Flox Intelligence is building AI to keep wildlife away from trains, airports, and roads
Flox's edge devices can identify animals and use species-specific sounds to drive them away from critical infrastructure.
Wildlife strikes have caused significant damage to infrastructure and cost the U.S. civil aviation industry billions of dollars annually. In response, Sara Nozkova, inspired by a train collision with a bison in Mumbai, developed Flox Intelligence to create an AI-powered wildlife deterrent system. The company, founded in 2020, produces edge devices that process data on-site and use perception systems trained on wildlife behavior.
When a motion sensor detects movement, a camera identifies the animal species, and the device emits a species-specific sound to deter it. Nozkova's system learns from experience and adapts its deterrent responses to prevent habituation. Flox currently operates about 150 devices in various locations, including airfields, road and rail corridors, national parks, and critical infrastructure sites.
The company generates revenue through upfront sales of edge units and annual software subscriptions. Flox aims to expand its system to other outdoor machines, such as trains, cars, and drones, making it a crucial layer of perception for outdoor operations. While the startup faces competition from other wildlife deterrent companies, Nozkova believes in the uniqueness of Flox's approach, citing the breadth of data collected in the field.
The company has raised approximately $5 million in funding and is seeking $10 million for Series A expansion.
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