With $150 million in fresh capital, surveillance startup Flock Safety is ready to grow in Denver as it aims to reduce crime in the city’s neighborhoods.
The Atlanta-based company recently raised $150 million in Series D funding led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. The round brought Flock Safety’s total investments to about $250 million.
Flock Safety produces cameras for neighborhoods and police departments that analyze cars and license plates to help investigate crimes. The cameras are not used for traffic enforcement or immigration enforcement, and there is no facial recognition technology. Flock reports that its devices and cloud-based software can reduce crime by 70%.
VP of Marketing Josh Thomas said the company first began working in Colorado nearly two years ago with the town of Bow Mar. Since then, they’ve added to their roster of customers and grown their local presence to nearly 10 employees.
"One of my primary objectives is to ensure we have the resources and tools to keep our residents safe," said Thomas Feldkamp, Mayor of Bow Mar, in a statement. "Flock Safety does exactly that, and we're looking forward to extending this partnership so that we can continue to multiply the impact of our hardworking law enforcement."
By raising the Series D round, Thomas said Flock is looking to expand in some of its secondary markets across the U.S., including Denver, to take advantage of growing demand. As evidence of that need, the company reported a 400% revenue growth in 2020.
“This money is about employing more people in these local markets and getting the hardware and software installed and up and running in these places,” he said.
Founded in 2017 by CEO Garrett Langley, Flock Safety has cameras in more than 1,200 cities across the U.S. and more than 200 employees.
By adding more boots on the ground in Denver, Thomas said Flock hopes to spread the adoption of its products and increase the speed at which it can install and service its cameras. Additionally, in building a local team, he said the company has a more sincere connection in keeping Colorado neighborhoods safe.
“When you can find local people, I think they give a deeper level to the mission to keep the community safe,” he said.
Flock is focused initially on hiring sales and field technicians in the city, but Thomas said the company is keeping an eye on the growing software development talent coming to the city. With 10 employees in Denver, Flock will look to double its team in 2021 in response to the demand it's experiencing.
