The Open Loop with Chay Carter

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Amy Kruse, PhD, General Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Satori Neuro.

Amy shares her journey from neuroscience research and leading human performance programmes at DARPA to technology leadership, entrepreneurship and venture investing in neurotechnology.

We explore what investors are looking for in emerging neurotech companies, why brain data may hold far more potential than we currently understand, and how AI, brain-computer interfaces and new approaches to neuromodulation are shaping the industry.

Amy also discusses the growing opportunities in psychedelic medicine, neuroplasticity, multimodal brain data, and what it will take for neurotechnology to develop a more mature investment and commercialisation ecosystem.

Key takeaways:

🔹 What neurotech investors look for when evaluating early-stage companies
🔹 Why EEG and other brain signals may contain untapped information
🔹 How AI foundation models and multimodal datasets could advance neuroscience
🔹 Where Amy sees opportunities across BCI, neuromodulation and psychedelic medicine
🔹 Why acquisitions, partnerships and clear commercial pathways matter for the industry's growth

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Amy Kruse, PhD
General Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Satori Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyakruse2020/

Satori Neuro:
https://www.satoricapital.com/neuro/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Sudhin Shah and Jeremy Hill, Co-Founders of Cognitive Signals.

Sudhin is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience in Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine, where her research focuses on cognitive recovery following brain injury. Jeremy is CTO of Cognitive Signals, bringing expertise in neuroscience, brain-computer interfaces, machine learning and software development.

Together, they share how their research into disorders of consciousness led to the creation of Cognitive Signals: a company developing EEG-based technology to help assess cognitive function in patients who cannot communicate through speech or movement.

We explore how the technology uses audiobooks and brain responses to spoken language to investigate comprehension, and why bringing these tools out of research laboratories and into clinical settings could change how patients are assessed after severe brain injury.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why patients who appear unresponsive may still retain awareness and cognitive function
🔹 How Cognitive Signals uses EEG and spoken language to investigate comprehension
🔹 Why traditional bedside assessments can miss signs of cognitive activity
🔹 How the company is working towards more accessible assessment in ICUs and clinical settings
🔹 Where the technology could expand, from recovery after anaesthesia to longer-term cognitive monitoring

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guests:

Sudhin Shah, PhD
Co-Founder, Cognitive Signals | Associate Professor of Neuroscience in Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudhin-shah-b85841b

Jeremy Hill, DPhil
Co-Founder and CTO, Cognitive Signals
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/njhill

Company: Cognitive Signals
Website: https://cognitivesignals.com/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Mikko Karvinen, CEO of Nexstim, a Finnish neurotechnology company developing navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS).

Mikko shares his journey from CFO to CEO during a challenging period for Nexstim, and how the company refocused its strategy around precision brain mapping, neuromodulation and commercial growth.

We explore how Nexstim uses patient-specific MRI data to guide TMS stimulation, its applications in neurosurgical planning and depression treatment, and why accurate targeting is becoming increasingly important in neurotechnology.

Mikko also discusses Nexstim's partnerships with Brainlab and Sinaptica Therapeutics, the potential of TMS-EEG in Alzheimer's research, and the opportunities ahead for precision neuromodulation.

Key takeaways:

🔹 How navigated TMS uses brain imaging to deliver more precise and repeatable stimulation
🔹 How Nexstim navigated financial challenges and evolved its commercial strategy
🔹 Why brain mapping is becoming increasingly important in neurosurgical planning
🔹 How the Brainlab partnership is supporting Nexstim's global expansion
🔹 Why TMS-EEG, personalised targeting and Alzheimer's research could open new opportunities for neuromodulation

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Mikko Karvinen
CEO, Nexstim Plc
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikko-karvinen-4909a/

Company: Nexstim
Website: https://www.nexstim.com/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Mark Slater, Co-Founder of Otherside.

Mark shares how his personal experience living with epilepsy, combined with a career in healthcare advertising and brand strategy, led him to build Otherside alongside Jon Nelson, a neuroscience agency bringing lived experience into the heart of healthcare communications.

We explore why groundbreaking neurotechnology often struggles to connect with the people who need it, and how more human communication can help bridge the gap between scientific innovation and real-world impact.

Mark also shares the story behind the Otherside Lounge, a community initiative creating spaces for people living with epilepsy to connect, share experiences, and help shape the future of brain health.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why lived experience is essential to effective neurotechnology communication
🔹 How Mark's experience with epilepsy shaped the creation of Otherside
🔹 Why healthcare language often fails to reflect patients' everyday experiences
🔹 How the Otherside Lounge is creating meaningful connections within the epilepsy community
🔹 Why trust, accessibility and patient understanding matter as consumer neurotechnology continues to grow

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Mark Slater
Co-Founder, Otherside | Board Member, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium (PERC)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-slater-other-side/

Otherside: https://otherside.health/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Ryan Glatt and Lauren Sergio of NERON.

Ryan is a Brain Health Coach and Director of the FitBrain℠ Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, where his work focuses on brain health, exercise science, clinical exergaming, dual-task training, and cognitive wellness.

Lauren is a Professor and neuroscientist at York University whose work focuses on movement control, cognitive-motor integration, and how the brain coordinates thinking and movement.

We explore how NERON is using simple movement-based tasks to assess more complex brain communication, and why thinking while moving could become a valuable part of brain health measurement.

Ryan and Lauren also discuss ageing, concussion, fall risk, sport, military applications, and the challenge of making brain health assessment more accessible outside traditional clinical settings.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why thinking and moving together can reveal more than cognition or movement alone
🔹 How neuromotor and visuomotor control relate to everyday brain health
🔹 Why dual-task assessment may help identify risk earlier than traditional screening tools
🔹 How NERON uses simple movement tasks to assess complex brain communication
🔹 Where this technology could be used across ageing, concussion, sport, military and community health settings

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guests:

Ryan Glatt
Brain Health Coach | Director, FitBrain℠ Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-glatt-ms-cpt-nbc-hwc-50ba3664/

Lauren Sergio
Professor and Neuroscientist, York University
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauren-sergio-2793351a

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Adam Fraser, Chief Operating Officer at Omniscient Neurotechnology.

Adam shares how Omniscient is taking connectomics out of the lab and into clinical practice, using AI and MRI data to help decode the brain’s structural and functional networks.

We explore how connectomics can support neurosurgical planning today, why brain network mapping could become important across DBS, stroke, coma, epilepsy and psychiatry, and what it takes to build a scalable neurotechnology platform inside the US healthcare system.

Adam also discusses Omniscient’s go-to-market journey, reimbursement, medical education, the company’s US focus, the role of AI in brain mapping, and why mental health remains a long-term North Star for the business.

Key takeaways:

🔹 What connectomics means and why it matters for brain health
🔹 How structural and functional connectomes act like “roads and traffic” for the brain
🔹 Why neurosurgical planning was Omniscient’s first major clinical focus
🔹 How connectomics could support future work in DBS, stroke, coma, epilepsy and psychiatry
🔹 Why bringing new neurotechnology into the US healthcare system requires evidence, reimbursement and medical education

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Adam Fraser
Chief Operating Officer, Omniscient Neurotechnology
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-fraser-23202133/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Adam Fraser, Chief Operating Officer at Omniscient Neurotechnology.

Adam shares how Omniscient is taking connectomics out of the lab and into clinical practice, using AI and MRI data to help decode the brain’s structural and functional networks.

We explore how connectomics can support neurosurgical planning today, why brain network mapping could become important across DBS, stroke, coma, epilepsy and psychiatry, and what it takes to build a scalable neurotechnology platform inside the US healthcare system.

Adam also discusses Omniscient’s go-to-market journey, reimbursement, medical education, the company’s US focus, the role of AI in brain mapping, and why mental health remains a long-term North Star for the business.

Key takeaways:

🔹 What connectomics means and why it matters for brain health
🔹 How structural and functional connectomes act like “roads and traffic” for the brain
🔹 Why neurosurgical planning was Omniscient’s first major clinical focus
🔹 How connectomics could support future work in DBS, stroke, coma, epilepsy and psychiatry
🔹 Why bringing new neurotechnology into the US healthcare system requires evidence, reimbursement and medical education

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Adam Fraser
Chief Operating Officer, Omniscient Neurotechnology
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-fraser-23202133/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Jonathan “JB” Berent, Founder and CEO of NextSense.

JB shares the story behind NextSense, from his early fascination with sleep and lucid dreaming to a Google X project exploring deep sleep enhancement, in-ear EEG, and brain-sensing wearables.

We explore why the ear is such a compelling form factor for brain data, how NextSense is building smartbuds for sleep, focus and calm, and what it takes to turn advanced neurotechnology into a consumer product people actually use.

We also discuss lucid dreaming research, acoustic stimulation, fundraising, product-market fit, manufacturing, ARPA-H’s REST programme, and future directions including more sensors, tVNS, and closed-loop sleep modulation.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why NextSense built around in-ear EEG and smartbud form factor
🔹 How a Google X sleep project evolved into a consumer neurotech company
🔹 Why longitudinal brain data could shape the next generation of wearables
🔹 What founders need to understand about product-market fit in consumer neurotech
🔹 How closed-loop sleep modulation, audio and future sensors could expand the platform

Guest: Jonathan “JB” Berent
Founder and CEO, NextSense
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-berent/

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Key Chapters:

00:39 Introduction to NextSense and Brain-Sensing Smartbuds
01:40 From Stanford, Lucid Dreaming and Google to NextSense
04:56 Lucid Dreaming, EEG and Dream Communication
07:46 Learning Neuroscience and Building at Google X
11:56 Spinning NextSense Out of Google
14:54 Fundraising, Consumer Neurotech and Investor Challenges
21:53 Product-Market Fit and the Toothbrush Test
27:28 Why NextSense Chose Earbuds for Brain Data

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by William Sauvé, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Osmind.

William shares his journey from Navy psychiatry and combat mental health care to TMS, interventional psychiatry, Greenbrook, and his current work helping scale mental health infrastructure at Osmind.

We explore how psychiatry can move beyond traditional medication management, the access challenge facing mental health care, and the role of treatments like TMS, ketamine, esketamine, and emerging psychedelic therapies.

We also discuss real-world evidence, fMRI-guided TMS, accelerated treatment protocols, REMS workflows, psychiatric EHRs, and why interventional psychiatry could become a force multiplier for mental health care.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why mental health care needs a “force multiplier” to meet patient demand
🔹 How TMS has evolved from early adoption challenges to broader clinical use
🔹 Why targeting, precision and real-world evidence matter in brain stimulation
🔹 How Osmind supports workflows for TMS, ketamine and esketamine clinics
🔹 Why emerging psychedelic therapies could change the logistics of psychiatric care

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: William Sauvé, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Osmind
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-sauv%C3%A9-md-45009813/

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/

In this episode of The Open Loop, Chay Carter is joined by Balder Onarheim, Founder and CEO of PlatoScience.

Balder shares his journey from the Norwegian army and engineering design into creativity research, brain stimulation, and building at-home tDCS devices for mental health care.

This is a practical conversation about transcranial direct-current stimulation, depression, neuroplasticity, usability, regulation, and what it takes to make brain stimulation safe and accessible outside the clinic.

We explore how PlatoScience approaches medical-grade at-home tDCS, why the company works through clinicians, and how design, aesthetics, treatment adherence, and patient experience all shape the future of neuromodulation.

Key takeaways:

🔹 Why PlatoScience is focused on at-home tDCS for depression
🔹 How tDCS changes neuronal thresholds without forcing brain activity
🔹 Why medical-grade usability matters for patient adherence
🔹 Why Balder believes mental health care should keep a human in the loop
🔹 How regulation could shape the future of non-invasive brain stimulation

Host: Chay Carter
Founder, Carter Sciences | Co-Founder, Reccy Neuro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chay-carter/

Guest: Balder Onarheim
Founder and CEO, PlatoScience
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baldero/

Learn more about PlatoScience: https://www.platoscience.com/

Key Chapters:

00:39 Introduction to PlatoScience and At-Home tDCS
01:55 From the Norwegian Army to Brain Stimulation
05:51 From Biohacking to Medical-Grade tDCS
07:39 Depression, Ageing and Neurodivergence
09:50 How tDCS and TES Work
16:32 PlatoScience’s Device and Clinician-Led Model
29:25 Design, Treatment Sessions and Patient Usability
38:54 EU Regulation and the Future of Brain Stimulation

The Open Loop is a podcast exploring the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of neurotechnology.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, researchers, operators, and industry leaders building what comes next in brain health, medicine, and technology.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone interested in neurotechnology.

New episodes of The Open Loop drop weekly.

Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Reccy Neuro — the home of neurotech. Jobs, companies, investors, events, Cortex industry intelligence, and specialist resources for the neurotech market.

Learn more about Reccy Neuro here: https://neuro.reccy.dev/