Neuralink and Synchron get the headlines, but Boston Scientific holds more neural interface patents than the top startups combined. Map the field first.
The biggest IP positions in brain-computer interfaces belong to medtech incumbents, not the startups making headlines.
China just approved the first brain implant for commercial use, a device from Neuracle Technology that lets paralyzed patients control a robotic glove with their thoughts. The approval puts a spotlight on the BCI startup race. Synchron, Precision Neuroscience, and Neuralink are all filing patents, but the filing data tells a different story about who actually owns this space.
BCI filings nearly doubled from 2018 to 2025, and Boston Scientific alone holds more BCI publications than Synchron, Precision Neuroscience, and Neuralink combined. These are active portfolios. Any company building implantable neural devices will need to work around claims that are already in place.
The players with the most IP are not always the ones in the news.
Building in neural interfaces or brain sensing? Map the existing patent positions before you build. Talk to ipCapital Group about a BCI patent landscape and freedom-to-operate analysis.
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Written by
John Cronin