City Detect, a startup that uses computer vision to help local governments monitor building conditions and neighborhood maintenance issues, said Friday it has raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by Prudence Venture Capital.
The company launched in 2021. Co-founder Gavin Baum-Blake, who now serves as chief executive, said the startup was created partly in response to challenges cities face in tracking urban deterioration.
Baum-Blake said local governments often struggle to identify and respond to problems such as deteriorating buildings, illegal dumping, and other maintenance issues across large urban areas.
Using Computer Vision To Monitor City Infrastructure
City Detect’s system collects images of streets and buildings using cameras mounted on public service vehicles.
Garbage trucks, street sweepers, and other municipal vehicles capture photographs as they travel through neighborhoods. The company’s software then analyzes the images using computer vision technology.
The system functions similarly to a mapping platform but focuses on identifying building conditions and infrastructure issues.
“The problems could be graffiti, illegal dumping, litter that’s on the side of the road,” Baum-Blake said in an interview with TechCrunch.
The data collected by the system is shared with local governments, which can then dispatch crews to address the identified issues.
Automating A Traditionally Manual Process
Monitoring building conditions has historically relied on manual inspections.
Baum-Blake said that approach limits how many properties officials can review within a given period.
“They’re able to do 50 per week,” he said of human inspectors tasked with identifying deteriorating buildings. “Whereas we’re able to do thousands per week.”
The company’s technology, which Baum-Blake said is patented, includes several features designed for municipal use.
Faces and vehicle license plates captured in images are automatically blurred to protect privacy. The software can also distinguish between street art and vandalism.
The system also analyzes structural elements of buildings.
“We’re able to see if there’s structural roof issues or we’re able to identify if there’s been storm damage,” Baum-Blake said.
The technology can also help cities determine whether property owners are maintaining their buildings according to local regulations.
Expansion Across U.S. Cities
City Detect currently operates in at least 17 cities and works with local governments including Dallas and Miami.
The startup has raised $15 million in total funding since its founding.
The company is also a member of the GovAI Coalition, a group focused on governance frameworks for artificial intelligence systems.
City Detect said it is SOC 2 Type II compliant, meaning it has undergone independent certification related to data security and privacy controls.
The company has also published a responsible AI policy outlining how its technology is used.
Baum-Blake said the policy was developed after several government partners requested clearer commitments from vendors working with public agencies.
“We published our Responsible AI policy in response to a consortium of local governments that stated they were looking for clarity on what vendors were actually willing to commit to,” he said.
“We committed to this policy so that our local government partners could know what to expect from us.”
Funding To Support Technology Development
City Detect said the new funding will support hiring additional engineers and further development of its storm damage detection capabilities.
The company also plans to expand its presence across the United States.
Baum-Blake said the system has already produced operational improvements for local governments using the technology.
“We are seeing huge efficiency gains across the departments that we work with,” he said.
He added that cities using the system are resolving maintenance issues faster and detecting problems earlier.
“We’re seeing more instances of blight being solved without anyone receiving a citation, we’re seeing tires and litter, and illegal dumping being abated quicker and detected quicker,” Baum-Blake said.
“It’s exciting to see technology-forward municipalities lean into predictive AI like City Detect’s models.”
Additional investors in the Series A round include Zeal Capital Partners, Knoll Ventures, and Las Olas Venture Capital.
Featured image credits: aqua cloud
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.