What CorTec does

CorTec GmbH is a Freiburg, Germany-based medical device company founded in 2014 (per company history; firmographic data indicates 2010) that operates two integrated business divisions: a CDMO/MedTech services arm providing design, development, and manufacturing of active implantable neurotechnology for third parties, and a clinical-stage Brain Interchange initiative developing the company's own fully implantable brain-computer interface platform. The company employs 51-100 people at its Freiburg cleanroom facility, with US clinical operations anchored at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The technology stack centers on a proprietary 32-channel, fully implantable, bidirectional closed-loop BCI system (Brain Interchange System and Brain Interchange ONE) that combines wireless power and data transmission, real-time neural recording at 1 kHz with 16-bit resolution, sub-40ms closed-loop latency, and adaptive cortical stimulation. Supporting the platform is a vertically integrated product portfolio including °AirRay cuff, grid, paddle, and percutaneous electrodes, high-channel ceramic hermetic packaging, silicone overmolding, interconnection components, a custom ASIC micro-chip for neural signal processing, AES 128-encrypted RF-Link wireless technology, IEC 62304-compliant firmware/bootloader, and CorTec Cloud Services with C/C++, Python, and Matlab APIs.

CorTec monetizes through project-based CDMO contracts (tiered upfront payments from 100% for projects under €5,000 to 30% for projects over €25,000, with monthly invoicing for work-in-progress), sale of off-the-shelf electrode components and evaluation kits, and — at an investigational stage — the Brain Interchange platform sold to academic and clinical research users under an FDA masterfile. Customers include neurotech and MedTech companies (Tengable, Heraeus Medevio partner channel), leading academic medical centers (University of Washington, UCLA, University of Osaka, UMC Utrecht, UMC Tübingen, Harborview Medical Center), and the broader BCI research ecosystem (70+ institutes, 100+ publications). In April 2026 CorTec became the first European company and first BCI worldwide to hold both FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and FDA TAP Program acceptance for stroke motor rehabilitation, and is currently raising a $40-50 million round to fund pivotal trials and US commercialization.

Name

CorTec

Legal name

CorTec GmbH

Website

https://cortec-neuro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CorTec is a German medical device company that designs and manufactures active implantable neurotechnology systems and provides CDMO services for neuromodulation and brain-computer interface applications to neurotech companies and academic researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Development & Manufacturing (CDMO): CorTec provides end-to-end design, development, and manufacturing services for active implantable medical devices. Services include consulting and feasibility studies, development and prototyping, validation and design transfer, technical documentation, and commercial manufacturing. Revenue is generated through project-based fees, with payment terms including upfront payments (100% for projects under €5,000, 30% for projects over €25,000, 50% for projects between €5,000-25,000) and monthly invoicing based on work progress.
2. Off-the-Shelf Components and Products: Sale of standardized implantable neurotechnology components including cuff electrodes, grid electrodes, paddle electrodes, percutaneous electrodes, high-channel packaging, and silicone overmolding. Products available for approved medical devices, clinical feasibility studies, and pre-clinical markets.
3. Brain Interchange System: Complete implantable BCI systems and evaluation kits sold to research institutions and clinical trial sites for investigational use. Platform is backed by FDA masterfile to reduce regulatory burden for partners.
4. Strategic Partnership Services: Partnership arrangements with companies like Heraeus Medevio for co-development and market access, combining CorTec's electrode and system expertise with partner distribution capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CorTec develops and manufactures active implantable neurotechnology systems, including electrodes, hermetic packaging, electronics, and embedded software for neuromodulation and brain-computer interface applications. The company operates a CDMO business serving neurotech and MedTech customers with custom design, prototyping, validation, and commercial manufacturing, and also markets its own Brain Interchange 32-channel closed-loop BCI platform for therapeutic applications including stroke rehabilitation.

Product overview

CorTec operates two distinct business divisions: (1) CDMO/MedTech/Industry services providing custom development and manufacturing for active implantable devices, and (2) Brain Interchange BCI/Future Vision/Clinical Research focused on brain-computer interfaces. The product portfolio centers on the Brain Interchange System, a fully implantable 32-channel closed-loop BCI platform for stroke rehabilitation, epilepsy, and paralysis applications. Supporting the BCI system are °AirRay electrode product lines (Cuff, Grid, Paddle, and Percutaneous electrodes), High Channel Packaging for hermetic encapsulation, Silicone Overmolding, Cables and Connectors, and comprehensive Software and Electronics Development services. All products are developed and manufactured in Germany at CorTec's Freiburg facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brain Interchange: Closed-loop brain-computer interface platform for adaptive neurotherapy and stroke rehabilitation. The Brain Interchange System is an investigational device designed for therapeutic cortical stimulation to support motor recovery after chronic ischemic stroke.

Products and services

• Brain Interchange System Fully implantable, bidirectional closed-loop brain-computer interface system with 32 channels for real-time neural recording and adaptive cortical electrical stimulation. Supports stroke rehabilitation, epilepsy management, and BCI applications for paralysis. Targeted at clinical research and investigational use.
• °AirRay Cuff Electrodes Cuff electrodes providing electrical interface to the peripheral nervous system for neural signal recording, electrical stimulation, and blocking of neural signal propagation. Available in Tunnel, Sling, Spiral, and Helix designs for various nerve diameters. For neurotech and MedTech developers.
• °AirRay Grid Electrodes Flat grid and strip electrodes designed for ECoG or intraoperative recordings of the central nervous system. All contacts can record and stimulate. Available in configurations from 4x4 to 8x8 contacts with customizable shapes. For neuroscience and clinical applications.
• °AirRay Paddle Electrodes Paddle electrodes designed for spinal cord stimulation and central nervous system applications. Provides electrical interface with oblong electrode arrangements and optional fixation straps. For spinal cord stimulation developers.
• °AirRay Percutaneous Electrodes Percutaneous electrodes providing electrical interface to subcutaneous, intraspinal, or deep brain locations. Features 360-degree electrode contacts on flexible or pushable tubes for recording and stimulation. For DBS and deep brain applications.
• High Channel Packaging Ceramic implant housing with hermetic sealing and robust insulation for durable implantable electronics. Includes miniature designs for smaller, lighter, less invasive implants and high-channel encapsulation solutions for complex signal processing. For implantable device manufacturers.
• Silicone Overmolding Customized silicone overmoldings to protect encapsulated electronics in active implant devices. Enables tailored designs with various shapes and form factors, combined with hermetic encapsulation for seamless functionality and patient safety. For active implant developers.
• Cables and Connectors Interconnection solutions including CorTec Inline Connector for DBS leads, Straight Wire and Coiled Cables with silicone tubing, and Standard Connectors (IS-1, Omnetics). External Connection Cable System also available. For active implantable device manufacturers.
• Software Development Services Software development services for implantable devices including embedded firmware, IEC 62304-compliant development, RF-Link Technology, Bootloader, Unit Test Framework, Wearable apps, API development in C/C++, Python, and Matlab, and CorTec Cloud services. For implantable device developers.
• Electronics Development Services Electronics development services for active implantable devices including PCB design, wireless communication modules, inductive powering, recording modules, stimulation modules, closed-loop modules, wearable devices, and test bench development. For active implant developers.
• CDMO Services Comprehensive design, development, and manufacturing services for active implantable medical devices covering consulting and feasibility, development and prototyping, validation and design transfer, technical documentation, and commercial manufacturing. For neurotech and MedTech companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• First patient demonstrated stronger motor recovery in 6 weeks than in the entire previous year using Brain Interchange BCI system
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Harborview Medical Center (UW Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Clinical trial site for CorTec's Brain Interchange IDE study in stroke rehabilitation. Located in Seattle, Harborview Medical Center has conducted three successful human implants as of April 2026. The partnership enables CorTec to gather safety and efficacy data for FDA approval process.
• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIH-funded clinical trial led by Principal Investigator Jeffrey G. Ojemann, MD from UW School of Medicine. The collaboration evaluates whether direct cortical electrical stimulation can enhance upper-limb motor recovery in stroke patients using CorTec's fully implantable BCI platform.
• UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-PI Professor Steven C. Cramer from UCLA participates in the NIH-funded clinical trial evaluating Brain Interchange BCI system for stroke rehabilitation. UCLA collaboration brings additional clinical research expertise to the study.
• University of Osaka Graduate School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Takufumi Yanagisawa's group published findings in Nature Scientific Data demonstrating Brain Interchange ONE's long-term ECoG recording capabilities. Study showed stable signal quality over many months under realistic conditions.
• University Medical Center UtrechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINTENSE Project - first European study using Brain Interchange for BCI-based communication in everyday life. Participants with severe paralysis control digital devices using brain signals alone from home. Dr. Mariska van Steensel leads the research.
• Heraeus MedevioflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership addressing needs of the neuromodulation market. CorTec and Heraeus Medevio co-hosted on-demand webinar on 'Increasing Speed to Market for Neuromodulation Leads Through Early-Stage Device Design' featuring insights from both companies' experts.
• TengableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup partner selecting CorTec as strategic partner for neurotechnology development. CEO Shai Feinsod stated CorTec exemplifies the trust and collaboration essential for startup success in neurotech.
• University Medical Center TübingenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative project exploring foundations for novel rehabilitation systems for paralyzed people using CorTec technology.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Neuralink: High-profile implantable BCI developer with a high-channel, robotically implanted device and significantly larger capital base. Direct competitor targeting similar motor and communication indications.
• Synchron: Developer of a less-invasive, vascular (stentrode) BCI for paralysis patients. Competes with CorTec on BCI-based communication and motor restoration use cases via a different surgical approach.
• Blackrock Neurotech: Pioneer in implantable BCI systems using the Utah Array with decades of human implant experience and a similar electrode-and-electronics platform. Closest direct competitor to CorTec's Brain Interchange system in clinical-stage implantable BCI for motor and communication applications.
• g.tec medical engineering: Austrian BCI hardware and software provider featuring in-house invasive (ECoG) and non-invasive BCI systems. Directly competes with CorTec in supplying BCI platforms to research and clinical customers.
• Precision Neuroscience: Developer of a thin-film cortical BCI interface (Layer 7) targeting motor restoration. Directly comparable implantable BCI competitor focused on cortical signal acquisition.
• Paradromics: High-data-rate implantable BCI developer targeting motor and speech restoration. Competes with CorTec in the high-channel-count, fully implantable BCI category.

Broad incumbents

• Medtronic: Global leader in neuromodulation (DBS, spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation). Competes with CorTec's Brain Interchange at the therapy-application level, though with established legacy systems rather than closed-loop BCI.
• Boston Scientific: Major neuromodulation incumbent with DBS, spinal cord stimulation, and emerging closed-loop systems. Competes with CorTec in implantable neurostimulation therapy markets.
• Integer Holdings: Large medical device contract manufacturer with capabilities in active implantable and neuromodulation components. Overlaps with CorTec's CDMO business as a broader, more diversified incumbent.
• Heraeus Medevio: Larger medical device CDMO and strategic partner of CorTec for neuromodulation components. Comparable in the active-implantable device CDMO space but at significantly greater scale and broader therapeutic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_CorTec_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cortec-thinkingahead6988
• Facebookfacebook.com/CorTec-198099660239598
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cortec-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CorTec