Sound Fire Startup Raises $15M

For over a century, fire protection has relied on water and chemicals, but the cleanup can be costly. Sonic Fire Tech, an Ohio-based startup, is testing a sound-powered system it says snuffs out fires within seconds while sparing properties from that kind of collateral damage. The company announced Monday it raised a $15 million round, and says the fresh funding will help hire staff and run the tests needed for approval from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Acoustic Suppression Mechanics

Sonic Fire Tech's system uses a sound generator to pump inaudible sound through PVC pipes in the ceiling. When sensors detect a fire, the generator kicks in, and infrasonic waves around 20 Hz bombard the flames.

According to the company, the system creates its own suppressant without collateral damage, and false alarms are less of a concern. It deploys within seconds, a speed that could stop fires before they cause significant damage.

Funding and Testing Plans

The $15 million round was led by the O.H.I.O. Fund, with participation from Khosla Ventures. The startup previously raised a $3.5 million seed in October.

The fresh capital will support hiring and the battery of tests needed to earn NFPA approval. That approval typically takes about three years, but co-founder and CEO Geoff Bruder told TechCrunch he thinks the process will be “significantly shorter than that.”

Part of Bruder’s optimism comes from the fact that the system doesn’t leave a mess after suppression, which should speed up lab tests. He noted that in tests, “they don’t have to do cleanup.”

Commercial Kitchen Benefits

That cleanup advantage could pay off in the real world. Commercial kitchens, for example, can face months of cleanup and restoration after a fire, and some 75% of them don’t reopen, Remington Bixby Hotchkis, Sonic Fire Tech’s COO, told TechCrunch.

The system is aimed at protecting interiors of commercial buildings, kitchens, and homes, for both new construction and retrofits. The company has also worked on a system to safeguard exteriors of homes in wildfire country, though development has been slower as it waits for time at a suitable testing lab.

Insurance Industry Interest

The speed of suppression could stop fires before major damage, which has the insurance industry interested. The startup is in talks with insurers about whether the system will qualify for premium discounts.

Insurance acceptance could speed adoption of the product, though the company notes it is still in testing and no deals have been announced.

Handling Lithium-Ion Fires

The system also shows promise with lithium-ion battery fires, which are among the hardest to put out. In the few tests run so far, Bruder said, “we don’t put out a lithium-ion fire, but we contain it.” He added, “If we’re able to keep the outer casing from lighting fire, we can potentially stop cell-to-cell spread and limit the size of the fire.”

Today, about 500 jurisdictions mandate interior fire protection systems. Bruder points out that 50% of home fires start in the kitchen, whether grease or electrical, and even a small system focused on the kitchen could minimize the risk of catastrophic house fires and lower premiums. He said, “Sprinklers that they’re putting in now can’t handle those fires.”

The Road Ahead

Beyond quicker suppression, the system promises lower restoration costs. The company is still awaiting NFPA approval, which typically takes about three years, though Bruder believes it will be shorter.

The startup’s optimism, combined with investor backing, suggests that acoustic suppression may soon become a practical option for fire protection.