Kernel

At a glance

Legal name

—unknownSource

1. v0 said Kernel Co.; not on a single primary source

Updated: 2026-05-04

Aliases

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Type

private-startupverifiedSource

1. TechCrunch — Kernel raises $53M Series Chttps://techcrunch.com/2020/07/23/kernel-raises-53-million-to-bring-its-neural-imaging-tech-to-market/2020-07-23

Updated: 2026-05-04

Focus areas

research-grade, diagnosticverifiedSource

1. Ban et al. (2021) — Kernel Flow technical preprinthttps://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.23.474081v1

Updated: 2026-05-04

Founded

—unknownSource

1. v0 said 2016; not in cited primary sources

Updated: 2026-05-04

Defunct

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Spinout of

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

HQ city

—unknownSource

1. v0 said Culver City, CA; not in cited primary sources

Updated: 2026-05-04

HQ country

USverifiedSource

1. TechCrunch — Kernel raises $53M Series Chttps://techcrunch.com/2020/07/23/kernel-raises-53-million-to-bring-its-neural-imaging-tech-to-market/2020-07-23

Updated: 2026-05-04

Employees

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Flagship device

kernel-flow2verifiedSource

1. Kernel — official sitehttps://www.kernel.com

Updated: 2026-05-04

Product lines

2verifiedSource

1. Kernel — official sitehttps://www.kernel.com

Updated: 2026-05-04

In-house manufacturing

YesverifiedSource

1. Ban et al. (2021) — Kernel Flow technical preprinthttps://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.23.474081v1

Updated: 2026-05-04

Open source

NoverifiedSource

1. Kernel — official sitehttps://www.kernel.com

Updated: 2026-05-04

GitHub org

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Website

kernel.comverifiedSource

1. Kernel — official sitehttps://www.kernel.com

Updated: 2026-05-04

Blog

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Support

—unknownUpdated: 2026-05-04

Devices

• non-invasivefNIRS

  Kernel Flow

  kernel

  ——
• non-invasivefNIRS

  Kernel Flow2

  kernel

  720 channelsUSD 117,200

People

Funding

MilestonesverifiedSource

1. TechCrunch — Kernel raises $53M Series Chttps://techcrunch.com/2020/07/23/kernel-raises-53-million-to-bring-its-neural-imaging-tech-to-market/2020-07-23

Updated: 2026-05-04

1. 2020-07-23

   Kernel reveals Flow and Flux helmets

   Pivot to non-invasive neuroimaging — TD-fNIRS (Flow) and OPM-MEG-style magnetic (Flux). Flux was later wound down.

Reputation

Highly visible thanks to founder Bryan Johnson's personal brand ("Don't Die" / "Project Blueprint"). Technically respected for shipping the first wearable time-domain fNIRS at scale; commercially still primarily a research-tools company rather than a consumer brand.