Hardware firm MintNeuro raises £3.8m led by Odyssey Ventures with 33East
This article covers MintNeuro, a London-based hardware startup, which has closed a seed funding round of £3.8m to accelerate commercial scaling of specialised semiconductors for neural devices. The funding is intended to move the startup from technology validation to wider customer adoption across the UK, Europe and the US, supporting neurotechnology developers and research teams by standardising chips for implantable and wearable devices.
MintNeuro, a London-based hardware startup, has closed a seed funding round of £3.8m to accelerate commercial scaling of specialised semiconductors for neural devices. The raise, led by Odyssey Ventures with participation from 33East, JSK Investments, Alumni Ventures and returning backers including Empirical Ventures and Jumpspace Ventures, aims to move the company from technology validation to wider customer adoption across the UK, Europe and the US.
Why it matters
Neurotechnology — from brain-computer interfaces to neuromodulation implants and sensory prostheses — is increasingly limited by a lack of chips tailored to the power, size, safety and signal‑quality needs of implantable and wearable devices. MintNeuro’s funding matters because it targets that bottleneck: standardising components that today are often built from generic parts or bespoke ASIC programmes that add cost and delay clinical translation.
A more accessible hardware stack could shorten development cycles for device makers and research teams, lowering the barrier to clinical trials and potential treatments for conditions such as Parkinson’s, epilepsy and treatment‑resistant depression.
Inside the product
MintNeuro has developed a modular semiconductor platform designed for core neural functions: sensing, signal processing and stimulation. The company says its chips are intended to let developers combine those functions at the system level, enabling smaller, lower‑power devices and more integrated closed‑loop interfaces with the nervous system.
The startup has already delivered working silicon and reached integration milestones with partners including Motif Neurotech and Amber Therapeutics. Earlier this year MintNeuro signed a multi‑year commercial chip supply agreement with Motif, which is developing a minimally invasive neurostimulator intended to treat treatment‑resistant depression. Those partnerships serve as practical validation of MintNeuro’s approach and as early routes to market for its chips.
Who are the investors?
The £3.8m round was led by Odyssey Ventures and included participation from 33East, JSK Investments and Alumni Ventures, alongside returning investors Empirical Ventures, Jumpspace Ventures and early backers. The investor group spans deep tech, medtech and early‑stage firms across Europe and the US, reflecting demand for hardware infrastructure in neurotechnology.
In the announcement, Michelle Robson, Founding Partner at Odyssey Ventures, said:
Neural devices such as BCIs represent one of the most exciting frontier technology opportunities today, and significant value will accrue to those solving the foundational infrastructure challenges that stand between innovation and widespread adoption. MintNeuro has the technology, market pull and ambition to become a globally important semiconductor company, and we are backing this exceptional team as it scales from the UK into global markets, including Silicon Valley.
In the announcement, Yiannis Eftychiou, Co-Founder and Partner at 33East, said:
What stood out to us is the sheer breadth of the hardware opportunity. MintNeuro is solving critical needs for neural implants today, with technology that can extend into wearables and beyond.
In the announcement, Johnathan Matlock, Co-Founder and General Partner at Empirical Ventures, said:
We invested before the chips were in hand, and we are reinvesting now that MintNeuro has working silicon, deep customer traction and a clear path to becoming a category-defining semiconductor business.
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Founder perspective
The CEO framed the round as the step that will move the company into broader commercial activity and customer rollout.
In the announcement, Dorian Haci, Co-Founder and CEO of MintNeuro, said:
Every neural device depends on the chips inside it. Today, most device and therapy developers still have to choose between generic components that were never designed for the body and years of custom chip development. We are building the chips that end that trade-off. This funding moves us from technology validation to commercial scale-up, with more customer programmes, faster product launches and our chips in the hands of many more developers. Our ambition is clear: to make MintNeuro the semiconductor platform the global neurotechnology industry builds on.
In the announcement, Professor Tim Denison, Chair of MintNeuro, added:
Neurotechnology is entering a phase where specialised hardware will determine how far, and how fast, the field can go. MintNeuro’s semiconductor technology is well-placed to remove the key obstacle to industry scale, which could dramatically accelerate the pace of innovation.
The bigger picture
MintNeuro’s raise sits at the intersection of two trends: renewed investor interest in foundational hardware for health and the maturation of neurotechnology applications toward clinical use. For startups and research teams, access to a modular, purpose‑built chip could cut years off development timelines and reduce reliance on major silicon players or expensive custom design cycles.
The company’s planned expansion into the US, alongside its UK and European base, reflects the transatlantic nature of the neurotech market and the need for supply chains and regulatory pathways that support clinical devices.
This deal is another data point in broader efforts to build hardware capability in the UK and Europe, where policymakers and investors are increasingly focused on supporting deep‑tech companies that bridge laboratory research and patient‑facing products.
They've invested in MintNeuro
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| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Odyssey Ventures( ) London  | ||||
 33East( ) | ||||
 JSK Investments( ) | ||||
 Alumni Ventures( ) Alumni Ventures is a venture capital firm established in 2014, providing accredi... Manchester, US  | ||||
 Empirical Ventures( ) Empirical is a specialist VC and venture builder based in Europe, focusing on ea... Bristol | ||||
 Jumpspace Ventures( ) | ||||
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