$200 Million Raised to Engineer U.S. Military Working Dogs

Warhound has officially launched with $200 million in fresh capital, a funding round that values the company at $1.2 billion. The new venture, co-founded by Colossal Biosciences executive Ben Lamm and Anduril’s Palmer Luckey, is designed to produce genetically engineered dogs for the U.S. military, law enforcement, and emergency response teams. Investors in the round include Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel, the latter being a venture firm backed by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies.

The primary driver for the startup’s existence is a significant gap in the current supply chain for working dogs. According to the company’s launch announcement, more than 80% of the U.S. military’s working dogs are sourced from Europe, and less than half of those imported animals are deemed fit for service. This reliance on foreign nations has left the U.S. with a dwindling domestic supply of canines that play critical roles in national security and public safety.

Warhound aims to solve this by using biotechnology to create dogs with specific traits suited for demanding missions. Lamm explained that many traditional working dogs fail training due to inherited health issues, such as poor eyesight, cancer, hip dysplasia, or muscle atrophy. By studying top-performing breeds like the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd, the team has collected cell lines into a biobank. They plan to edit these genes to remove undesirable traits and enhance characteristics like speed, agility, and olfactory sensitivity for tasks like bomb detection.

The venture represents a partnership between two distinct technological approaches. Colossal Biosciences, known for its de-extinction efforts involving animals like the dodo and mammoth, will license its gene-editing technology to Warhound. Meanwhile, Anduril will provide the hardware and software components, including protection vests and goggles. These devices are designed to offer situational awareness, such as sending data from sensors embedded in bulletproof vests back to human handlers to improve coordination and safety.

Lamm described the collaboration as a way to make the dogs safer and more effective in the line of duty. He noted that Luckey serves as a partner in the venture but holds no equity, while Colossal owns equity in the business. The goal is to create a "new type of dog" that is not only genetically superior but also equipped with technology that protects both the animal and its handler.

The timeline for these engineered canines is aggressive. Lamm stated that the first batch of dogs is currently being cloned and incubated, with births expected in early 2027. The company hopes these dogs will begin active service within two years. Viagen, another company owned by Colossal, will handle the cloning process, leveraging technology that has a high success rate and is currently used in endangered species conservation programs.

While Warhound has not yet determined the pricing for the dogs, it expects its customers to include the Department of Defense, various military branches, police forces, and first responders. Lamm confirmed that the company has briefed numerous government groups on the business model. Regarding civilian safety and oversight, the company is working under the guidance of the American Humane Society to certify its training program.

The American Humane Society has welcomed the partnership, stating that it is pleased to be involved with an initiative grounded in science and ethics. The organization hopes that retired Warhound dogs will enter its Military Working Dog Reunification Program or other support services. Lamm assured that each dog will be trained similarly to traditional military working dogs and managed by the purchasing agency. The company continues to refine its approach to ensure these advanced biological assets meet the rigorous standards of national security operations.