- Joined
- Jan 6, 2018
Genetically modified dogs could bring sharper senses to military K-9s
Colossal Biosciences and Anduril's Palmer Luckey back Warhound, a startup developing genetically engineered dogs for military work.
interestingengineering.com
A startup backed by de-extinction company Colossal Biosciences wants to change how the U.S. military sources its working dogs. Warhound has emerged from stealth with $200 million in funding and a $1.2 billion valuation. Its plan involves genetically engineering dogs for dangerous missions, including explosives detection and specialized search operations.
Colossal CEO Ben Lamm founded the venture with Palmer Luckey, co-founder of defense technology company Anduril. Warhound aims to combine genetic engineering with protective equipment and digital systems designed to support dogs and their human handlers.
The company enters a specialized market with a domestic supply problem. Warhound says more than 80% of working dogs used by the U.S. military come from Europe. It also claims fewer than half of those dogs qualify for service.