Elon Musk’s brain implant startup Neuralink called itself a “small disadvantaged business” to the federal government

(Credit: Nathan Laine—Bloomberg via Getty Images)

• Elon Musk’s Neuralink may have been recently valued at a reported $9 billion, but that did not stop the company from claiming a special designation as a “small disadvantaged business” with the government. The self-designation is meant for companies majority-owned by someone belonging to a socially or economically disadvantaged group and can only be granted to business owners with a net worth of less than $850,000, excluding home equity.

Despite being owned by the richest man in the world, Elon Musk’s brain implant startup Neuralink identified itself as a “small disadvantaged business” with the federal government.