Phosphoenix Secures €1.3 Million Financing to Advance Visual Neuroprosthetic Technology
Phosphoenix Secures €1.3 Million Financing to Advance Visual Neuroprosthetic Technology Towards First-in-Human Study
The financing combines continued support from Phosphoenix’s existing investors with a new investment from ROM InWest and will support the company’s preparations for its first-in-human clinical study and further development of its neurostimulation system.
Conceptual illustration of Phosphoenix’s approach to visual neurostimulation, targeting the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
16 Sept 2026, Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Phosphoenix, a medical technology company developing a neuroprosthetic system for people with profound blindness, has completed a €1.3 million financing round. The round combines continued support from Phosphoenix’s existing investors—TTT Medtech Fund (managed by 819 Capital), FIRST Fund (managed by BioGeneration Ventures), and Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland—with a new investment from ROM InWest.
The financing will support Phosphoenix’s preparations for its first-in-human (FIH) clinical study and the further development of its neurostimulation system. At the same time, the company is preparing for a Series A financing round to fund its clinical development program.
Blindness can have a profound impact on autonomy, mobility and quality of life, and there are currently no effective treatment options to restore functional vision for most people with retinal or optic nerve damage. Phosphoenix is developing its neuroprosthetic system to address this unmet need by directly stimulating the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), a key relay centre in the brain’s visual pathway. The company’s long-term ambition is to enable meaningful functional vision for people living with profound blindness.
At the core of Phosphoenix’s neuroprosthetic system is the Fountain Probe™, a proprietary, high-density neural interface incorporating more than 1,000 microelectrodes. The probe is designed to bypass damage to the retina or optic nerve by delivering electrical stimulation directly to the brain. The Fountain Probe is designed for implantation in the LGN using stereotactic neurosurgical techniques that build on established approaches used in deep brain stimulation. Preclinical studies have demonstrated neural and behavioural responses consistent with electrically induced visual percepts, and Phosphoenix is now progressing towards its FIH clinical study, which is planned in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC.
Phosphoenix’s Fountain Probe, designed for high-density neurostimulation of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN).
Hans Brons, Chief Executive Officer of Phosphoenix, commented: “This financing represents an important step towards bringing our technology into the clinic. The continued support of our existing investors, together with the commitment of ROM InWest, provides strong validation of the progress we have made and enables us to advance our first-in-human preparations while building towards our Series A financing. Our ultimate goal is to restore meaningful functional vision to people living with profound blindness.”
Sara Schaafsma, senior investment manager LSH at ROM InWest, added: “Phosphoenix is developing a potentially life-changing technology for people living with profound blindness. We are impressed by the combination of scientific excellence, strong clinical relevance, and the team’s progress towards clinical validation. With its roots in Amsterdam through the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Phosphoenix is also an excellent example of how scientific innovation from our region can translate into societal impact. We are pleased to support the company as it advances towards its first-in-human study.”
Wim Smit, on behalf of Phosphoenix’s existing investors, said: “Phosphoenix is a front-runner in implantable neurotechnology for vision, and we are pleased to welcome ROM InWest alongside the company’s existing investors. Together, we are committed to supporting Phosphoenix as it enters its next phase and progresses towards its first-in-human study and a Series A financing round.”
ENDS
Contact information
Hans Brons
CEO, Phosphoenix
Email: hans@phosphoenix.nl
About Phosphoenix
Phosphoenix B.V. is a neurotechnology company and spin-off from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN), an institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The company is developing a high-density implantable neuroprosthetic system aimed at restoring functional vision in people with profound blindness by directly interfacing with the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), a key visual structure in the brain. Its proprietary Fountain Probe™ incorporates more than 1,000 microelectrodes and is designed to deliver targeted electrical stimulation to the visual pathway. Further information can be found online at: www.phosphoenix.nl
About ROM InWest
ROM InWest is the regional development agency of the Dutch province of North Holland. The team, consisting of some thirty driven professionals and with its office in Haarlem, supports entrepreneurs with innovations that contribute to societal transitions essential in the areas of food, energy, healthcare, the circular economy, and to a robust, sustainable, and social economy in North Holland. With various programs, ROM InWest helps these entrepreneurs to scale up their solution and make it investor ready. Next to helping businesses in finding external financing, ROM InWest also invests in these companies itself from the SME Fund and the Transition Fund. To provide knowledge and networks, ROM InWest collaborates extensively with regional partners. More information: www.rominwest.nl
About TTT Medtech Fund
Managed by 819 Capital Partners, the MedTech TTT (Thematic Technology Transfer) fund provides early-stage capital and strategic support to Dutch medical technology spin-offs and startups. By collaborating closely with technical universities and university medical centers, MedTech TTT bridges the gap between academic research and commercial market entry to accelerate impactful healthcare innovations. For more information, visit www.tech-transfer.nl.
About FIRST Fund
BioGeneration Ventures’ FIRST Fund (Fonds InvesteringsRijpe Starters) is a pre-seed fund that finances pioneering scientists in the Netherlands who are active in the field of chronic diseases. FIRST supports leading scientists in these areas to transform their breakthrough discoveries into sustainable, innovative companies that can develop the products needed to improve patients’ lives. FIRST harnesses innovative science to foster its development into a product vision, and with an extensive network, attract follow-on investments. FIRST II is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Education, Culture and Science (under the TTT-regeling). Visit https://biogenerationventures.com/en/about_us/first for more information.
About Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland
Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland (“INH”) is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, the University of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC and Sanquin, with support from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund. INH supports entrepreneurs in the Province of North Holland by financing innovation in the Proof-of-Concept phase, by providing convertible loans. www.innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl