Key facts
- Sonic Fire Tech has raised $15 million in a funding round led by the O.H.I.O. Fund and Khosla Ventures.
- The company's fire protection system uses sound waves to extinguish fires within seconds.
- The technology aims to avoid the water and chemical damage caused by traditional fire suppression methods.
- Funding will support hiring and testing required for National Fire Protection Association approval.
- The system shows potential for containing lithium-ion battery fires.
Sonic Fire Tech, a startup developing a fire protection system that uses sound waves, announced on Monday that it has raised $15 million in a funding round led by the O.H.I.O. Fund with participation from Khosla Ventures. This latest funding follows a $3.5 million seed round in October.
The company's technology utilizes a sound generator to emit inaudible infrasonic waves, around 20 Hz, through PVC pipes. When sensors detect a fire, the system activates, bombarding the flames to extinguish them within seconds. This method aims to prevent the significant water and chemical damage often associated with traditional fire suppression systems.
The fresh capital will enable Sonic Fire Tech to hire more employees and conduct the necessary tests to gain approval from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). CEO Geoff Bruder expressed optimism that the approval process will be significantly shorter than the typical three years, partly due to the system's lack of collateral damage.
Remington Bixby Hotchkis, the company's COO, highlighted the system's potential impact, noting that approximately 75% of commercial kitchens do not reopen after a fire due to extensive cleanup and restoration. The startup is also in discussions with insurers regarding potential premium discounts for properties equipped with its system.
Furthermore, Sonic Fire Tech's acoustic suppression technology shows promise in managing lithium-ion battery fires, which are notoriously difficult to extinguish. While not fully putting out these fires, the system has demonstrated an ability to contain them by preventing the outer casing from igniting, thereby limiting cell-to-cell spread.
The company is developing systems for commercial buildings, kitchens, and homes, as well as exploring solutions for exterior protection in wildfire-prone areas. The system's ability to quickly suppress fires, particularly in kitchens where 50% of home fires start, could significantly reduce catastrophic damage and potentially lower insurance premiums.