Key facts
- Flox Intelligence uses AI to deter wildlife from infrastructure such as trains, airports, and roads.
- The FAA estimates wildlife strikes cost U.S. civil aviation about $272 million annually.
- French rail operator SNCF reports wandering animals cause over 8,000 train delays annually.
- Flox's edge devices use perception systems trained on wildlife behavior to identify animals and emit deterrent sounds.
- The system learns from experience and varies its responses to prevent animal habituation.
- Approximately 150 Flox devices are currently deployed in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Flox Intelligence is developing an artificial intelligence system designed to deter wildlife from critical infrastructure such as trains, airports, and roads, aiming to reduce the significant costs and disruptions caused by wildlife strikes. The company's approach moves beyond traditional methods like sirens and fences, focusing on adaptive, species-specific deterrents.
Sara Nozkova, founder of Flox Intelligence, was inspired by personal experiences and her background in transportation and autonomous vehicles to create a system that can effectively interact with nature. She noted that while machines excel in controlled environments, they often fail when encountering the complexity of the natural world. This led her to develop AI that can perceive and react to wildlife behavior.
The Flox system utilizes edge devices equipped with perception sensors that process data on-site. These devices are trained on wildlife behavior, and upon detecting movement, a camera identifies nearby animals. The system then emits a sound tailored to the specific species to scare it away. A key feature is its ability to learn from experience, varying its deterrents to prevent animals from becoming accustomed to them.
Currently, Flox offers battery-operated units that can be mounted on various structures and a software platform for deployment monitoring, reporting, and biodiversity tracking. The long-term vision includes making the software compatible with moving machines like trains, cars, and drones. Approximately 150 Flox devices are already in operation across North America, Europe, and Australia at locations including airfields, rail corridors, national parks, and electrical substations.
Flox generates revenue through upfront sales of its edge units and an annual subscription for its software and AI platform. The company also has OEM partnerships, such as with train manufacturer Alstom, where fees are paid to deploy its software on vehicles. Flox anticipates ending 2026 with approximately $1.5 million in revenue.
While Flox's approach is unique, it faces competition from companies like Robin Radar, which uses species-specific distress calls for birds, and iCHASE, which employs computer vision and lasers for bird deterrence. Nozkova believes Flox's competitive advantage lies in the breadth of its system and the extensive field data it has collected on wildlife behavior.
To date, Flox Intelligence has raised about $5 million in pre-seed and seed funding from investors including Unconventional Ventures, Tilia Impact Ventures, GENIUS NY, Norrsken, Satgana, and angel investors. The company is now seeking $10 million in Series A funding to expand its deployed units and broaden the system's applications beyond wildlife deterrence.