Reid Hoffman is placing a high-conviction bet on the next frontier of mental health. The LinkedIn co-founder just led a $12 million funding round into Sanmai Technologies, a stealth-mode startup developing a non-invasive ultrasound device designed to treat mental conditions and enhance cognition—right from home. Hoffman is also joining the board. The goal? Build a sub-$500 handheld tool that leverages artificial intelligence to pinpoint areas of the brain linked to anxiety, depression, or cognitive decline—without the broad side effects of medication. “Your tool set for dealing with things that are going wrong in the brain is very limited,” Hoffman said. “This could give us something better.”
Sanmai's tech relies on low-intensity focused ultrasound to stimulate targeted regions of the brain—without implants or surgery. Backed by years of clinical research, CEO Jay Sanguinetti is already running trials for generalized anxiety disorder at a Sunnyvale clinic. What caught Hoffman's eye wasn't just the device—but the AI assistant that guides each user's treatment. The AI helps solve some of the toughest problems in the field, including skull distortion, while adapting therapy to the individual. Investors like PsyMed Ventures and Future Ventures (chaired by SpaceX director Steve Jurvetson) were in earlier, but Hoffman's entry brings added momentum.
As Elon Musk's Neuralink continues embedding chips into human brains and pushes toward a $9 billion valuation, Sanmai is choosing a lower-risk, consumer-first route. Their approach doesn't involve surgery, just a headset and software—and it's already in conversations with the FDA. While there are still hurdles like MRI calibration and dosage personalization, the company believes that going through clinics first will generate the data it needs to scale. With more than 20 players now in this emerging brain-tech race, Sanmai's combination of science, safety, and AI could position it as one of the few with a shot at reshaping how we treat the mind at scale.
