Sonic Fire Tech Raises $15M for Sound-Powered Fire Suppression

Sonic Fire Tech has raised $15 million to advance a fire suppression system that uses low-frequency sound waves instead of water or chemical agents, as the Ohio startup works toward broader certification and commercial deployment.

The O.H.I.O. Fund led the round with participation from Khosla Ventures. Sonic Fire Tech previously raised $3.5 million in seed funding, which it said would support certification, manufacturing and early deployments of its infrasound-based technology.

Sonic Fire Tech uses sound waves to suppress flames

The company’s system uses a sound generator connected to pipes installed around a protected area. When sensors detect a fire, the system produces low-frequency acoustic waves near 20 Hz that are directed toward the flames.

Sonic Fire Tech says the system can begin suppressing a fire within seconds without releasing water, foam or other chemicals. That could reduce collateral damage in places such as commercial kitchens, homes and buildings where conventional suppression systems can leave extensive cleanup and restoration work.

The startup plans to use its new funding to hire additional employees and complete testing needed for broader fire-safety approvals. Co-founder and CEO Geoff Bruder said the company expects its approval process to move faster than the roughly three years such testing can sometimes require.

Bruder said one practical advantage during laboratory testing is that the acoustic system does not leave water or chemicals behind after activation, reducing cleanup between tests.

The company is also testing lithium-ion fire containment

Sonic Fire Tech is exploring how the technology performs around lithium-ion battery fires, which can be particularly difficult to control because heat can spread from one battery cell to another.

Bruder said the system has not extinguished lithium-ion fires in the company’s limited testing so far, but it has shown potential to contain them. The goal is to prevent surrounding material from igniting and reduce the chance of fire spreading between cells.

The startup is developing systems for commercial buildings, kitchens and homes, including products designed for both new construction and retrofits. It is also working on an exterior system intended to protect homes in areas exposed to wildfire risk, although testing of that product has progressed more slowly.

Insurance companies are another potential route to adoption. Sonic Fire Tech has been discussing whether installations could eventually qualify customers for insurance premium reductions if the technology proves it can lower fire losses.

The company argues that avoiding water and chemical damage could make its system useful even when an alarm is triggered unnecessarily. Sonic Fire Tech says the technology can deploy within seconds while leaving the protected property largely untouched by the suppression process itself.

With the latest funding, the company is focused on completing testing, obtaining the required approvals, and proving that acoustic suppression can work alongside, or eventually replace, conventional fire protection in selected applications.