Protocol Labs R&D

Neurotech as a Frontier for Human Flourishing

By Sean Escola and David A. Markowitz. Originally published on September 9, 2026 at plrd.org. At PL R&D, we focus on fields that have the potential to unlock transformative new capabilities for humanity. The PL Neuro Focus Area aims to accelerate breakthroughs within the fields of Neuroscience & Neurotechnology. Advances in neuroscience, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), biologically inspired AI, and whole-brain emulation are accelerating rapidly. Together, they unlock a future where we can better understand intelligence, restore and expand human capabilities, and build entirely new forms of

0Sep 9

Programmable Economies & Governance: Upgrading Society's Operating System

By David Dao and James Tunningley. Originally published on July 23, 2026 at plrd.org. At PL R&D, we focus on fields that have the potential to unlock transformative new capabilities for humanity. The Programmable Economies & Governance Focus Area aims to accelerate the infrastructure societies use to decide, allocate, verify, and coordinate. Every society depends on a set of basic systems: systems to make decisions, allocate capital, enforce rules, establish trust, and coordinate people who may not know one another or share the same interests. These systems shape almost everything else. They

Jul 230

How PL R&D Accelerates Breakthroughs

By Molly Mackinlay and Lukas Bresser. Originally published on July 14, 2026 at plrd.org. The most important breakthroughs often begin before there is a market to fund them, a field to organize them, or an institution to back them. They may start as a primitive that only a few researchers understand, a protocol that lacks a deployment path, a scientific result with no obvious business model, a regulatory gap that prevents adoption, or a community of builders who can see the future before capital knows how to underwrite it. This stage is difficult for traditional institutions to support. Acad

Jul 140