI has invested in Merge Labs at an $850 million valuation, according to reports. The investment focuses on scalable AI backends, including AICC technology. Details about the funding round, including the investment amount and other participants, were not disclosed. The partnership appears aimed at advancing AI infrastructure and backend capabilities. Merge Labs is working on developing scalable systems to support AI applications. The company's technology is designed to handle the computational demands of modern AI models. The investment represents OpenAI's continued expansion beyond its core business into supporting technologies and infrastructure for artificial intelligence development.
Merge Labs is a “research lab” dedicated to “bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability.” OpenAI wrote the largest check in Merge Labs' $250 million seed round at an $850 million valuation.
Merge Labs, co-founded by AI billionaire Sam Altman, has raised $252 million to develop devices connecting human brains to computers. The company aims to seamlessly link people and artificial intelligence to "maximise human ability, agency, and experience". The funding reflects growing Silicon Valley interest in brain-computer interfaces as entrepreneurs anticipate a future where AI becomes so advanced that humans may need to augment their brains to keep pace. Similar to how smartphones provide digital access, experimental brain technology is being designed to streamline human interaction with AI systems. The investment underscores the increasing focus on neurotechnology as a key frontier in the race to integrate artificial intelligence into human capabilities.
Merge Labs, a brain-computer interface startup that seeks to read brain activity using ultrasound, is being spun out of Forest Neurotech, a Los Angeles nonprofit.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has invested in Merge Labs, a startup in the brain–computer interface (BCI) sector, now valued at $850 million. Merge Labs focuses on non-invasive BCIs, contrasting with Neuralink's invasive approach. Altman's backing signals confidence in BCI as a transformative technology. The company aims to surpass a $1 billion valuation in the next funding round. Merge Labs emphasizes privacy and aims to make BCI accessible across various sectors.
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About Merge Labs
Industries
Data & Analytics
Robotics & Automation
AI & Machine Learning
Healthcare
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
$252M
Headquarters
Palo Alto, California
Founded
2025
Merge Labs is Hiring for 22 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today