Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
21-year-old puts college on hold to build a medical technology startup
Raymond Loong Ng, 21, is building a startup in San Francisco with someone who used to compete against him at hackathons.
Ng grew up in Vietnam and Singapore, studied applied AI and analytics, and was accepted into the National University of Singapore’s computer science program.
He put his college plans on hold to pursue the startup.
The founders first worked together on a device at a medical technology hackathon in 2025.
It is designed to help paralyzed patients communicate using brainwaves and eye blinks.
A local hospital took interest in the device, which is set to undergo a clinical trial there.
A US venture capital firm invested $250,000 in the startup as pre-seed funding.
The trial will test the device in a clinical setting.
Raymond Loong Ng, 21, put college on hold to build Neural Drive, a medical technology startup with his cofounder.
The company grew out of a device the pair built at a 2025 medical technology hackathon to help paralyzed patients communicate using brainwaves and eye blinks.
A local hospital took interest in the product, which is set to undergo a clinical trial there.
In June, Afore Capital invested $250,000 in Neural Drive at the pre-seed stage.
Ng had been accepted into the National University of Singapore’s computer science program after US colleges rejected his applications.
- Who
- Raymond Loong Ng, 21, and his cofounder, whose name is not stated.
- What
- They are building Neural Drive, a medical technology startup developing a device to help paralyzed patients communicate.
- When
- The device was built at a hackathon in 2025. Afore Capital invested in June; the year is not stated.
- Where
- The startup is based in San Francisco. The device attracted interest from a local hospital.
- Why
- Ng says he put college on hold to build the startup; a more specific reason for the decision is not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
We ventured into hardware because it gave AI a way to be deployed in the real world.
We competed as rivals on different teams, but would often find ourselves among the only people still working at 2 or 3 a.m.
Ng and his future cofounder began entering competitions together.
They built a device to help paralyzed patients communicate at a medical technology hackathon.
Afore Capital made a $250,000 pre-seed investment in Neural Drive.
- Age
- Raymond Loong Ng was 21.
- Startup
- Neural Drive
- Device
- Designed to help paralyzed patients communicate through brainwaves and eye blinks
- Hospital
- A local hospital is set to conduct a clinical trial of the product.
- Investment
- Afore Capital invested $250,000 at the pre-seed stage in June.
Sources
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