Warhound raises $200M to genetically modify and equip military dogs
Texas startup Warhound has raised $200M to genetically modify military dogs and equip them with Anduril tech.
Warhound said it plans to use Colossal’s work in genetics, cloning and animal biology to produce healthier dogs with characteristics suited to demanding missions. Anduril would then equip the animals with what the startup calls advanced cybernetic Augments, including eye and ear protection and EagleEye military technology intended to give dogs and their handlers greater awareness and protection in the field.
“Man’s best friend deserves man’s best tech,” Luckey said in the press announcement. Bloomberg reported that Luckey has no equity or ongoing role in Warhound despite helping with the company’s conception.
Warhound’s stated goal is to reduce U.S. dependence on Europe, which supplies 80 percent of U.S. military dogs, and to improve the success rate of training the animals for specialist work. According to the startup’s press release, fewer than half of the dogs procured overseas are typically deemed fit for service after the current three-year acquisition-and-training pipeline.
Ben Lamm told TechCrunch that Colossal is looking to edit the animals’ genes to remove problems such as poor eyesight and cancer likelihood, while adding genes to improve performance in areas including speed, agility and olfactory sensors for bomb sniffing. The company is basing its studies on high-performance working breeds such as the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd, but its plan is to create “a new type of dog.”
The dogs do not exist yet. Warhound says that if they are developed, they would be deployed for elite working roles in U.S. military forces, emergency first-response teams and law enforcement. The American Humane Society will help guide the company and certify its training programs. Marine veteran and intelligence specialist David Spirk has been named Warhound’s CEO. Spirk said the company’s goal was simple: “healthier dogs, better-prepared teams, and more service members and first responders coming home safely.”
Editor's Summary
Warhound, backed by Palmer Luckey and Ben Lamm, has raised $200 million to genetically modify working dogs and equip them with Anduril awareness and protection technology. The startup aims to reduce U.S. reliance on imported military dogs and improve training success, though the animals do not yet exist. It plans possible deployments with the military, first responders and law enforcement, with American Humane Society oversight of training.