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AI-Enhanced IoT
Los AngelesFounded 2020
HealthcareDefenseCybersecurity
🟢 Raising seed — $2.0M target
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AI-Enhanced IoT
Bulzī specializes in applying edge-AI in IoT-class sensors to analyze waveforms for enhanced "situational awareness." Our products allow First Responders and Military personnel to execute their missions more effectively and safely. Bulzī is a dual-use company, supporting both commercial and government customers. We adapted $10M of commercial technologies with $2M in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding from the US Air Force and Army and are now working with multiple agencies to transition our "SAFER" solution into production deployments.
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Brent McKay
founder
David Watts
advisor
Mel Yokoyama
advisor
Kyle Hoedebecke
other
Robb Brock
founder
First Responders and Military personnel need to locate people and things of interest in their area of operation, communicate with their team and command, and do so when the communications network is compromised. Traditional "Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance" (ISR) systems are large, expensive, and power hungry and therefore limit wide deployment. Bulzī's new ISR sensor is small, inexpensive, power efficient, and can be attached to a helmet or small drone. It also embeds wide-area mesh networking technologies so that ISR can be deployed widely and cost effectively.
Bulzī has won a dozen competitive solicitations, including three contracts representing $2M in non-dilutive "SBIR" funding. It can now sell directly to any Federal agency without going through a competitive bidding process. We were recently selected by the National Guard Bureau for submission to APFIT for $20M in "transition" funding, with another $60M three-year contract behind that. Skydio, the largest US drone manufacturer, has selected Bulzī's ISR sensor for integration into its X10/X10D drones. Skydio and Bulzī have a nearly 100% overlap on their customer bases.
National Guard Bureau (NGB) conducted a down-select of over 200 submissions from all 54 U.S. National Guard organizations and selected Bulzī as one of four companies to submit to the FY2026 funding program. The recommended funding includes $20M APFIT funds for years 1-2 and $60M follow-on contracts for years 3-5.
The Texas Army National Guard's (TXARNG) innovation office selected Bulzī's SAFER solution for submission to the National Guard Bureau's (NGB) FY2026 APFIT program.
APFIT is a DoD funding vehicle designed to help SBIR Phase-II projects transition to Program of Record funding. Each year APFIT issues $10M-$50M contracts to 12-15 SBIR companies who bring a capability that is not currently available at scale to the DOD.
TXARNG selected Bulzī because of the strong match between SAFER and its core missions which include Emergency Response and Combat operations.
Leidos selected Bulzi to supply a subcontractor proposal for development of a visitor registration and base access mobile application for their recently awarded $249M Army Automated Installation Access (AIE) contract. Bulzi previously collaborated with Leidos on the AIE request for proposal. Bulzi was one of two companies invited to participate (award is currently pending).
Bulzī Inc. won a competitive bid for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award to develop a ZeroTrust smartphone prototype. The United States Air Force (USAF) selected Bulzī through its AFWERX innovation program as a part of its 24.2 solicitation cycle.
Bulzī’s solution is based on leveraging Samsung’s Tactical Edition smartphones and Knox security platform. The USAF project includes Bulzī’s development of a smartphone application and customized software configuration code for the Tactical Edition smartphones to create a secure “ZeroTrust” mobile environment and access the sensor suite for enhanced situational awareness.
Bulzi partnered with a tier-one defense contractor (under NDA) on the $1.3M R&D Defense Health Agency (DHA) DHA244-D003 solicitation to deliver an advanced IT solution for improved combat casualty care.
Our proposed solution includes Bulzi's first-in-class medical-grade wearable technology for continuous real-time monitoring of key vitals of injured personnel. Our wrist-worn device replaces a full suite of medical equipment used in a typical ICU. Since most of this equipment is impractical for use in forward-deployed environments, Bulzi's technology will enable medics to access hospital-grade equipment in the field for the first time.
Our defense contractor partner will contribute DHA systems integration expertise and telemedicine technology to support military medics at the point of care. This partnership is intended to support DHA's strategic objective to ”care for our joint force and those we are privileged to serve... Anytime, Anywhere - Always.”