S4, E7: From the Archive – Revisiting Synchron and Brain-Computer Interfaces, 2 Years Later

In this July summer episode, we slow things down again and revisit a conversation from the Raising Biotech archive. Today's episode is a replay from November 2023, featuring Synchron, a company developing implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to restore communication and digital independence for people living with severe paralysis. At the time, brain-computer interfaces sat somewhere between science fiction and early clinical reality. There were only a handful of companies pursuing implantable BCIs, and while the technology showed enormous promise, major questions remained around safety, regulation and commercial adoption. While there's still a long way to go, this episode is presented as a snapshot in time, a chance to revisit what we thought mattered in late 2023, what we knew and didn't yet know, and how quickly both the technology and the broader landscape have evolved. This episode is completely unedited, before the replay, Surani shares a short reflection on why it's worth listening back now. At the end of the episode, she briefly recaps some of the key developments since the original recording. Original recording date: November 2023 Intro & postscript recorded: July 2026 For any comments, questions or feedback you can connect directly with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Surani Fernando⁠⁠⁠⁠ on LinkedIn or email: [email protected] Title music composed by: Yurii Semchyshyn (Coma Media)