Warhound: Genetically Engineered War Dogs Secure $200M
A new venture is using genetic engineering and defense hardware to create a new breed of working dogs for the military and first responders.
By Gabriela Flores ·
Colossal Biosciences co-founder Ben Lamm and Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey have launched Warhound, a new company developing genetically engineered dogs for military and emergency response use. The company emerged from stealth on Thursday, announcing $200 million in funding that values it at $1.2 billion. Investors in the round include Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel, the venture firm backed by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies.
Warhound aims to address a shortfall in qualified working dogs for the U.S. military. The company stated that over 80% of the military's working dogs are sourced from Europe, and fewer than half of those imported animals are fit for service. This reliance on foreign nations creates a dwindling supply of canines for critical roles. Warhound's plan is to use technology to engineer dogs with 'characteristics suited to demanding missions,' according to the company's announcement.
The project originated from a conversation between Lamm and Luckey about a year ago. Lamm researched working dog breeding and discovered many animals fail training due to inherited health issues like poor eyesight, cancer, hip dysplasia, or muscle atrophy. He believes dogs can be enhanced for health, longevity, and performance traits such as speed, agility, and olfactory sensors for bomb sniffing. The company's team has taken cell lines from top-performing breeds like the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd to create a new type of dog through gene editing.
Anduril's contribution will be hardware and software for the dogs and their handlers. This includes equipment like protection vests and goggles designed to improve situational awareness. Lamm said he envisions bulletproof vests with data sensors to send information back to handlers. He stated, 'The idea is, if we make the dog safer, make it healthier, make it perform better, it’s going to perform better in the line of duty.'
Lamm said the first group of dogs is being cloned and incubated, with births expected early next year and service potentially starting within two years. Viagen, a Colossal-owned company, will assist with cloning. Warhound does not yet know pricing but plans to sell to first responders, the Department of Defense, military service groups, and police forces. The American Humane Society is guiding the company's training program. The society said, 'We look forward to working with them to help ensure the animals in their care are treated humanely.'
Source: TechCrunch
