Koniku

Koniku is a synthetic biotechnology company that develops "smell cyborgs," devices that combine living biological neurons with silicon to detect volatile organic compounds in the air. The company's flagship product, Konikore, weighs less than 600 grams and uses engineered living biological neurons to replicate the function of a dog's nose. This technology enables the device to autonomously and intelligently read the air, detecting a range of compounds in real-time. Koniku's products have applications in various sectors, including aviation security, healthcare, manufacturing, food safety, and industrial monitoring. The company's proprietary data set is fed into a machine learning backend, positioning Koniku to classify and create value from all smells that impact human life. In July 2022, Koniku expanded its partnership with Airbus Americas to advance aviation safety and security. The collaboration aims to develop the Konikore by Airbus solution, which will enable a seamless travel experience from curbside to gate while enhancing existing security measures. Beyond explosives detection, the Konikore can identify drugs like amphetamines, fentanyl, and hundreds of other compounds, with plans to expand its capabilities to detect contraband, viruses, and pathogens.

Key customers and partnerships

Koniku has established notable partnerships in the aviation industry. In July 2022, the company expanded its collaboration with Airbus Americas, which began in 2017, to advance aviation safety and security. This partnership aims to develop the Konikore by Airbus solution for enhancing airport security measures. Airbus joined the Koniku Technology Integrator Ecosystem (KTIE) to build on Koniku's proprietary wetware technology stack. The collaboration involves Airbus' engineering capabilities across the US, including MTM Robotics, a fully-owned Airbus subsidiary, which will develop and prototype software-hardware integration solutions. Koniku and Airbus have conducted multiple successful tests and performance validations in partnership with local and federal law enforcement agencies and airport security operations.