The company Inbrain Neuroelectronics will receive 17.5 million euros from the European Innovation Council (EIC) through funding from the Accelerator fund to create graphene-based neurological therapies.
Inbrain Neuroelectronics is co-founded by researchers from the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) in the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM)and has the participation of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2).
In the image, simulated composition where the adaptation of a neural interface based on graphene transistors with the cerebral convolutions is reflected.
This technology-based company works on decoding brain signals to achieve smart neurological therapies based on graphene that can treat neurological diseases such as epilepsyhe Parkinson’s and others neurological diseases.
To achieve this, the company designs smart microdevices to be implanted in the braincapable of decoding brain signals with high fidelity, and that can be used in therapeutic treatment adapted to the clinical condition of each patient.
was founded in 2019 by researchers from the ICN2, the Barcelona Microelectronics Institute of the CSIC and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), and is directed by Caroline Aguilarfrom the company Medtronic.
He a joint center of the CSIC, the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Generalitat de Catalunya, is a member of the , a scientific research initiative of the European Union to bring innovation in graphene from the laboratory to society through commercial applications.
“Following the support of the European Graphene Flagship program, which helped mature our innovative graphene technology, the support of the EIC call demonstrates the potential of this technology to revolutionize neurotechnology and scale to levels where patients in Europe and around the world could benefit for a variety of neuron-related disorders.”says Carolina Aguilar.
For their part, the researchers Jurriaan Bakker and Jose Garrido ( and ), technical managers at Inbrain Neuroelectronics, point out that the Accelerator grant will allow “continue advancing our research and development to exploit the full potential of the unique properties of graphene as an ideal material for neural interfaces, which require both recording and delivery of safe and effective stimulation».
And it is that the Accelerator financing of the European Innovation Council will provide Inbrain with significant financial support with a grant of 2.5 million euros for innovation development costs, as well as a direct investment in capital of up to 15 million euros, managed by the EIC Fund, to powering the first graphene smart brain network platform of the world towards its commercialization. In addition, Inbrain will receive advice, mentoring, access to investors and companies and other business acceleration services as part of the EIC community.
It should also be recalled that Inbrain Neuroelectronics received additional funding earlier this year under the EIC Pathfinder Challenge scheme for the development of minimally invasive neuroelectronic therapies in cooperation with a consortium including ICN2, the Interuniversity Center for Microelectronics (IMEC), Fraunhofer IZM, ETH Zurich, Nanoflex and Leiden University Medical Center.