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By the usual startup measures, Flock Safety looks like a major success story.
The Atlanta company has raised hundreds of millions of dollars, reached a valuation of several billion and expanded its automated license plate reader network to more than 6,000 communities.
Another measure — public trust — complicates the story. Community action against Flock’s tech is growing, and more local governments are moving to limit use.
The defense tech boom could tell us where this story could be headed. A deal with the Pentagon can make a startup look more stable and attractive to investors, plus help build headcount, even if defense isn't a primary market. Companies building "dual-use" technology — products sold to both commercial customers and the military — can use government revenue to help scale, and investors are rewarding that strategy. Defense tech deals and exits continue to climb.
Investor enthusiasm doesn't shield companies from backlash, though.
Defense contractors routinely face protests over how their technology is used in war. Philadelphia-based Ghost Robotics is one example: Public criticism over its military robot dogs didn't stop the company from raising millions or ultimately finding a buyer last year. The tradeoffs often come down to personal ethics, but the consequences of the technology can feel distant from everyday life.
Public safety startups face a different reality. These companies are targeting municipal, regional or sometimes state-level contracts, rather than federal ones.
The money may not be as big, but there are countless local government entities to go after, creating a much broader customer base. Plus, the smaller staff and tighter budgets — with all the same stringent requirements of public contracts — mean that when a vendor is vetted by one jurisdiction, it becomes very attractive for others to use the same firm.
That’s why it kind of feels like the conversation around Flock popped up all over the place at the same time. When one region runs into an issue, it raises alarms in every other place using the same technology.
Plus, these products operate in neighborhoods where people live and work, making the debate much more immediate. Public opinion becomes part of the business itself. It's not enough to convince investors and government customers. Companies like Flock also have to win over the communities where their technology is deployed.
Flock argues its cameras help solve crimes faster and make police departments more effective. That's difficult to measure objectively, given the many factors that influence crime rates. Still, there are compelling success stories, like how the technology has helped investigators identify suspects in deadly hit-and-runs and violent road-rage cases.
Whether that’s enough to sway residents is another story, as privacy concerns continue to grow. Those anecdotes undermine the entire safety selling points. Police departments have fired officers for misusing these systems, and in some cases the technology has been linked to wrongful arrests.
For founders building technology for governments, success isn't determined only by fundraising, revenue or contracts. The people living alongside that technology become stakeholders, too.
And for companies like Flock, those communities may ultimately have as much influence over the company's future as investors or government customers.
Another angle:
“Careful studies across multiple countries show crime reductions of 20% to 25% in areas with camera systems. The mechanism is straightforward: Cameras increase the probability that criminals get caught. Decades of research confirm that certainty of punishment deters crime far more effectively than severity of punishment. Cameras put this important insight into action.”
Technical.ly headlines of the week
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3 things to know
🏔️Mile high AI: Most US businesses aren't planning to use AI anytime soon. The Denver metro area leads the nation, but still with only one-third of businesses expecting to use the tech within the next six months, according to a new Census survey of the top 25 MSAs. Philadelphians are the most hesitant, with 55% saying they do not expect to use AI. [US Census Bureau]
🧱Brick-by-brick: Educators are teaching AI skills with help from a classic favorite: LEGO. The company has partnered with Purdue University to bring hands-on training and specialized kits to Indiana students. [WLFI]
🎙️Move over, Joe Rogan: The podcasting boom has reached an unexpectedly young audience: preschoolers. A new Missouri innovation lab is teaching young children how to create their own shows alongside foundational STEM and entrepreneurship skills. [KSDK]
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