From robots to smart beds: Tether’s most unusual investments

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Where Tether invests: Neural interfaces, humanoid robots, and AI

Brain as an interface in BrainWhisperer project

A new reason to discuss Tether’s technology investments emerged from developments in neural interfaces. The company is advancing the BrainWhisperer project—a system that can translate brain signals directly into text using BCI implants and artificial intelligence algorithms. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino shared the update on his social media account.

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According to the project, the technology already demonstrates decoding accuracy of up to 98.3%, converting neural activity into words almost in real time. The system is based on specialized implants that read electrical signals from the brain’s cortex and then transmit the data to algorithms for interpretation.

Originally, such technologies were developed for medical purposes, as BCI systems can restore communication for people with severe paralysis or speech loss after strokes or neurodegenerative diseases. Instead of a keyboard, voice, or gestures, the interface becomes neural activity itself—a person forms a thought, and the system converts it into text or synthesized speech. Lately, however, this field has become one of the fastest-growing areas in neurotechnology.

Tether’s investment in a «smart bed»

Among Tether’s more unexpected investments is its backing of the American startup Eight Sleep, a developer of intelligent sleep systems. In March 2026, the company led a $50 million funding round that valued the startup at around $1.5 billion.

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Eight Sleep’s flagship product, the Pod, is a technology layer placed on top of a mattress with built-in sensors that track physiological indicators during sleep—including body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and sleep stages. The collected data is analyzed using machine learning algorithms, after which the system automatically adjusts sleep conditions—for example, by changing the temperature of the bed surface throughout the night. Such solutions are becoming part of the rapidly growing longevity-tech market, where technologies are used to monitor health and prevent disease.

Next-generation robots: Investment in Generative Bionics

Tether’s portfolio also includes projects at the intersection of artificial intelligence and robotics. The company participated in a funding round of about $81 million for Generative Bionics—an Italian startup developing humanoid robots for industrial use. Other investors in the round included major players such as AMD Ventures, CDP Venture Capital, Eni Next, and Duferco.

Generative Bionics’ developments are based on the concept of Physical AI—the integration of artificial intelligence algorithms with physical robotic systems. These machines are expected to operate not only on production lines but also in logistics, healthcare, and service industries where interaction with people and the surrounding environment is required. This reflects a broader shift: generative AI is gradually moving beyond software and gaining a physical presence—robots becoming the tools through which digital intelligence begins to act in the real world.

Other unusual Tether investments

Beyond projects in sleep technology, robotics, and neural interfaces, Tether is actively building a portfolio of technology companies across adjacent sectors. One example is its investment in Blackrock Neurotech, a developer of brain-computer interfaces. In 2024, Tether acquired a controlling stake in the company for approximately $200 million. Blackrock Neurotech’s technology allows brain signals to be read and transmitted to external devices—from computers to prosthetic limbs. In clinical research, such systems are already being used to restore communication for people with paralysis, allowing patients to type text or control devices using neural signals.

Tether’s portfolio also includes projects in robotics and AI infrastructure. Among them is a reported investment of about €1 billion in the German startup Neura Robotics, which develops humanoid robots for industrial and service applications. At the same time, Tether is exploring investments in AI infrastructure and computing power, including data centers and projects related to high-performance computing.

New role of crypto capital

Tether’s investment strategy shows that crypto capital is gradually moving beyond blockchain infrastructure and beginning to play the role of an investor in fundamental technological fields. The company is building a portfolio at the intersection of neural interfaces, robotics, artificial intelligence, and health technologies—placing bets on markets that could shape the industry in the coming decades. In this sense, crypto companies are becoming not only financial players in the digital economy but also one of the sources of funding for the next technological era.

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