A Harvard Ph.D. student took a leave of absence from school to start a business, making prosthetics for the disabled for a decade: Writing the legend of Hangzhou's "Six Little Dragons" with brain-computer interface technology

In 2015, Han Bicheng was pursuing a doctoral program related to neuroscience at the Harvard University Center for Brain Science. After witnessing numerous almost miraculous brain-computer interface experiments and technologies, he spent a great deal of time conducting in - depth independent research on the field of brain-computer interfaces. Subsequently, he made up his mind to found BrainCo, a company focusing on brain-computer interface technology. BrainCo specializes in non-invasive brain-computer interface research and development, aiming to use this technology to address neurological diseases and achieve the next - generation mind - control technology. In the same year, BrainCo was selected into the Harvard Innovation Lab, becoming the first Harvard - incubated project led mainly by Chinese people in the university's history.

Harvard University encourages students to start businesses. Han Bicheng led a life where he studied for his doctorate and conducted experiments during the day and worked on the company and technology late at night.

Ten years ago, Han Bicheng discussed product design with his entrepreneurial partners in a basement.

One and a half years later, in 2016, Elon Musk announced the establishment of Neuralink, an invasive brain - computer interface company, in a three - story office building in San Francisco to address neurological diseases such as insomnia and paralysis. In the same building, there was another unremarkable small company at that time, called OpenAI.

BrainCo focuses on the core technology of brain - computer interfaces - super sensors, which can detect extremely weak neural information and are used to analyze human movements, behaviors, and emotional intentions. In 2020, the company achieved a technological breakthrough, enabling disabled people who had lost their upper limbs to control prosthetics with their "thoughts", and each finger could move independently and flexibly. After receiving feedback that users really liked this product and conducting market research, Han Bicheng found that there were 24 million disabled users with limb disabilities in China alone. Most of them were confined at home due to the loss of hands or legs. Then, he had the idea of suspending his studies and starting a full - time business, hoping to whole - heartedly develop neural - controlled prosthetics for them.

Ten years ago, Han Bicheng and his team built a brain - controlled humanoid robot in a basement near Harvard.

In many public speeches, Han Bicheng shared his decision - making process at that time: He discussed this idea with his Harvard teachers. He felt that he couldn't wait a single moment and needed to solve the problems of the disabled as soon as possible.

After listening, the teacher said "Harvard University doesn't need one more PhD. What it needs is a person who can truly change the world. You should leave school immediately and do what you want to do."

In 2020, he officially left Harvard, and BrainCo entered an acceleration phase of development.

Now, globally, BrainCo's intelligent prosthetics have helped thousands of amputees regain hope in life. People who lost their hands due to accidents or diseases can now write with a pen again, hug their families, and even return to work. Moreover, the company has also made breakthrough progress in fields such as autism intervention, sleep intervention, and cognitive rehabilitation.

Since its establishment, BrainCo has helped many disabled people install neural - controlled prosthetics.

At the opening ceremony of the 4th Asian Para Games Hangzhou 2023, athlete Xu Jialing wore BrainCo's intelligent bionic hand to light the main torch tower. In 2025, the "Six Tech Start - ups in Hangzhou" attracted global attention. BrainCo, known as the "most mysterious company" among them, stepped into the spotlight. From early - stage technology verification to product mass production, from concept verification in the laboratory to serving global users, every step of Han Bicheng was full of uncertainties, but at the same time, it also depicted the growth trajectory of China's brain - computer interface technology.

Differentiation of Technical Paths

When choosing the technical path for brain - computer interfaces, Han Bicheng faced a crucial decision that would affect the company's fate. At that time, the global focus in the brain - computer interface field was on Neuralink, which had just been founded by Elon Musk. This company chose the invasive route: implanting electrode arrays through craniotomy to directly obtain neuron signals. Although the signal quality was extremely high, surgical risks and ethical controversies also emerged.

After in - depth research and repeated consideration, Han Bicheng finally chose a completely different path - the non - invasive technology route. BrainCo focuses on developing super sensors that do not require surgery and can achieve "thought" control by collecting electroencephalogram signals and neural signals. This route has obvious advantages in terms of safety, popularity, and cost control, enabling the technology to be quickly applied in scenarios such as prosthetic control, attention training, and rehabilitation treatment, thus having a "real and strong impact" on the groups in need.

Han Bicheng is debugging products with users.

This differentiation of technical paths has made Neuralink and BrainCo two typical representatives of industry development: the former pursues technological limits and is a "future experiment" with high risks and high returns; the latter emphasizes practicality and accessibility and focuses on the large - scale promotion of "current applications".

Based on the non - invasive technology route, BrainCo has gradually built a complete product ecosystem covering disabled rehabilitation, brain disease rehabilitation, consumer applications, and embodied intelligence. From intelligent bionic hands to attention training systems, from sleep intervention devices to autism rehabilitation programs, the company has continuously expanded the application boundaries of brain - computer interface technology.

This diversified product strategy has brought significant commercial advantages to BrainCo. In 2022, the company achieved the large - scale mass production of 100,000 units of a single brain - computer interface product, breaking the long - standing deadlock of the field remaining in the laboratory stage. Subsequently, the company's intelligent bionic upper and lower limb products successively obtained FDA certification and officially entered the international market.

BrainCo's product matrix

Prospects of the Trillion - Dollar Market

The brain - computer interface is standing at the critical point of industrial explosion. According to a research report by Morgan Stanley, by 2045, the scale of the brain - computer interface market in the US medical market alone will reach 400 billion US dollars, and the global market space is even more vast. In China, brain - computer interface technology has been included in the Outline of the 14th Five - Year Plan and identified as a fundamental and core field related to national security and overall development.

Facing such huge market opportunities, BrainCo has also reached a critical moment of capitalization. According to Bloomberg, the company has initiated preparations for an IPO, and the listing location may be Hong Kong or the STAR Market. This marks that this Chinese company that emerged from a Harvard basement is about to write its own chapter in the global capital market.

Meanwhile, in the capital market, the two companies also show different value logics. Relying on Elon Musk's personal influence and cutting - edge technology concepts, Neuralink's valuation reached 9 billion US dollars after a financing round in 2023, reflecting the capital's pursuit of "disruptive innovation". BrainCo, on the other hand, is recognized for the commercialization degree of its products and market verification ability. The certainty and replicability of its business model provide another value target for investors.

According to public reports, BrainCo and Musk's Neuralink have become the two companies with the largest R & D investment and financing amount in the global brain - interface field.

Although the valuation scales are different, the capital market's evaluation of BrainCo lies in its higher certainty. Its products have achieved mass production and verified commercial feasibility in multiple markets. For investors, this means that BrainCo's business story is not confined to the laboratory but is expected to enter broader consumer - grade and medical - grade scenarios. In fact, the company that can first run through the path of "large - scale + multi - scenario application" will gain an advantage in the upcoming industry reshuffle.

The Significance of the Chinese Answer

From a Harvard dropout to the founder of one of the "Six Tech Start - ups in Hangzhou", Han Bicheng's ten - year entrepreneurial journey reflects the growth trajectory of China's technology industry.

Ten years ago, he hoped that Chinese disabled people could regain hope and dignity in life through brain - computer technology. Ten years later, in Zhejiang Province, this wish has been vividly interpreted. In December 2023, the Zhejiang Disabled Persons' Welfare Foundation launched the "Zhejiang Science and Technology - Assisted Project for the Physically Disabled". As of July 2025, the project has raised more than 20 million yuan in funds and installed BrainCo's intelligent prosthetics for nearly 400 disabled people with limb loss, enabling them to truly live a "dignified, barrier - free, and high - quality" life. This model of government guidance, social participation, and enterprise support has explored a new path for the social application of brain - computer interface technology.

More than forty years ago, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. He foresaw the popularization of personal computers and put forward the vision of "a computer on every desk and in every home". Eventually, he promoted the arrival of the entire information age. Thirty years later, BrainCo is telling a story of a Harvard doctor dropping out of school to start a business and benefit vulnerable groups.

Differently, this story takes place in China this time, with a Chinese company as the protagonist, facing more complex technological challenges and more intense global competition. BrainCo's success not only verifies China's innovation ability in the field of cutting - edge technology but also provides a unique "Chinese solution" for the global brain - computer interface industry - through the inclusive application of technology and the in - depth combination of social responsibility, more ordinary people can benefit from technological progress.

Against the backdrop of Neuralink and BrainCo, the future of the brain - computer interface industry is becoming clearer: it is both a long - term bet for capital and a real need for social livelihood. Brain - computer interface, a technology known as the "ultimate human - machine interface", is expected to completely change the way humans interact with machines. Han Bicheng and BrainCo are powerful interpreters of the "Chinese answer" in this technological revolution.