Imagine you’re in a situation where you need to call 911 from a hard-to-reach spot. Before a police car even arrives, you might notice a drone buzzing overhead. And there’s a good chance it’s a Brinc Drone, a Seattle-based startup that’s been gaining attention. The company was founded by Blake Resnick, a 25-year-old who decided to leave college behind to dive into the world of drones.
Brinc has come a long way since its start in 2017. With early investment from Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company has made big strides. Recently, Brinc announced that it secured $75 million in new funding, led by Index Ventures. That brings the company’s total funding to $157.2 million. While Brinc hasn’t shared its exact valuation, Resnick mentioned that the company’s value has gone up since its last funding round, which saw $55 million in 2022. Bloomberg reported that Brinc was valued at $300 million in 2023.
Brinc specializes in drones for law enforcement and emergency response teams. This is part of a growing trend where U.S. companies are stepping in to take on the dominance of Chinese-made drones, especially since there are more restrictions on Chinese companies. Interestingly, Resnick had a brief internship at DJI, the giant Chinese drone maker, before he decided to create his own company.
The big news now is that Brinc has formed a partnership with Motorola Solutions, which also invested in this latest funding round. Motorola, a major player in the U.S. security industry, provides the software that powers many 911 call centers. Through this collaboration, Brinc drones will be integrated into these centers, allowing operators to send out drones to assist in emergency situations—assuming the situation is cleared by Motorola’s AI system.
Brinc, though, isn’t the only company in the game. Other U.S. startups, like Flock Safety and Skydio, also offer drones to law enforcement and have valuations worth billions. Flock, for instance, was valued at $7.5 billion in its recent funding round, while Skydio’s value reached $2.2 billion in 2023.
But Resnick isn’t worried about the competition. He believes there’s plenty of room for all these companies to grow. Plus, Brinc offers some unique features that set it apart, like drones that can break windows or deliver life-saving medical supplies in emergencies.