BREAKING: Merge Labs Raises $252M from OpenAI, Bain, & Gabe Newell
Launches Out of Stealth as Brain–Computer (BCI) Interface Research Lab
Brought to you by Brex:
Brex, the ultra-superintelligent AF finance platform for elite businesses, combining the world’s smartest corporate card with integrated expense management, banking, bill pay, & travel. Trusted by 35,000+ companies, including Anthropic, Arm, Robinhood, ServiceTitan, DoorDash, & Wiz. Built for scale. Spend smarter, move faster.
BREAKING: Merge Labs Raises $252M
Launches Out of Stealth as Brain–Computer (BCI) Interface Research Lab
Merge Labs has launched as a new research lab focused on advancing brain–computer interfaces (BCIs), backed by Bain Capital Ventures, with OpenAI participating as an investor and research collaborator, alongside additional backers including Gabe Newell (co-founder and president of Valve, the company behind Steam). The company has raised $252 million in seed funding.
Merge Labs is structured as a long-term research organization rather than a product-driven startup. Its stated mission is to develop new approaches to BCIs that increase neural bandwidth, reduce invasiveness, and integrate closely with AI systems.
Technical Focus
Most existing BCIs rely on electrodes implanted into limited regions of the brain, which constrains both signal bandwidth and adoption. Merge Labs is pursuing alternative methods designed to interface with substantially larger portions of the brain without implanting hardware into brain tissue.
“One of our core beliefs is that we can build brain computer interfaces that can interface with many more neurons in the brain than is possible with existing technologies in a form factor that is much less invasive,” said Mikhail Shapiro, co-founder of Merge Labs and professor of chemical and medical engineering at Caltech (Ashlee Vance, Core Memory , Jan 15, 2026).
The lab’s early research centers on combining ultrasound-based modalities with molecular approaches that enhance neural signal detection. Ultrasound is already widely used in medical imaging and can penetrate deep into tissue, offering a potential path to broader brain coverage without surgery.
“You want to interface with the brain at larger bandwidth and at as great a scale as possible,” Shapiro said. “To do that, you need to use modalities that can interface more deeply with the brain without sticking invasive stuff into brain tissue.” (Ashlee Vance, Core Memory, Jan 15, 2026).
Founding Team — Current Roles & Affiliations
Merge Labs’ founding team spans frontier neuroscience and experienced technology operators:
Alex Blania – Co-founder of World, an Altman-co-founded digital proof of human protocol; co-founder of Merge Labs.
Sam Altman – CEO of OpenAI; co-founder of Merge Labs participating in a personal capacity. Altman has been reported as likely to serve in a strategic role but not in day-to-day operational management of Merge Labs.
Mikhail Shapiro – Professor of Chemical and Medical Engineering at Caltech and founding scientific leader for Merge Labs. He has also served as an adviser to Forest Neurotech.
Sumner Norman – CEO of Forest Neurotech, a nonprofit research organization focused on ultrasound-based brain-computer interface technologies; also a co-founder of Merge Labs.
Sandro Herbig – Identified as a technology entrepreneur and co-founder of Merge Labs with prior systems and product experience, including work with Blania on Tools for Humanity and World. While specific current corporate title at Merge hasn’t been publicly detailed, he is recognized as part of the founding leadership team.
Tyson Aflalo – Chief Scientific Officer of Forest Neurotech prior to Merge Labs; co-founder and technical lead at Merge Labs with expertise in neural engineering and ultrasound BCI research.
The team brings together expertise in neuroscience, bioengineering, hardware, AI systems, and long-horizon technology development.
Role of AI and Path Forward
AI is expected to play a central role in Merge Labs’ work, both in accelerating research across biology and engineering and in interpreting neural signals, which are inherently noisy and individualized. OpenAI stated that progress in interfaces enables progress in computing and described BCIs as an important frontier for human–AI interaction.
Merge Labs plans to begin with medical research and clinical applications, with a longer-term objective of developing BCI technologies that are safe and accessible at broader scale.
“Companies like Neuralink do have plans to place implants in multiple spots of the brain so that they can tap into more of the brain’s functions. Merge, however, argues that the combo of something like ultrasound with the protein reporter techniques gets you there quicker and better.” Core Memory
The company is incorporated as a Public Benefit Corporation.
Beep, Boop, Brain.
Additional Context
Gabe Newell’s participation is notable given his long-standing focus on computing platforms and human–computer interfaces. As co-founder of Valve, he helped build Steam into the world’s largest PC software distribution platform and has overseen significant internal research into virtual reality, input devices, and next-generation interfaces. His involvement aligns with Merge Labs’ positioning as a foundational research effort rather than a near-term product company.
Brought to you by:
Brex—The intelligent finance platform: cards, expenses, travel, bill pay, banking—wrapped into a high-performance stack. Built for scale. Trusted by teams that move fast.
Turing—Turing delivers top-tier talent, data, and tools to help AI labs improve model performance, and enable enterprises to turn those models into powerful, production-ready systems. Visit: turing.com/sourcery
Deel—Deel is the global people platform that helps startups hire, manage, pay, and equip anyone, anywhere. Trusted by more than 35,000 fast-growing companies, Deel is the people platform that just works, so teams can scale without the chaos. Visit: deel.com/sourcery
Public-–Investing platform Public just launched Generated Assets, which lets you turn any idea into an investable index with AI. With Generated Assets, you can build, backtest, refine, and invest in any thesis with AI. Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all ETFs. Try it today: public.com/sourcery
The material presented on Molly O’Shea’s website are my opinions only and are provided for informational purposes and should not be construed as investment advice. It is not a recommendation of, or an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy, any particular security, strategy, or investment product. Any analysis or discussion of investments, sectors or the market generally are based on current information, including from public sources, that I consider reliable, but I do not represent that any research or the information provided is accurate or complete, and it should not be relied on as such. My views and opinions expressed in any website content are current at the time of publication and are subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Paid Endorsement. Brokerage services by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Advisory services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC-registered adviser. Crypto trading provided by Zero Hash LLC, licensed by the NYSDFS. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool by Public Advisors. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. See disclosures at public.com/disclosures/ga. Matched funds must remain in your account for at least 5 years. Match rate and other terms are subject to change at any time.