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A Neuralink Co-Founder Raised $230M to Put Tiny Computers in Your Eyes
Science Corporation, founded by former Neuralink president Max Hodak, just closed a $230 million Series C at a $1.5 billion valuation, making it one of the largest private biotech raises of 2026. The company's flagship product is a wireless retinal implant about the size of a pinhead that pairs with camera-equipped glasses to restore vision in patients with advanced macular degeneration. European regulatory approval could come as early as 2027. Perhaps the wildest detail: In-Q-Tel, the venture arm affiliated with U.S. intelligence agencies, participated in the round alongside Lightspeed and Khosla Ventures.
Why it matters: In a market where investors are concentrating bigger bets on fewer companies, this round signals that growth-stage private funding is alive and well for biotechs with clear paths to commercialization. Science Corporation's regulatory submission is already filed, with a potential market launch months away.
Read more →Deals and Partnerships
Alnylam's $1.1 Billion Bet That RNA Can Fix Broken Hearts
Alnylam just partnered with tiny cardiac biotech Tenaya Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $1.13 billion to hunt for new heart disease gene targets. Tenaya will validate up to 15 genetic targets over two years; Alnylam will then use its RNA interference platform to develop drugs that silence disease-causing genes. The realistic near-term payout is modest ($10 million upfront plus research funding), but the deal signals growing conviction that RNAi can reshape cardiovascular medicine, the biggest market in all of pharma.
Read more →Layoffs and Hard Landings
Flagship's Master Key to Genetic Disease Is Running Low on Locksmiths
Alltrna, the Flagship Pioneering-backed company engineering tRNA molecules to fix genetic "typos" across thousands of diseases, cut 34% of its workforce. Just 36 employees remain. The layoffs fit a painful pattern: several Flagship portfolio companies have made significant cuts since early 2025, as early-stage platform bets collide with a biotech sector that shed over 42,000 jobs last year.
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