War Dogs: $200M Poured Into Genetically Engineered Military Canines

$200 million. That is the amount of capital raised to bring a new kind of war dog into service. The funding round values the startup Warhound at $1.2 billion. Investors include Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel. In-Q-Tel is a venture firm backed by U.S. intelligence agencies.

The company emerged from stealth on Thursday. It was founded by Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey of Anduril. The dogs do not exist yet. They will be engineered to handle tasks that are dangerous for humans or difficult for machines. These include bomb detection and search operations. The U.S. military currently relies heavily on foreign sources for these animals.

The supply of working dogs is shrinking. More than 80% of the U.S. military’s current working dogs come from Europe. Fewer than half of those imported dogs are fit for service. This creates a dependency on foreign nations. Warhound aims to break that cycle. The goal is to engineer dogs with specific characteristics suited to demanding missions. This addresses a growing gap in domestic supply.

Lamm met Luckey about a year ago at a conference. Luckey expressed a desire to do more for the military’s working dogs. Lamm then researched how these dogs are bred. He found that many fail training due to inherited issues. These problems include poor eyesight, cancer risk, hip dysplasia, and muscle atrophy. The team believes these genetic flaws can be corrected.

The process involves studying top-performing breeds. Specifically, they look at the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd. Cell lines from these breeds are placed in a biobank. The team will then edit the genes. They add genes that improve performance and remove those that cause problems. The result is described as a new type of dog. This approach aims to enhance health, longevity, speed, and agility. It also seeks to boost olfactory sensors for tasks like bomb sniffing.

Anduril will provide the hardware and software. This includes protection vests and goggles. The gear helps dogs and handlers with situational awareness. Imagine bulletproof vests with data sensors. These sensors send information back to handlers. This allows for better understanding of the environment. Lamm stated that the gear makes dogs safer and healthier. He noted that these additions work on top of the dog, not inside it. This also protects the human handlers.

Colossal Biosciences is known for de-extinction efforts. The company uses AI to identify and copy animal genes. It is licensing this technology to Warhound. Colossal owns equity in the new venture. Luckey is a partner but owns no equity. Viagen, another Colossal-owned company, will handle the cloning. Viagen’s technology has a high success rate. It is already used to protect endangered species.

The first batch of dogs is about to be cloned and incubated. Births are expected early next year. The company hopes to have these dogs in service within two years. Warhound has not set a price for the dogs yet. It expects to sell to first responders, the Department of Defense, military service groups, and police forces. The company has briefed many government groups about its business.

Civilian safety is a consideration. Lamm said each dog will be trained like any military working dog. They will be managed by the buyer. The company is working with the American Humane Society. The Society is helping to certify the training program. Retired dogs may enter the Society’s reunification program. This program provides homes for retired military dogs. The American Humane Society praised the collaboration. It stated it looks forward to ensuring the animals are treated humanely.