Asylon, CEO & Co-Founder Damon Henry | Founding Philly Ep. 46

This episode is sponsored by J.P. Morgan. 

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In this episode, I interview Damon Henry, CEO and Co-founder of Asylon, a company at the forefront of robotic perimeter security, redefining the field with drones, robots, software, and AI.

Dedicated to revolutionizing physical security, Asylon integrates advanced robotics and AI to boost safety and efficiency across commercial and defense sectors. Damon, an MIT grad and aerospace engineer, began his career at industry giants like GE and Boeing. Inspired by the rise of commercial drones, he and his co-founder established Asylon.

Initially focusing on basic drone technology for security tasks, Asylon has evolved into a sophisticated provider of autonomous security systems that extend beyond drones to include security dogs and agile robots. The company offers a comprehensive service program that has completed over 100,000 missions for customers in logistics, manufacturing, energy, and military sectors.

Asylon tackles challenges such as staffing shortages, rising costs, and evolving threats with its validated Air + Ground security robotics program. From the outset, the team aimed to replace outdated, inefficient, and costly security systems with the world’s most advanced robotic security platform and service operation. Their ongoing innovations in hardware and software continue to advance the frontiers of security robotics and automation.

In our conversation, Damon emphasized the critical role of hardware as a means to enhance software capabilities, explaining how software augments the functionality of physical assets. This integration is crucial for Asylon to deliver more comprehensive solutions and improve the return on investment (ROI) for their customers.

He also noted that the hardware is not just functional equipment but a vital tool for collecting actionable intelligence, which enables smarter decision-making.

We were also joined in this episode by Joe Biancaniello, Vice President at J.P. Morgan’s Technology & Disruptive Commerce (TDC) group. Joe supports the most innovative companies in Pennsylvania, offering strategic guidance through J.P. Morgan’s resources.

In this episode, Joe discusses the unique challenges of funding and scaling robotics ventures compared to traditional software, emphasizing the role of robotics in automating enterprises and enhancing safety with AI and data analytics.

We delved into how the integration of hardware and software, despite its challenges, is essential for achieving scalability and sustainability in the robotics industry. 

We also discussed how venture capitalists, who are familiar with the unique challenges of the sector—including longer development cycles and higher initial costs—are crucial in securing the necessary capital and strategic guidance for growth.

Looking ahead, Damon outlines Asylon’s plans to expand its robotic solutions to high-value areas such as corporate campuses and critical infrastructures like utility substations, leveraging their technological advancements to meet diverse security needs.

Tune into this episode to hear Damon and Joe share their perspectives on the robotics industry, how Asylon is redefining robotic perimeter solutions, and the crucial role software and data play in shaping the future of the robotics industry.