Gestala Secures $21.6 Million Funding To Pioneer Noninvasive Ultrasound BCI Technology

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 12, 2026

China’s Innovative Approach To Brain–Computer Interfaces

Gestala, a startup founded by serial entrepreneur Phoenix Peng, has raised $21.6 million (CN¥150 million) in only two months after its launch. The company is currently valued between $100 million and $200 million, making the round the largest early-stage investment recorded in China’s brain–computer interface industry.

Investor demand significantly exceeded the original target. Commitments surpassed $58 million, and the round was co-led by Guosheng Capital and Dalton Venture. Additional investors included Tsing Song Capital, Gobi Ventures, Fourier Intelligence, Liepin and Seas Capital.

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Strategic Advantages In Research And Manufacturing

Gestala plans to leverage China’s manufacturing ecosystem and clinical research infrastructure to accelerate development in the brain–computer interface sector. The company intends to expand its workforce from 15 to around 35 employees by the end of the year and establish a dedicated manufacturing facility in China. According to Peng, these resources will support the development of the company’s first-generation prototype, which is expected to be completed before year-end.

Ultrasound: The Next Frontier In BCI Development

Gestala’s approach differs from several high-profile competitors, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink and the OpenAI-backed Merge Labs. Instead of focusing on implanted devices, the company is exploring ultrasound-based brain–computer interface technology.

Peng argues that noninvasive ultrasound systems can reduce the risks associated with brain surgery while providing access to deeper neural structures. The use of phased-array ultrasound technology allows researchers to stimulate or suppress neural activity with greater precision, potentially expanding the range of clinical applications.

A Global Collaboration Amid Geopolitical Tensions

Despite increasing geopolitical tensions, Peng believes collaboration between Chinese and international researchers remains essential for progress in neuroscience. China offers advantages in large-scale clinical trials and integrated manufacturing supply chains, while the United States continues to lead in scientific research and advanced laboratory capabilities. Combining these strengths could help researchers generate large clinical datasets that accelerate innovation in brain–computer interface technology.

Expanding Applications In Medical Science

Gestala is initially focusing on chronic pain treatment, a condition that affects millions of patients in both China and the United States. Early academic studies suggest ultrasound-based neural stimulation may provide measurable relief for certain forms of chronic pain. Researchers are also exploring the technology’s potential applications in mental health treatment, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Additional research areas include stroke rehabilitation and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.

Speed, Scale, And The Promise Of An Ultrasound Brain Bank

One of Gestala’s key advantages may lie in its ability to scale clinical research and manufacturing simultaneously. Partnerships with large Chinese hospitals are expected to accelerate clinical trials while keeping research costs significantly lower than in Western markets. Clinical studies in China can cost approximately 20% to 33% of comparable trials conducted in the United States or Europe. At the same time, the company is building what it calls an “Ultrasound Brain Bank,” a large clinical dataset designed to train artificial intelligence systems to interpret brain signals and support future neurological diagnostics.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.

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