Menlo Park, California, United States, March 2025 – In a major leap for the physical security industry, Hakimo, an AI-powered physical security monitoring company, has raised $10.5 million in Series A funding and launched its breakthrough AI Operator, an autonomous security agent that mirrors the capabilities of a human guard. The round was led by Vertex Ventures and Zigg Capital, with participation from RXR Arden Digital Ventures and existing investors Defy.vc and Gokul Rajaram. This brings Hakimo’s total funding to $20.5 million.
The AI Operator uses computer vision and generative AI to monitor existing security hardware—including cameras and badge readers—and can detect any anomaly described in human language. It responds to threats in real time with speaker warnings and automated protocols, requiring human intervention only when needed. This system has been credited with reducing thousands of incidents across Hakimo’s growing customer base, including Fortune 500 companies, car dealerships, construction sites, and multifamily apartments.
Sam Joseph, Co-Founder & CEO of Hakimo, commented, “We’re not just automating security—we’re redefining it with AI that can recognize and act on any security event and deliver unmatched protection for businesses worldwide.”
Founded in 2020 by Stanford AI researchers Sam Joseph and Sagar Honnungar, Hakimo capitalized on a perfect storm of rising camera adoption, dropping hardware prices, and AI evolution. Their technology comes at a time when the traditional security industry faces staffing shortages, rising false alarms, and high operational costs.
In 2024, Hakimo’s platform tripled its customer base and was instrumental in multiple law enforcement arrests, even saving a life. “We got a drastic reduction in trespassing right after deploying Hakimo, and I now sleep better at night,” said Rodrigo Duran, General Manager at Kia Santa Maria.
Piyush Kharbanda, General Partner at Vertex Ventures, noted, “There is a dire need for innovation, as current solutions lack the speed or accuracy to offer affordable real-time protection. Hakimo’s AI + Services approach delivers a 10x better service at more affordable rates.”
Ryan Orley, Managing Partner at Zigg Capital, shared, “Hakimo’s capabilities at its accessible price point are without peer. I became a Hakimo customer before our firm’s investment.”
Neil Sequeira, Founder & Partner at Defy.vc, added, “Sam and Sagar’s vision aligns perfectly with our mission of backing bold teams tackling big challenges.”
About Hakimo
Hakimo is a technology company building AI agents for physical security monitoring. Its intelligent, human-in-the-loop security platform integrates seamlessly with existing hardware to deliver real-time threat detection and response. Founded by Stanford-trained AI experts, Hakimo is redefining how businesses secure their physical assets with scalable and affordable AI-powered solutions.
About Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India (VVSEAI)
Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India is a leading early-stage venture capital firm focused on high-growth startups in the region. With investments in market leaders such as Grab, FirstCry, Nium, Licious, Kuku FM, and PatSnap, Vertex brings strategic guidance, global expertise, and an extensive network to help companies scale.
About Zigg Capital
Zigg Capital is a New York-based venture capital firm investing globally in technology companies in real estate, construction, and retail. The firm’s portfolio includes innovators like Procore, Matterport, OpenSpace, Steadily, and Crusoe. Zigg supports companies solving major challenges in built-world technology.
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