With the reports of rising crime rates, understaffed security teams and false alarms overwhelming traditional systems, the need for smarter and more reliable protection has never been so urgent. Menlo Park-based AI security startup Hakimo has stepped up to meet this demand, announcing a $10.5 million Series A funding round to enhance its mission to make the body safe through autonomous, AI-powered surveillance.
Led by Vertex Ventures and Zigg Capital, with additional support from RXR Arden Digital Ventures, Defy.vc and Gokul Rajaram, the latest round raises Hakimo’s total funding to $20.5 million.
Meet with AI operators: Human-like autonomous security agents
Hakimo has officially launched AI Operator, AI Operator, a first autonomous security agent that can monitor cameras, detect intrusions, respond to incidents, and even send verbal warnings, just like human guards. But unlike humans, it never gets tired, never misses the frame, and reacts in seconds.
This is not your standard motion detection software. At the heart of AI operators is a powerful fusion of computer vision and generative AI, making it visible not only but understandable and responsive to complex scenarios described in natural language. Whether it is identifying a person wandering around a restricted area or detecting an end at the access point, Hakimo’s AI can explain and act in real time.
When events escalate, Hakimo’s humans in the environment ensure that trained security professionals deal with critical threats, creating a seamless synergy between machine intelligence and human judgment.
From Stanford University Research to Real-World Impact
Founded in 2020 by Sam Joseph and Sagar Honnungar, two Stanford-trained AI researchers, Hakimo, sees the opportunity to apply the latest advancements in machine learning to a stagnant industry. Inspired by falling hardware costs, extensive surveillance camera deployments, and computer vision breakthroughs, they built a team to rethink physical safety from scratch.
result? A platform intDirectly use existing ONVIF compatible security systems, no expensive hardware upgrades are required, and multiple sites can be deployed in days (rather than months).
Why now?
Traditional security methods are becoming increasingly unsustainable. Guards are expensive, difficult to hire, and often fail to provide consistent coverage. Alert surveillance services are plagued by false alarms, resulting in delays or a complete lack of police response. Hakimo’s solutions arrive when businesses require real-time, reliable and affordable protection.
By combining AI speed has human reliabilityHakimo offers a compelling alternative. Suitable for favorite customers Kia Santa Mariathe transformation is immediate. “After deploying Hakimo, we immediately invaded a significant reduction.” explain Rodrigo Duran, General Manager of Dealer. “I sleep better at night now because Hakimo’s AI agent provides peace of mind.”
Expand across industries
Hakimo is not only used in high safety facilities. Its platform has been trusted by more than 100 customers, including Fortune 500 companies, auto dealers, construction sites, corporate offices and self-storage facilities. The system has monitored more than 5 million hours of video recording, and in 2024 alone, it can prevent thousands of security incidents, assisting law enforcement officers in arrests and even saving lives.
From trailing detection (often overlooked physical security threats) to camera health monitoring and automatic alert classification, Hakimo provides actionable insights that traditional systems cannot match. Its software not only detects threats, but also prioritizes it with real alarm probability scores – dramatically reducing false positives and operator fatigue.
A platform designed for the future
Hakimo’s platform is carefully designed to grow with customers. The system can monitor Multiple sites at the same timeintegrate with software ServiceNow,,,,, relaxation,even Cybersecurity SIEM Toolsprovides a unified interface that bridges the gap between physical and digital security workflows.
This is a power multiplier for any business that wants to reduce costs without compromising security. In fact, customers report up to $125,000 per year savings compared to traditional defender-based security, while the median response time is only six seconds, so it’s easy to understand why.
Investors see defined opportunities
“Hakimo is bringing fundamental technological innovations to the large but outdated physical security industry,” explain Piyush Kharbanda,,,,, General Partner of Vertex Ventures. “By combining cutting-edge visual AI algorithms with human reliability, Hakimo offers 10 times better service at a small fraction of the cost.”
for Ryan Orley,,,,, Managing Partner of Zigg Capital, Investing is personal. “Before our company’s investment, I became a client of Hakimo. After studying the security monitoring ecosystem, our team concluded that Hakimo’s solutions are more powerful than any other technology we encounter and offer better value.”
The road ahead
With new funding and growth momentum, Hakimo is ready to lead the transformation of how the organization approaches physical safety. Its mission is ambitious: make security proactive, smart and seamless – threatening before upgrading.
“The security industry has long been responsive and inefficient” CEO Sam Joseph said. “At Hakimo, we’re not only improving it – we’re reshaping it.”
As threats become more complex and budgets are tightened, AI-powered by Hakimo’s AI operators, the demand for autonomous security personnel not only becomes a competitive advantage, but must also be necessary.
