Warhound raises $200M to engineer war dogs with Anduril technology

Warhound, a new company founded by Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey of Anduril, has emerged from stealth with $200 million in funding, according to TechCrunch. The company plans to genetically engineer dogs specifically for military, law enforcement, and emergency response roles.

The funding round, which values Warhound at $1.2 billion, included investors such as In-Q-Tel, Sequoia, and 8VC. Warhound intends to create dogs that can perform dangerous or challenging tasks like bomb detection and specialized searches, which are difficult for humans or machines.

TechCrunch reported that over 80% of working dogs used by the U.S. military are sourced from Europe, and less than half are fit for service. This reliance on foreign dogs and the limited supply is a key issue Warhound aims to address by engineering dogs with traits suited to demanding missions.

Ben Lamm explained that many dogs fail training due to genetic issues like poor eyesight, cancer risks, hip dysplasia, or muscle atrophy. Warhound's goal is to enhance dogs for health, longevity, speed, agility, and improved olfactory sensors for tasks such as bomb sniffing.

The collaboration began about a year ago when Lamm met Luckey, who expressed interest in improving working dogs for the U.S. military. Since then, Lamm’s team has researched breeding challenges and is now applying genetic engineering to develop enhanced working dogs.