Butterfly Network, Inc. entered a multi-year licensing agreement with Merge Labs to develop brain-computer interfaces. Merge Labs will utilize Butterfly’s Ultrasound-on-Chip™ technology to build its neural interface systems.
Merge Labs launched in January 2026. The startup secured $252 million in seed funding from investors including OpenAI and Bain Capital.
The agreement provides Butterfly with upfront payments and milestone-based license fees. Butterfly will also receive technology access fees and hardware purchase commitments. The deal includes potential ongoing royalties from future commercial sales.
Butterfly serves as the exclusive partner for Merge’s CMOS-MEMS chip-based ultrasound technology. The partnership was announced ahead of Butterfly’s inaugural BCI Innovation Summit.