Israel startup FireDome secures $4.5M in funding to enhance wildfire defence

FireDome, an Israel-based startup which was inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome and improving autonomous wildfire defense, secured $4.5 million in funding.

The amount included a pre-seed round, led by climate-tech investors including U.S.-based Third Sphere and Israel’s Gravity. Additional investment came from Germany’s Caesar Fund, along with Atooro Fund and Vertex Ventures. FireDome, founded earlier this year, also secured a $1.5 million grant from the Israeli Innovation Authority.

Led by Gadi Benjamini and Dr. Adi Naor Pomerantz, FireDome provides an innovative wildfire defense system that uses a two-tiered approach:

• First, a mechanical launcher rapidly and accurately deploys capsules containing eco-friendly fire retardant to create a protective barrier that blocks the direct path of encroaching wildfires.
• Second, the system, leveraging computer vision, actively and swiftly detects and extinguishes spot fires caused by airborne embers that bypass the primary barrier. The system is equipped with multiple redundancies for reliable performance and the fire retardant used remains effective for weeks, providing extensive protection across diverse conditions.

The company plans to use funds to expand operations and its R&D sector.