Start-up raises $200 million to genetically engineer military working dogs

Warhound, a stealth startup focused on the defense sector, officially launched this week with a $200 million funding round. The capital was provided by investors including Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel, the latter being a venture firm supported by U.S. intelligence agencies such as the CIA. This investment values the company at $1.2 billion as it moves to develop a new breed of genetically engineered working dogs for the U.S. military, law enforcement, and emergency response teams.

The company was co-founded by Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey, the founder of Anduril. Lamm first met Luckey at a conference roughly a year ago, where Luckey expressed that more innovation was needed for the military’s working dog program. The two maintained contact, and Lamm began researching the breeding practices of current working dogs. He discovered that a significant number of these animals fail to complete training due to inherited genetic issues, such as poor eyesight, a higher likelihood of cancer, hip dysplasia, and muscle atrophy.

The motivation for Warhound is driven by a critical supply shortage. According to the company’s launch announcement, more than 80% of the U.S. military’s working dogs are currently sourced from Europe. Furthermore, less than half of those imported dogs are deemed fit for service. This reliance on foreign supply chains for a resource so vital to national security has prompted Warhound to engineer dogs domestically with characteristics specifically suited to demanding missions.

The process involves taking cell lines from top-performing working dog breeds, specifically the Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd, and placing them in a biobank. The team will then edit the genes of these cells, adding traits that improve performance and removing those that lead to health issues. The goal is to create a new type of dog that is enhanced for health, longevity, speed, agility, and olfactory capabilities, such as bomb sniffing.

While Colossal provides the genetic engineering technology, Anduril will supply the hardware and software that the dogs will wear. This includes protective vests and goggles designed to aid situational awareness. Lamm described the concept as adding technology to the dog rather than inside it, such as bulletproof vests equipped with data sensors. These sensors will send real-time information back to handlers, allowing them to better understand the environment and improving coordination during operations.

“The idea is, if we make the dog safer, make it healthier, make it perform better, it’s going to perform better in the line of duty,” Lamm stated. He noted that the Anduril gear will protect the dogs and their human handlers beyond what genetics can achieve. Luckey serves as a partner in the venture but holds no equity, while Colossal owns equity and licenses its technology to the business.

Colossal Biosciences is currently known for its de-extinction projects, such as efforts to revive the dodo and the mammoth using AI and gene cloning. For Warhound, the company will partner with Viagen, another Colossal-owned entity, to clone the dogs. Lamm indicated that the first batch of dogs is ready to be cloned and incubated, with births expected in early 2027 and the animals entering service ideally within two years.

The company has not yet determined pricing but expects to sell the dogs to the Department of Defense, military service groups, police forces, and other first responders. Regarding civilian safety, Lamm explained that each dog will undergo standard military working dog training and be managed by the purchasing agency. The company is also working under the guidance of the American Humane Society to certify its training program.

The American Humane Society stated in a comment, “We applaud Warhound and Colossal for inviting the country’s first national humane organization, which is grounded in science and ethics, to have a seat at the table. We look forward to working with them to help ensure the animals in their care are treated humanely.” The organization hopes that retired Warhound dogs will enter its Military Working Dog Reunification Program to find new homes.

The launch of Warhound represents a significant shift in how the U.S. approaches the sourcing and enhancement of its most versatile military assets. By combining advanced genetic editing with modern tactical technology, the company aims to address the declining supply of fit working dogs while reducing the nation's dependence on international breeding programs.