What Modular Bionics does

Modular Bionics Inc. is a privately held neurotechnology company founded in 2015 by two Stanford University engineers and headquartered in Berkeley, California. The company designs, manufactures, and sells hardware systems for neural interfacing in chronic and pre-clinical neuroscience experiments, with selected investigational use in human basic physiologic research. Its core product is the N-Form 3D microelectrode, a customizable neural probe supporting 32-128 channels across shank lengths of 0.5mm to 15mm, with multiple granted U.S. patents covering the technology. The portfolio now includes four products: N-Form microelectrodes, the N-Form insertion holder, the WiLD wireless linked device for freely behaving animal experiments, and the Imp V2 automated impedance tester compatible with multiple vendor probe families. The company is also developing the MBI (Modular Bionic Interface), a modular, high-bandwidth, bidirectional implantable device in preclinical testing for eventual human clinical use.

The company operates a sales-led, dual-channel go-to-market: direct email sales for new animal-use customers, clinical research inquiries, and the WiLD product, combined with global distribution through Plexon Inc. for N-Form animal research products. Pricing is public and ranges from $2,950 (single-shank N-Form, insertion holder) to $7,645 (16-shank, 128-channel N-Form in the longest shank tier), with the Imp V2 priced at $6,750. All sales are one-time hardware purchases; no subscription or recurring revenue model is disclosed. Revenue is supplemented by non-dilutive government funding, including an NIH/NINDS SBIR grant and four DARPA contracts totaling approximately $5.6M between 2015 and 2022. Customer base is concentrated in academic neuroscience research institutions (multiple UC system schools, Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, University of Chicago, UT Austin) with limited disclosed commercial or clinical adoption.

Name

Modular Bionics

Legal name

Modular Bionics Inc.

Website

https://modularbionics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Modular Bionics is a Berkeley-based neurotechnology company that designs and sells customizable 3D microelectrode arrays (N-Form), wireless neural recording systems (WiLD), and impedance testing tools (Imp V2) for academic and clinical neuroscience research, with the MBI human implant in preclinical development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neural Microelectrodes / Neuroscience Research Equipment

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Sensors, MEMS & Imaging ICs (HDAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Neural microelectrodes
• 3D microelectrode arrays
• Wireless neural recording
• Impedance testing equipment
• Neuroscience research hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - N-Form Microelectrodes: One-time purchase of customizable 3D microelectrode arrays with pricing based on shank length, number of shanks, and channel count. Single shank units start at $2,950; 16-shank configurations up to $7,645.
2. Hardware Sales - Imp Impedance Tester: One-time purchase of Imp V2 impedance testing device at $6,750 per unit. Includes device, USB cable, calibration board, installation thumbdrive, and user guide.
3. Hardware Sales - Insertion Holder: One-time purchase of N-Form insertion holder at $2,950. Designed for implanting N-Form 3D microelectrodes into brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve tissue.
4. Hardware Sales - WiLD Wireless System: One-time purchase of WiLD G1 wireless system with pricing by inquiry. System enables freely behaving animal experiments with wireless neural recording.
5. Government Research Contracts: DARPA and NIH/NIH SBIR grants and contracts supporting product development. Multiple DARPA contracts valued at up to $1.5M each for wireless technology, clinical device, and wireless product development. NIH SBIR for N-Form development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Modular Bionics designs, manufactures, and sells neuroscience research hardware led by its patented N-Form 3D microelectrode arrays, with channel counts up to 128 and shank lengths from 0.5mm to 15.0mm, configured in customizable 3D layouts for volumetric neural recording and stimulation. Its product portfolio also includes the WiLD wireless neural recording system, the Imp V2 128-channel impedance tester, and the N-Form insertion holder for precise implantation.

Product overview

Modular Bionics is a neurotechnology company offering a portfolio of products for exploring the nervous system in chronic and pre-clinical experiments. The core product is the N-Form 3D microelectrode platform, a customizable neural probe with 32-128 channels that can be configured in 3D arrays for volumetric recording and stimulation. Supporting products include the N-Form insertion holder for precise implantation, the WiLD (Wireless Linked Device) for wireless freely-behaving animal experiments streaming up to 128 channels, and the Imp V2 high-channel-count impedance tester. The company is also developing the MBI (Modular Bionic Interface), a high-bandwidth bidirectional implantable device for human neural interrogation. All products focus on neuroscience research applications; none are FDA approved for human clinical use. The company was founded by Stanford University engineers and has received NIH SBIR and multiple DARPA contracts for product development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• N-Form®: 3D microelectrode arrays for volumetric recording and stimulation in neural research. Customizable to reach large volumes of neurons across layers and columns.
• WiLD™
• Imp™
• MBI™

Products and services

• N-Form 3D Microelectrode Patented customizable 3D neural probe for volumetric recording and stimulation, manufactured from biocompatible composite with 32–128 channels and shank lengths from 0.5mm to 15.0mm; used in chronic and preclinical experiments across species including humans, NHPs, cats, and marmosets.
• N-Form Insertion Holder Device for implanting N-Form 3D microelectrodes into brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve tissue; mounts in a micromanipulator and mechanically engages with N-Form for precise insertions at various approach angles; priced at $2,950.
• WiLD (Wireless Linked Device) Wireless system for freely behaving animal experiments with a slim implant placed completely under the skin; streams up to 128 channels of single unit recordings through skin to a worn unit held by magnetic force; battery options of 30+ minutes standard or 60+ minutes; designed for use with N-Form 3D microelectrodes; pricing by email inquiry.
• Imp V2 Impedance Tester Automated 128-channel impedance testing device for large channel count electrode arrays; tests 128 channels in under 25 seconds with state-of-the-art accuracy; compatible with N-Form, Cambridge NeuroTech, NeuroNexus, Atlas Neuroengineering, and Blackrock probes; priced at $6,750.
• MBI (Modular Bionic Interface) Modular, high-bandwidth, bidirectional implantable device for neural interrogation; in development for human use with demonstrated preclinical high data rate transmission through skin; slim, hermetic, and adaptable to a range of microscale arrays including N-Form.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~10 months chronic recording in 3 cats
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Plexon Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 January 2018Plexon Inc. serves as global distributor for N-Form 3D microelectrode and insertion holder for use in animal research. Contact [email protected] for all animal research inquiries. Modular Bionics retains direct contact for clinical research inquiries. Plexon handles order processing, customer support, and distribution logistics for the animal research product line.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NeuroNexus: Established neural probe manufacturer offering silicon microelectrode arrays and probes widely used in academic neuroscience. NeuroNexus probes are explicitly supported by Modular Bionics' Imp V2, evidencing direct product overlap and shared customer base of academic electrophysiology labs.
• Cambridge NeuroTech: Manufacturer of silicon microelectrode probes for acute and chronic neuroscience research, including 32-128 channel silicon probes that are explicitly supported by Modular Bionics' Imp V2 tester. Direct overlap in product category (silicon probes for animal research) and customer base (academic neuroscience labs).
• Ripple Neuro: Manufacturer of neural recording systems, micro-electrode arrays, and acquisition tools widely used in academic and preclinical neuroscience research. Direct overlap in product category (neural probes and recording tools) and customer base (academic neuroscience labs and core facilities).
• Atlas Neuroengineering: Manufacturer of silicon neural probes for acute 32-128 channel recordings, explicitly compatible with Modular Bionics' Imp V2. Direct product and customer overlap in academic electrophysiology labs.
• Blackrock Neurotech: Long-established manufacturer of neural recording electrodes (including 96-128 channel chronic probes) and neural-interface systems. Blackrock probes are explicitly compatible with Modular Bionics' Imp V2, and both compete in chronic neural recording for animal and human research applications.

Emerging players

• Neuralink: High-profile implantable brain-computer-interface company developing high-channel-count cortical implants for human use. While targeting clinical BCI applications rather than research probes, it competes for the same underlying neural-interface talent, talent funding pool, and long-term clinical customer base as Modular Bionics' MBI program.
• Paradromics: Implantable brain-computer-interface company developing high-bandwidth bidirectional neural interfaces. Comparable to Modular Bionics' MBI ambitions in the clinical neural-interface space, with overlap in DARPA-funded neural-technology programs and overlapping engineering talent base.
• Intan Technologies: Manufacturer of low-noise electrophysiology amplifiers, chips, and headstages used widely in academic neuroscience labs. While more focused on the amplifier/headstage side of the recording chain, Intan overlaps with Modular Bionics in serving the same academic neuroscience customer base and increasingly competes in integrated neural-interface workflows.
• Synchron: Stentrode-based brain-computer-interface company pursuing minimally invasive neural implants for clinical applications. Competes for the same clinical BCI market that Modular Bionics' MBI targets, with similar DARPA-era federal funding lineage.

Broad incumbents

• Tucker-Davis Technologies: Established neuroscience equipment manufacturer offering a broad portfolio of recording systems, electrodes, and acquisition hardware. Overlaps with Modular Bionics in supplying academic neuroscience labs, though as a broader incumbent with a wider portfolio beyond microelectrodes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/modular-bionics-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Modular Bionics