FireDome™, an innovative startup inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome and pioneering autonomous wildfire defense, has emerged from stealth with $4.5 million in funding. The company completed a $3 million pre-seed round, led by top climate-tech investors including U.S.-based Third Sphere and Israel’s Gravity. Additional investment came from Germany’s Caesar Fund, along with Atooro Fund and Vertex Ventures, underscoring strong support for FireDome’s groundbreaking approach to wildfire resilience. FireDome, founded earlier this year, also secured a $1.5 million grant from the Israeli Innovation Authority to accelerate the R&D.
Wildfires, which devastated over a billion acres and emitted 1.8 gigatons of CO2 in 2023 alone, are growing more destructive with climate change. Inspired by the Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system, FireDome provides an AI-assisted solution to autonomously detect and suppress wildfires. Its protection methodology is designed to perfectly complement and assist firefighters when fighting fires.
FireDome’s patent-pending innovative wildfire defense system utilizes a two-tiered approach. First, a mechanical launcher rapidly and accurately deploys capsules containing eco-friendly fire retardant to create a protective barrier that blocks the direct path of encroaching wildfires. Second, the system, leveraging computer vision, actively and swiftly detects and extinguishes spot fires caused by airborne embers that bypass the primary barrier. The system is equipped with multiple redundancies for reliable performance and the fire retardant used remains effective for weeks, providing extensive protection across diverse conditions.
FireDome’s leadership team includes co-founders Gadi Benjamini and Dr. Adi Naor Pomerantz, who bring extensive experience in defense strategies and R&D. Benjamini, formerly a Lieutenant Colonel with 14 years in elite Israeli intelligence units, co-leads the company with Dr. Naor Pomerantz, a materials expert with nearly two decades in R&D, including a decade at SolarEdge. Among several senior experts, the startup is advised by Pinchas (Pini) Yungman, one of the founding fathers of Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems.
“Global warming has increased the frequency and intensity of wildfires, making it more challenging and complex than ever to protect communities and fight these fires. Rising wildfire risks have also caused insurance premiums to skyrocket in recent years, placing a heavy burden on property owners,” says Gadi Benjamini, CEO of FireDome. “By combining precision hardware, computer vision, and advanced algorithms, FireDome offers proactive defense solutions to meet these new challenges. Our vision is to forge partnerships within the climate tech ecosystem to create end-to-end solutions that will help communities adapt to global warming and strengthen resilience to wildfires.”
Scheduled for initial deployments during the 2025 fire season in the western U.S., FireDome aims to bring its solution to high-risk wildfire communities, enhancing response coordination and offering customizable protection for large properties across sectors such as agriculture, leisure, utilities and private homes. This protection will be closely integrated with local fire departments. The pre-seed funding will accelerate development and support introduction of the technology to wildfire-prone regions.
Shaun Abrahamson, Managing Partner at Third Sphere: “Our team has spent the last 10 years looking for promising approaches to reduce wildfire risk. FireDome is the first to move beyond detection with immediate, rapid response. We have massively reduced fire risk in cities with fire extinguishers, alarms, hydrants and sprinklers. We believe Firedome is set to become the core infrastructure for how we finally reduce the risk to people and property from wildfires.”
Wade White, retired assistant chief of the LA City Fire Department, commented, “FireDome enhances firefighting effectiveness and reduces risk by merging traditional fire suppression methods with cutting-edge aerospace, military technology, and AI advancements. This innovative approach is poised to revolutionize firefighting, improve strategic and tactical decision-making, and bolster community protection against major fires.”
FireDome showcased its solution at the Red Sky Summit that took place in November in San Francisco. FireDome will also present its solution at the International Association of Fire Chiefs Technology Summit, taking place on December 4-6 in Oklahoma City, OK.
Credit: FireDome
