The company has Ireland-based opportunities in revenue, marketing, computer vision and software engineering.
Workplace safety start-up Protex AI has secured $36m in a Series B funding round as the start-up expands across the US. The oversubscribed round was led by global investment firm Hedosophia, with participation from Salesforce Ventures and existing investors.
The Limerick-founded start-up provides a “third eye” to existing CCTV infrastructure. It offers an AI-powered platform which plugs into CCTVs and uses computer vision to capture unsafe events autonomously.
According to Protex AI, areas with its “privacy-preserving” safety platforms in use have seen an average risk reduction of 64pc within just three months of deployment.
The company has a footprint in more than 20 countries across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and counts a number of Fortune 500 businesses, including DHL, among its clientele.
However, North America has been Protex AI’s largest market for the past two years, and according to the company, the latest funding round enables the company to expand its US presence and increase its workforce.
As part of its talent expansion, the company has opened Ireland-based roles in revenue, marketing, computer vision and software engineering.
“As global industries grapple with tighter regulations and increasing operational complexities, safety has emerged as a critical lever for growth and resilience,” said Dan Hobbs, the CEO of Protex AI.
“The safety market is evolving rapidly, with organisations prioritising automation, efficiency, and employee well-being. We’re at the forefront of this transformation, integrating cutting-edge computer vision and AI technologies to not only enhance safety but also drive measurable improvements in workplace operations.”
The start-up was founded in 2021 by CEO Hobbs and CTO Ciarán O’Mara who first met at BT Young Scientist when they were both 12 years old. Two years ago, the two fresh founders were included in the 2023 Forbes 30 under 30 list for Europe.
“The company came to fruition based on a story from a close family member, an operations manager in a Fortune 500 company who spoke about a fatality that occurred on site,” Hobbs told SiliconRepublic.com in 2023.
“While reviewing CCTV clips, what seemed like a freak accident was quickly revealed to be a result of repetitive non-compliant behaviour by the worker. After months of research and interviews with EHS leaders, we identified that freak accidents aren’t so freakish.”
In 2022, the then one-year-old start-up raised $18m to expand its tech offerings across Europe and North America.
Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.
