#USA #Naperville #Brain-Machine Interface #Coral Capital #Ruten Inc

Ruten Inc. Secures Major Funding in the Brain-Machine Interface Space

Ruten Inc., a pioneering medical device startup based in Naperville, Illinois, has recently announced its successful acquisition of $2 million in additional funding through a SAFE investment from Coral Capital. This pivotal injection of funds will be strategically directed towards enhancing the research and development of their innovative brain-machine interface (BMI) technology, specifically aimed at rebuilding lost physical functions due to various medical conditions, including swallowing difficulties after stroke.

With this financial boost, Ruten plans to expedite its research initiatives and deepen collaborations with both domestic and international academic institutions and research facilities. Their goal is to rigorously validate the performance and safety of their systems while laying the groundwork for clinical applications. Ruten's dedicated efforts are set to address a critical healthcare challenge faced by many patients around the world.


Team members from Ruten and Coral Capital gathered for a group photo in Coral Capital's shared office space, Coral Beach.

In addition to the recent funding, Ruten is in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC) under an NIH-supported research project titled OpenNerve Platform for Post-Stroke Dysphagia and Aspiration Pneumonia. This project focuses on using peripheral nerve stimulation to control swallowing-related muscles and is currently undergoing acute trials. Through this collaboration, Ruten is scientifically validating the feasibility of selectively controlling only the muscles involved in swallowing, marking a significant step forward in understanding and addressing dysphagia.

Ruten's pursuit of innovation doesn't stop there. The startup has also secured funding from Japan's Defense Equipment Agency through its competitive research funding program for the project titled Fundamental Research on Motor and Cognitive Decoding using Cerebral Signals during Eating Motions. This research aims to enable brain information decoding by simultaneously measuring cortical brain waves and neuronal activity within the cerebral cortex in three dimensions. By analyzing the relationship between neural activities, actions, and decision-making from cognition to chewing and swallowing, Ruten hopes to deepen our understanding of neural information processing, ultimately laying the groundwork for future applications for swallowing disorders.

Comments from Leadership

Kazuki Takahashi, CEO/CSO of Ruten Inc.

Kazuki Takahashi expressed enthusiasm about the latest funding round from Coral Capital, emphasizing that this investment is vital for achieving world-level seed rounds. It will assist in recording crucial data from the cortex, optimizing peripheral nerve stimulation methods, and facilitating the development of next-generation closed-loop systems. Importantly, this funding will strengthen the organization of Ruten, bringing them closer to creating a medical device capable of fundamentally restoring swallowing functions.

Yohei Sawayama, Co-Founder of Coral Capital

Commenting on Ruten’s advancements, Yohei Sawayama stated, "The evolution of BMI from non-invasive to invasive approaches is promising. Ruten is set to pioneer a new frontier focused on autonomous recovery functions. Swallowing disorders pose severe medical challenges, often leading to life-threatening complications, yet there has been no fundamental treatment to restore function. The combination of Takahashi’s extensive expertise in neuroscience, developed over two decades in the United States, and the research capabilities of Japanese institutions forms a unique team advantage in the global market. We see great potential in combining strengths from both Japan and the U.S. to generate world-class medical technology."

About Ruten

Ruten’s mission is to leverage embedded BMI technology to reconstruct various physical functions lost due to diseases, disorders, and accidents, allowing more people to regain healthy and enriching lives. Currently, the number of patients who can benefit from innovative functional reconstruction therapies using embedded BMI technology is minimal, and Ruten strives to extend these advanced solutions to a broader population.

Company Overview

• - Company Name: Ruten Inc.
• - Headquarters: 1657 Cove Ct., Naperville, IL 60565, USA
• - CEO: Kazuki Takahashi
• - Business Activities: Research and development, sales of embedded BMI devices
• - Established: July 24, 2023
• - Website: Ruten
• - Contact: [email protected]