PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Ben Lamm and Palmer Luckey Team Up On Super-Soldier Dogs
Courtesy of Warhound
A startup called Warhound is developing a new breed of biologically and technologically enhanced military dogs.
Why It Hits: With the advent of AI, AR, drones, and other cutting-edge tech, the defense industry is undergoing a major upgrade… and, by extension, so is war. Developing super soldiers — combatants with enhanced fighting capabilities — has been an ambition of militaries around the world for a century. Looks like super-soldier dogs are up first.
Behind The Science: Founded by Ben Lamm (co-founder of woolly mammoth-revival startup Colossal Biosciences) and Palmer Luckey (founder of next-gen defense firm Anduril), Warhound aims to shore up the at-risk pipeline of high-quality military dogs.
Warhound plans to clone top-performing military dogs and then genetically engineer them to enhance their capabilities (like their sense of smell and longevity) and reduce health issues (like hip dysplasia and cancer).
Anduril will also outfit these dogs with gear such as bulletproof vests, protective goggles, and “a canine companion to its Eagle Eye mixed-reality helmet,” per Forbes.
The company — which has already started collecting cell lines from typical military-dog breeds like Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds — plans to breed its first “new type of dog” by next year and deploy them within two years.
Warhound would also really like people to know that the American Humane Society has certified its program and is working with it.
Final Product: Warhound is run by CEO Dave Spirk, a Marine Corps vet and the Department of Defense’s first chief data officer. It has already raised a $200 million seed round from investors including Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel, “a venture firm backed by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies,” per TechCrunch.
The hope is that cloning these dogs will reduce the need to buy military-grade pups from European partners (which currently supply 80%) and cut down on sunk costs (training a dog costs about $60,000, and only 45% ultimately become certified for deployment). Currently, over 2,200 military dogs are on active duty.
The Future: While military dogs are a highly specialized market, Warhound could potentially commercialize longevity therapies for the broader dog population. If they work, that could be an instant bestseller.
Together with Regus
What Does An Office Actually Cost? With Regus, One Number.
A traditional office is never just one bill. It’s rent, plus internet, cleaning, utilities, a receptionist, and the fit-out you financed up front. Budgeting for it all is a job in itself.
With Regus, one simple monthly price covers everything: internet, cleaning, utilities, and admin support. No extra fees, no surprises.
Private, professional offices for your team with everything included and no capital outlay — rated 4.5 on Trustpilot, with 8M+ people working across the network.
Only pay for the space you need, on terms that match your plans.
Tell Regus about your team, and they’ll show you spaces and pricing that fit — usually within one business day.
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.