Robot guard dogs help Asylon raise a $26M Series B

Asylon, a Philadelphia-based robotics firm, has successfully raised $26 million in a Series B funding round, spearheaded by Insight Partners and supported by Veteran Ventures Capital, Allegion Ventures, and the GoPA Fund. The company initially started as a drone service aimed at securing various facilities and has gained recognition for its innovative drone equipped with a robotic arm that autonomously changes its batteries. In addition to drone technology, Asylon has developed a robotic security service known as DroneDog. This service takes inspiration from Boston Dynamics' robotic dog, Spot, and adapts it for security purposes while integrating it with their command-and-control software, Guardian. Asylon’s unique offering combines drones, robotic dogs, and software into a comprehensive robotic security-as-a-service (RaaS) model, providing enhanced surveillance through ground patrols and aerial coverage that outperforms stationary cameras. DroneDogs are particularly effective in hazardous situations, where human or real dog presence may be unsafe, and they can perform functions similar to traditional dogs, such as detecting gas leaks and toxic chemicals. Founded in 2015, Asylon had previously raised around $21 million and secured some government grants, totaling approximately $45 million in funding, as shared by founder and CEO Damon Henry with TechCrunch. The recent uptick in security spending, especially following high-profile incidents like the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December, has driven demand for Asylon's services. Their RaaS solutions, which can range from $100,000 to $150,000 annually, are comparable to hiring human security personnel. During a pivotal networking event last summer, Henry met several investors who later participated in the funding round, highlighting the growing awareness of the need for enhanced security measures. The company's founders—Henry, along with CTO Adam Mohamed and COO Brent McLaughlin—have backgrounds in aerospace engineering and were inspired to create Asylon after witnessing Amazon's drone delivery announcement. The startup faced a significant challenge in 2021 when a drone crash on the eve of a live demonstration for Ford jeopardized their reputation and future. Remarkably, a dedicated employee was able to deliver a replacement drone just in time, and the event went on to showcase the system's reliability, resulting in three new Fortune 500 clients and their first Department of Defense contract. Asylon has since expanded, currently employing 65 individuals and deploying systems across 15 states.