Guard Owl, a private security startup founded by Sam Abelyan, Narek Kajikian, and Edrees Tabibzada, has closed a $3 million seed round led by Tower Research Capital. The company aims to revolutionize the private security industry by applying agentic AI to improve efficiency, accountability, and transparency in security operations. Kajikian, a former SpaceX engineer, draws parallels between Guard Owl’s mission and SpaceX’s disruption of the aerospace sector. “There’s a lot of parallels to what SpaceX did with the aerospace industry,” he told Business Insider. “We’re applying the same kind of innovation—automation, data-driven decision-making, and system-level thinking—to an industry that’s been slow to evolve.” Guard Owl’s platform offers real-time GPS tracking for security personnel, allowing clients to verify that guards are present, alert, and on duty. This feature addresses longstanding concerns about accountability and performance in the security workforce. The company also plans to automate 50% of a client’s back-office operations—such as payroll, billing, and compliance—by the end of the year, reducing administrative burdens. Long-term, Guard Owl envisions integrating its platform with existing security camera systems and introducing an Uber-like marketplace for security guards. This feature would allow guards to find local shifts, receive performance reviews, and build reputations based on their work—creating a more dynamic, transparent, and efficient labor market within the security industry. The startup already counts major clients such as Aldi, designer Alexander Wang, and real estate firm Greystar among its users. Kajikian sees a vast, underdeveloped market: “Palantir is for the FBI and CIA—those are national intelligence systems. Anduril is for defense, protecting the country from foreign threats. I see Guard Owl as the future security infrastructure for everyday America—our local businesses, properties, and communities.” With its new funding, Guard Owl is poised to scale its technology, expand its client base, and further develop its AI-driven platform. The company’s vision is not just to digitize security operations but to fundamentally restructure how private security is managed, hired, and monitored in the United States.