Neuralink, the brainwave-reading implantable chip company founded by Elon Musk, has recently secured an additional $43 million. This funding comes on top of an earlier investment led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, which was increased from $280 million to $323 million in early August. A total of 32 investors participated in this round. Although Neuralink's current valuation remains undisclosed, reports from June estimated the company's value to be approximately $5 billion through private stock trades. Neuralink, established in 2016, has developed a unique device capable of implanting ultra-thin threads into the brain, connected to a custom-designed chip containing electrodes for reading neural information wirelessly, marking a significant advancement in brain-signal-reading technology. However, the company faces growing scrutiny due to allegations of a toxic workplace culture and unethical research practices.

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Neuralink's journey has been marked by controversy, with reports of a workplace culture characterized by blame and fear, as well as high turnover among founding scientists. Moreover, allegations of mistreatment of animals used in testing, rushed experiments, and omitting details about animal deaths have drawn regulatory attention and calls for investigations, including a recent request from U.S. lawmakers for the SEC to examine Neuralink's handling of animal welfare concerns in its implant trials.

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