$200M Raised to Engineer Military Dogs for U.S. Defense

The United States military currently depends on foreign nations for the majority of its working dogs, a logistical vulnerability that two tech founders are now attempting to solve with a $200 million investment.

On Thursday, Warhound emerged from stealth mode, revealing a venture backed by Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel. The latter is a venture firm supported by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies. This funding round values the company at $1.2 billion. The initiative is a collaboration between Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey of Anduril, who conceived the project to address the shrinking supply of domestic working dogs.

The timeline for this venture began approximately one year ago when Lamm and Luckey met at a conference. Luckey expressed a concern that more should be done to support the military’s canine workforce. Following that conversation, Lamm researched the breeding practices of working dogs and identified significant issues. He found that many dogs fail training due to inherited conditions such as poor eyesight, high cancer risks, hip dysplasia, and muscle atrophy. This research led to the decision to genetically engineer dogs with traits suited for demanding missions.

Warhound’s strategy involves taking cell lines from top-performing breeds, specifically the Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd, and placing them in a biobank. The team will edit these genes to add performance-enhancing traits and remove those that cause health issues. The goal is to create a new type of dog optimized for speed, agility, and olfactory sensing. Colossal Biosciences will license its technology to support this process, leveraging its experience in gene cloning and de-extinction efforts.

Anduril will provide the hardware and software components for the dogs. This includes protection vests and goggles designed to improve situational awareness for both the dogs and their handlers. Lamm described the technology as sensors embedded in bulletproof vests that transmit data back to handlers, allowing them to better understand the operational environment. He emphasized that these additions are meant to make the dogs safer and healthier beyond their genetic modifications, acting as equipment "on top of the dog, not in the dog."

Luckey serves as a partner in the venture but holds no equity in the company. Colossal owns equity and supports the business through technology licensing. The first batch of these engineered dogs is scheduled to be cloned and incubated soon, with births expected in early 2027. The company aims to have these dogs in service within two years. Viagen, another company owned by Colossal, will partner with Warhound to handle the cloning process, utilizing technology that boasts a high success rate and is currently used in endangered species programs.

Warhound plans to sell these dogs to first responders, the Department of Defense, military service groups, and police forces, though pricing has not yet been determined. Lamm stated that the company has briefed numerous government groups about the business. Regarding civilian safety, he noted 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 for the new dogs.

The American Humane Society issued a statement welcoming the collaboration, noting that it is pleased to have a seat at the table to ensure the animals are treated humanely. The company hopes that when these military dogs retire, they will enter the Society’s Military Working Dog Reunification Program, which provides homes for retired canines, or another program offered by the organization to assist the animals. This partnership aims to ensure that the advanced technology does not come at the cost of animal welfare.

The launch of Warhound marks a significant shift in how the U.S. approaches canine support in defense and law enforcement. By combining genetic engineering with advanced hardware, the company seeks to reduce reliance on European imports and increase the longevity and effectiveness of working dogs. With the first clones expected to be born next year, the next two years will be critical in determining whether this high-stakes experiment meets its operational goals.