Coram AI, a San Francisco-based startup founded in 2022, has secured $13.8 million in Series A funding led by Battery Ventures, with participation from 8VC and Mosaic Ventures. The company is pioneering the integration of AI agents into existing security camera infrastructure, bringing autonomous surveillance capabilities to schools, hospitals, warehouses, and other commercial facilities.
The startup’s innovative approach leverages “virtual security guards” powered by artificial intelligence that can monitor locations in real-time and respond to natural language queries. Rather than requiring security personnel to review hours of footage manually, Coram’s technology allows users to describe what they’re looking for in plain language. For instance, a hospital security employee could ask about an unauthorized person by describing their clothing, and Coram would identify and track that individual’s location throughout the facility.
Co-founders Ashesh Jain and Peter Ondruska, both holding Ph.D.s in robotics and veterans of Lyft’s self-driving car division, bring deep expertise in machine learning and computer vision to the venture. Their technical backgrounds position Coram uniquely in the competitive security AI landscape. CEO Jain emphasized that one of Coram’s key competitive advantages is its ability to work with existing security camera systems rather than requiring costly hardware replacements.
“Businesses that run the US economy use security cameras that are either extremely archaic or not connected,” Jain explained. “Coram brings modern software to existing security cameras with generative AI, and soon, every camera will be as intelligent as a human being. Every business can have hundreds of virtual employees.”
Battery Ventures partner Marcus Ryu, who led the investment, highlighted the potential of video AI to transform security while preserving privacy by focusing detection only on dangerous or unlawful behavior. The funding comes amid a surge of investment in AI-powered cybersecurity startups, including 7AI’s $36 million seed round, Astrix Security’s $45 million Series B, and Torq’s combined $112 million in funding over the past year.
Looking ahead to 2025, Coram plans to launch several new products, starting with AI gun-detection software with instant alerts, while expanding its hardware offerings to serve diverse company needs and security scenarios.
Key Quotes
Businesses that run the US economy use security cameras that are either extremely archaic or not connected. Coram brings modern software to existing security cameras with generative AI, and soon, every camera will be as intelligent as a human being. Every business can have hundreds of virtual employees.
CEO Ashesh Jain explained Coram’s value proposition, emphasizing how the company modernizes existing infrastructure rather than requiring expensive hardware replacements, while highlighting the transformative potential of AI-powered surveillance.
Video AI holds the promise to put a highly vigilant digital observer behind each of the many millions of cameras watching over our workplaces, schools, and public spaces. With the right approach, this can enhance both our safety and our privacy by focusing detection only on dangerous or unlawful behavior.
Marcus Ryu, Battery Ventures partner leading the investment, articulated the dual promise of enhanced security and privacy protection through targeted AI detection, addressing common concerns about surveillance technology.
We’re addressing diverse needs for different types of companies and teams. Hopefully, people don’t need this tech. But if you do need it, it’s useful when there’s a safety incident — it’s buying you time.
Jain discussed Coram’s product strategy and the critical value proposition of rapid response during security incidents, emphasizing that the technology serves as a crucial time-saving tool during emergencies.
Our Take
Coram AI’s funding success reflects a broader trend of AI agents moving from theoretical concepts to practical, high-stakes applications. The security camera market is particularly ripe for AI disruption because it combines abundant existing infrastructure with clear inefficiencies in human monitoring capabilities. What’s particularly noteworthy is Coram’s focus on retrofitting existing systems rather than requiring complete replacements—a pragmatic approach that could accelerate adoption significantly. However, the technology raises important questions about surveillance ethics, privacy boundaries, and the balance between security and civil liberties. The founders’ backgrounds in autonomous vehicles provide relevant expertise in real-time computer vision and decision-making under uncertainty. As AI gun-detection and threat identification become more sophisticated, regulatory frameworks will need to evolve alongside the technology. Coram’s success could catalyze a wave of AI-powered physical security solutions, fundamentally changing how organizations approach safety monitoring.
Why This Matters
This funding round represents a significant milestone in the convergence of AI agents and physical security infrastructure, demonstrating how autonomous AI systems are moving beyond digital environments into real-world applications. The security camera market represents a massive opportunity, with millions of existing cameras that could benefit from AI enhancement without requiring complete system overhauls.
Coram’s approach addresses a critical pain point: most businesses already have security cameras but lack the resources to monitor them effectively. By transforming passive recording devices into intelligent, queryable systems, AI agents could revolutionize how organizations approach safety and security. The technology’s ability to understand natural language queries and proactively identify threats represents a paradigm shift from reactive to predictive security.
The broader implications extend to workforce transformation, as these “virtual security guards” could augment or replace traditional monitoring roles, raising important questions about employment, privacy, and surveillance ethics. As AI agents proliferate across industries, Coram’s success could accelerate adoption in physical security, setting standards for how AI integrates with existing infrastructure rather than requiring costly replacements.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/coram-ai-integrate-ai-agents-in-security-cameras-2025-1