Atlanta security software company Fusus aims to help law enforcement officers solve crime through a platform that gives them access to public and private video sources.
The mission of the company is to help law enforcement provide a more efficient and immediate response while helping communities become actively engaged in their own security, said CEO Chris Lindenau.
Another goal of the company is to bridge the gap between security and privacy.
Businesses with surveillance footage on the platform maintain ownership rights. They can decide which cameras they wish to share and under what circumstances can trigger a panic alert for law enforcement to access their footage.
To date, the company has integrated approximately 42,000 cameras in approximately 110 cities and counties in the U.S. including the city of Atlanta, Orlando, Florida, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the state of New Hampshire.
New partnership
The company is now gearing for further expansion following a $21 million investment and strategic partnership with defense technology manufacturer and maker of the electric shock Taser, Axon Enterprise Inc.
In addition to the investment, the two companies will integrate each other’s technology. Axon will use Fusus’ software into their Axon Body 3, Axon Fleet 3, Axon Air connected drones and other devices.
Following the recent investment, in addition to growing interest, the company aims to deploy its software in 160 U.S. cities by the end of this year.
The company will also seek to expand globally and into other sectors such as corrections and private enterprises that have expressed interest in the concept of an open collaboration platform for surveillance, said Lindenau.
“A lot of challenges facing citizens to share information also exist within law enforcement,” said Lindenau. “With this platform, we allow traditional silos between tech and jurisdictions to break down and allow people to collaborate.”
Defense experience
Lindenau considers Fusus to be an amalgamation of his previous experience in defense and technology industries, where he worked on perimeter detection systems and video surveillance software.
From 2000 to 2005, Lindenau served as a U.S. Naval Officer. Prior to launching his own company, he had worked as a business manager for global technology company Panasonic and chief revenue officer for security video platform Utility.
The inception of Fusus came in 2018 when Lindenau worked with the city of Minneapolis during the Super Bowl. His team worked with the city to provide a public safety apparatus that was affordable and swift.
"I can’t believe they had pulled this off in a matter of months," he told Atlanta Inno in 2019. "It would have taken any other software company years and a couple hundred thousand dollars ... If more agencies knew about this, this could really be something that was impactful for the country."
Lindenau then took that software to turn it into a mission-critical operational intelligence interface to serve law enforcement across the country.
Details about Fusus
The company, which launched in Peachtree Corners in 2019, initially employed six full-time staff which now stands at 80. It looks to reach 120 employees by the end of the year.
The company also looks to expand its data points to provide a more unified picture to law enforcement to make better decisions. Those would include access control, fire panels, and weapon detection systems.
“There’s a trend with our partners to understand they don't have to go at it alone,” said Lindenau. “They can serve their clients but also work with our platform to bring additional value.”
