Grapheton

What Grapheton does

Grapheton Inc. is a San Diego, California-based medical device startup developing carbon-based implantable probes and electrodes for bioelectronic therapies and brain-computer interface applications. The company's product portfolio spans ECoG probes (16, 32, 64 channel), deep brain stimulation probes, spinal cord multi-modal electrophysiology probes (8, 10 channel), brain chemistry electrodes (4 channel), MRI-compatible surface electrodes, micro-electrode arrays, electrochemical sensors, and on-chip micro-supercapacitor energy sources. Core technology is a glassy carbon microfabrication process developed over 15 years at San Diego State University's NanoFAB facility, enabling homogeneous non-granular carbon devices designed for chronic implantation over several decades without degradation, simultaneous electrical and biochemical (neurotransmitter) signal readout at sub-10 nM sensitivity, and MRI compatibility that avoids heating and image artifacts associated with thin-film metal electrodes. The intellectual property is licensed from NanoFAB.SDSU and the NSF Center for Neurotechnology (CNT) and is supported by 16 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Nature Microsystems & Nanoengineering and the Journal of Neural Engineering.

The company sells probes directly to neuroscience and medical research institutions on a B2B basis, with products already in use at various research centers for electrophysiology, neurotransmitter detection, spinal stimulation, and MRI applications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and Grapheton generates revenue primarily through hardware sales of research-grade probes, with technology licensing identified as a secondary potential revenue stream. Applications being addressed include spinal cord injuries, chronic pain, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, stroke, and potentially Alzheimer's disease, targeting an estimated market of roughly 2 million bioelectronic implants placed annually worldwide to treat cardiac, neurological, and sensory conditions.

In 2021, US Nuclear (OTC: UCLE) acquired a 40% equity stake to provide systems engineering, manufacturing, and marketing support, and Terry Lingren was appointed CEO in October 2021, bringing prior public-company leadership experience from Resonant Inc. (NASDAQ: RESN), Qualcomm, and Kyocera Wireless. The company has 1-10 employees and operates as a private venture-stage firm whose commercialization trajectory is at an early stage, with growth contingent on translating validated academic R&D into broader clinical and commercial adoption.

Name

Grapheton

Legal name

Grapheton Inc.

Website

https://grapheton.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Grapheton is a San Diego-based medical device startup that develops carbon-based implantable neural probes and electrodes for neuroscience and medical research institutions, leveraging glassy carbon microfabrication technology licensed from SDSU's NanoFAB and the NSF Center for Neurotechnology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neural Implants / Bioelectronic Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Implantable Neuromodulation & Neurostimulation (SCS/DBS/VNS/PNS) (HLAHAEAK)

Keywords

• Carbon-based electrodes
• Neural probes
• Bioelectronic implants
• Brain-computer interfaces
• Microfabricated medical devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

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, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bioelectronic Implant Devices Sales: Grapheton generates revenue through the sale of carbon-based implantable and wearable neural probes and electrodes. Product lines include ECoG probes, spinal stimulation probes, brain chemical sensors, surface electrodes for MRIs, and micro-electrode arrays.
2. Technology Licensing: The underlying technology was developed at and licensed from NanoFAB.SDSU. Grapheton continues to build intellectual property in these areas, suggesting potential future licensing of technology.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Grapheton develops and manufactures carbon-based implantable microelectrodes and neural probes made from homogeneous non-granular glassy carbon for bioelectronic therapies and brain-computer interface applications. Its product portfolio includes ECoG probes, DBS probes, spinal cord multi-modal probes, brain chemistry electrodes, MRI-compatible electrodes, and integrated on-chip micro supercapacitors. These devices are sold directly to research centers and medical institutions for electrophysiology, neural stimulation, neurotransmitter detection, and chronic implant applications.

Product overview

Grapheton is a medical device company developing next-generation carbon-based implantable devices for bioelectronic therapies and brain-computer interfaces (BCI). The product portfolio centers on carbon-based microelectrodes and neural probes made from homogeneous non-granular glassy carbon material, including ECoG probes, DBS probes, Spinal Cord Multi-Modal Electrophysiology Probes, Brain Chemistry Electrodes, and MRI Compatible Electrodes. These probes offer simultaneous electrical and biochemical signal detection, long-term implantability (several decades), MRI compatibility, and ultra-capacitive energy storage. The products work together to enable closed-loop, automated bioelectronic therapies with real-time monitoring of the body's electrical and chemical environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ECoG (Electrocorticography) Probes Surface cortical electrical recording probes for electrophysiology applications, available in 16, 32, and 64 channel configurations. Used by neuroscience research centers for brain electrical activity monitoring.
• DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) Probes Depth recording probes for deep brain stimulation applications enabling targeted neural intervention for research and clinical discovery applications.
• Spinal Cord Multi-Modal Electrophysiology Probes Probes for spinal cord applications integrating stimulation microelectrodes, recording microelectrodes, and neurotransmitter detection capabilities (e.g., serotonin). Available in 8, 10, or custom channel configurations for animal models and discovery applications.
• Brain Chemistry Electrodes Carbon-based microelectrodes capable of detecting neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin at sub-10 nM level (clinically relevant concentrations). Available in 4-channel configuration.
• MRI Compatible Electrodes Carbon-based microelectrodes that are MRI-compatible, avoiding the heating and vibration issues common with thin-film metal electrodes in magnetic resonance imaging environments.
• Ultra-Capacitive Carbon Neural Probe Microfabricated carbon neural probes that allow simultaneous long-term electrical stimulations and high-resolution neurotransmitter detection, with remarkable charge storage capacity.
• Micro-Electrode Arrays Arrays of microelectrodes for various neural interface and brain-computer interface research applications.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NanoFAB.SDSU (San Diego State University)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe underlying technology was developed at and licensed from NanoFAB.SDSU. Over the past 15 years, Grapheton's core technology was developed at this facility before being commercialized through Grapheton Inc.
• Center for Neurotechnology (CNT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNT is an NSF Engineering Research Center collaboration between University of Washington, MIT, and San Diego State University. Grapheton's CTO Dr. Sam Kassegne serves as Deputy Director of CNT. This partnership provides ongoing research collaboration and academic credibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• NeuroPace: NeuroPace commercializes the RNS System, a closed-loop responsive neurostimulator for epilepsy that uses intracranial electrodes — directly comparable in clinical use case (epilepsy) to Grapheton's brain chemistry and DBS probes, and a pioneer in closed-loop neurostimulation.

Direct peers

• Precision Neuroscience: Precision Neuroscience is developing the Layer 7 cortical interface — a flexible, high-resolution electrode array for BCI applications that competes directly with Grapheton's ECoG-style cortical probes.
• Blackrock Neurotech: Blackrock Neurotech is one of the longest-standing implantable neural probe and BCI companies (Utah Array, NeuroPort), serving research and clinical applications that overlap directly with Grapheton's electrophysiology and DBS probe portfolio.
• Synchron: Synchron develops the Stentrode, a minimally invasive implantable BCI for paralysis patients — a direct competitor targeting the same brain-computer-interface implant category as Grapheton, though with a different delivery modality.
• Neuralink: Neuralink develops high-channel-count implantable brain-computer-interface electrodes (N1 chip, R1 robot) for paralysis and neurological applications — directly comparable to Grapheton's ECoG and DBS probes in BCI/neural implant use cases.
• Inbrain Neuroelectronics: Inbrain is developing graphene-based neural interfaces for neuromodulation — the closest direct technology peer to Grapheton, given both companies use novel carbon-derived materials for implantable brain electrodes.
• Paradromics: Paradromics is building high-data-rate neural implant probes (Connexus) for BCI and neural recording — directly comparable to Grapheton's ECoG and microelectrode arrays in chronic implant research and clinical applications.

Broad incumbents

• Medtronic: Medtronic is the established market leader in deep brain stimulation (Activa) and spinal cord stimulation (Intellis), making it the dominant incumbent whose metal-electrode product lines Grapheton's carbon-based probes aim to displace.
• Boston Scientific Neuromodulation: Boston Scientific's neuromodulation division (Precision Spectra SCS, Vercise DBS) is a major incumbent in spinal cord and deep brain stimulation — directly competing with Grapheton's spinal and DBS probe applications in the same clinical indications.
• Abbott Neuromodulation: Abbott (formerly St. Jude Medical) sells the Proclaim DRG and Infinity DBS systems, making it a broad incumbent in the neuromodulation market that Grapheton's implantable neurostimulation probes would compete against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/grapheton
• Facebookfacebook.com/grapheton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grapheton-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/grapheton

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Grapheton