Neural Noise- ClearOne, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLRO), previously a communications-technology company, entered a definitive merger agreement on July 2, 2026 to acquire Cortigent, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vivani Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: VANI), with Cortigent becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of ClearOne upon closing.1
- Cortigent is the successor to Second Sight Medical Products and holds the Argus II retinal implant — the first and only FDA-approved device for a rare form of blindness — plus the investigational Orion cortical (brain-surface) stimulation system, which has FDA Breakthrough Device Designation and completed a six-year early feasibility study in 2025 with promising safety and performance results; Orion targets blindness from common causes like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy and is also being applied to arm/hand motor recovery after stroke.1 2
- Deal structure: Vivani will receive 12.5 million shares of ClearOne common stock as consideration for all Cortigent shares; ClearOne will concurrently raise a minimum of $10M and up to $15M via an S-1 registration; post-close, Vivani is expected to own 59.4%–67.5% of the combined company and legacy ClearOne shareholders roughly 12.7%–14.4%.1
- The combined company will be renamed Cortigent Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a Cortigent) and is expected to trade on Nasdaq under ticker CRGT; the transaction, unanimously approved by both boards, is expected to close in Q3 2026 subject to stockholder approval and minimum net cash conditions.1 2
- Strategic rationale: the deal lets Cortigent access public capital markets and an independent Nasdaq listing to fund its brain/visual implant pipeline, while Vivani sheds direct neurotech costs to focus on its NanoPortal long-acting drug-implant platform (obesity, diabetes).2
- ClearOne shares rallied sharply on the announcement as investors treated the move as a direct pivot into the fast-growing neurotech sector, alongside comparisons to Neuralink and Synchron; commentary flagged dilution risk given legacy shareholders retain under 15% of the new entity.2