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“We are proud to offer the Biofire Smart Gun as a new option for consumers. And we firmly believe that personalized firearm technology should remain a choice for responsible gun owners, one innovative solution among many. Mandates of personalized firearm technology, however well-intentioned, backfire by unintentionally stifling innovation and creating a backlash against adoption of the technology that such mandates intend to promote. I want to be very clear here: The Americans who choose our technology do so trusting that we support their freedom of choice. The existence of the technology, and our ability to develop it, rests upon that foundation of trust. Our goal is to work alongside the firearms community and policymakers to ensure this technology is adopted voluntarily because it proves its value, not because it is forced.”

On April 10th, 2025, Biofire CEO and Founder Kai Kloepfer gave guest testimony virtually on behalf of Biofire at the Massachusetts Special Legislative Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology. Kai reaffirmed Biofire’s stance against mandates that restrict gun owners’ right to choose the firearms that best fit their situation.

This follows Biofire’s clear commitments and previous action, including filing an amicus letter with the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in connection with the Boland v. Bonta litigation, which challenges the constitutionality of the California Unsafe Handgun Act (the “UHA”).

Biofire continues to be actively engaged with owners, advocates, regulators, and lawmakers across the country to build consensus-driven solutions that enhance safety. The Biofire Smart Gun has been added to Massachusetts’, Maryland’s and California’s handgun rosters showing recognition of Biofire’s efforts to advance the options of gun owners to choose the safest firearm for them.

DOWNLOAD KAI KLOEPFER’S GUEST TESTIMONY HERE.

View the live testimony.

GUEST TESTIMONY OF KAI KLOEPFER
FOUNDER AND CEO, BIOFIRE

The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Special Legislative Commission on Emerging Firearm Technology

Good afternoon, Chair Moore, Chair Lipper-Garabedian, and members of this Commission. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Kai Kloepfer, and I am the Founder and CEO of Biofire, the leading developer of personalized firearm technology.

Firearm-related causes took the lives of 47,000 Americans in 2023 and impacted, through injury and other harms, millions more. Around sixty percent of these deaths are the result of suicide and accidents, rather than violent crime.[1] Unauthorized access to firearms is a leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States.[2] Children and teens are particularly vulnerable because they are curious, impulsive, and lack awareness of the dangers posed by improper use of firearms. Everyone can agree that reducing unauthorized access to firearms is an important part of tackling this broader challenge.

Equally clear is that firearms are a permanent fixture of the culture of the United States and are protected by well-established Constitutional law. More Americans are purchasing firearms each year for personal protection. Sporting, competitive shooting and other firearm-related activities are core to American culture.

The question before us, as citizens, as neighbors, and as parents, is how to reconcile our rights with the safety we all deserve? How do we reduce tragic accidents among the public, while also preserving their freedom? It is poignant to be addressing this topic with public servants in Boston, a city rich with the history of wrestling with these very ideas.

Biofire’s mission is to develop a technology-driven and pragmatic approach to address some critical aspects of this public health issue while simultaneous preserving the freedoms of American citizens. I know that technology is not a panacea – but innovation has an important role to play, and so I want to thank you again for welcoming our voice to the table. Before I delve deeper, let me state Biofire’s core policy position clearly: we oppose any law that would mandate, whether de jure or de facto, the use or sale of personalized firearm technology. We aim to develop technology that delivers choices, not restricts them.

I have been working on personalized firearm technology for 13 years and founded Biofire in 2016 with the aim to apply America’s unique strength in technology to the uniquely American challenges around firearm violence, especially those involving children and teens. I spent some of these years at MIT before dropping out in 2018, driven by an urgent need to tackle this issue full time. Biofire is the only venture-backed company in the firearms space. We have raised over $50 million from some of our country’s top investors, and this funding has enabled us to build a world-class team with experience in defense, aerospace, medical devices, automotive, and firearms. We’ve assembled this talent to focus on developing the Biofire Smart Gun.

We are proud to be the pioneers in this space, but we are also keenly aware of the responsibility that comes with introducing a new class of firearm. From the beginning, our focus has been on keeping gun owners and their families safe. This requires a highly reliable, instantly accessible firearm for self-defense, and, just as importantly, a robust safety system our customers can trust to prevent unintended use.

Biofire has made significant progress addressing the technical challenges of creating a firearm that is both instantly available for its owner while simultaneously always locked from unauthorized use. We officially unveiled the Biofire Smart Gun in April 2023 and began taking pre-order reservations from the public at that time​. The public interest in purchasing a Smart Gun is substantial. We’ve received thousands of pre-order deposits from customers across the country. We see real, present demand for personalized firearm technology from all fifty states. We devoted last year, 2024, to extensive final testing and limited beta production. This year, we are ramping to full production to fulfill those orders.

Our Smart Gun has undergone rigorous evaluation to meet all applicable safety requirements for handguns. As of early 2025, the Biofire Smart Gun has been approved for sale in all fifty states, including being added to the official handgun rosters in Massachusetts, California, and Maryland​. In addition, the Smart Gun is approved in California as a Firearm Safety Device, meeting the stringent requirements for equipment intended to keep firearms secure from unauthorized use. The Biofire Smart Gun represents the first time that a firearm itself has also been certified as a Firearm Safety Device by the California Department of Justice.

We are proud to offer the Biofire Smart Gun as a new option for consumers. And we firmly believe that personalized firearm technology should remain a choice for responsible gun owners, one innovative solution among many. Mandates of personalized firearm technology, however well-intentioned, backfire by unintentionally stifling innovation and creating a backlash against adoption of the technology that such mandates intend to promote. I want to be very clear here: The Americans who choose our technology do so trusting that we support their freedom of choice. The existence of the technology, and our ability to develop it, rests upon that foundation of trust. Our goal is to work alongside the firearms community and policymakers to ensure this technology is adopted voluntarily because it proves its value, not because it is forced.

I’d like to give an overview of the Biofire Smart Gun itself – what it is, how it works, and why it’s unique.

The Biofire Smart Gun is a 9mm semi-automatic handgun designed primarily for home defense​. We chose to prioritize home defense over other use cases – such as concealed carry – because it is the critical need. Many Americans purchase their first firearm for home defense and are at higher risk of mistakes compared to more experienced firearm owners in other categories.

The home is also where children and teenagers most often have inadvertent access to firearms. Millions of American children live in homes with loaded and unsecured firearms,[3]​ and tragedies all too often occur when a child or teen accesses a gun. Furthermore, nearly 95% of stolen firearms traced by the ATF are stolen from private citizens,[4] often from the home.

The Biofire Smart Gun is designed, engineered, and manufactured from the ground up specifically to incorporate biometric authentication as a first-class feature. This differs substantially from prior approaches that attempted to retrofit electronics onto existing firearms or took an off-the-shelf mechanical firearm design and attempted to tweak it with technology. Our clean-slate approach is required to create a product that is reliable both as a safety device and as a firearm. The Smart Gun’s safety features are not add-ons; they are built into the very core of the firearm. This has allowed us to deliver on the key premise of a Smart Gun: a home-defense handgun that feels and functions like a traditional, high-quality pistol for the authorized user, yet is always locked for anyone else.

The Smart Gun unlocks almost instantaneously​ when needed by an authorized user. This functionality is powered by our proprietary Guardian Biometric Engine – a redundant biometric authentication system integrating fingerprint and facial recognition sensors – that, together, robustly authenticates a user across the wide range of conditions incumbent to the real-world use of firearms. In practice, this feels seamless – the user simply picks up the Smart Gun as they would any other handgun. The use of biometrics means that there is no password to remember. There is no pin code that a child can oversee. There are no physical keys that can be misplaced or stolen. And, importantly, there is nothing that can be taken from the owner in order to use their handgun. Critically, if anyone other than an authorized user picks up the weapon, it remains locked and unable to fire​.

By default, the firearm is always in a safe, locked state except when it is being held by an authorized user. Additionally, the moment the firearm leaves an authorized user’s hand – for example if the user sets the firearm down or it is taken from them by an assailant – it automatically disarms without any affirmative action required by the owner. It is worth noting that while our sophisticated electronics and biometric authentication mechanisms essentially act to convert the Smart Gun into a traditional firearm for the authorized user, it is this automatic deactivation upon release that is the core safety feature in preventing unauthorized or accidental use. It removes much of the human error from the equation of safe gun storage.

Under the hood, Biofire has created the world’s first electronic fire control system in a handgun. This “fire-by-wire” approach, where there exists no mechanical connection between the trigger and the firing pin, enables the Smart Gun to arm and disarm extremely quickly and reliably. The experience of using the firearm remains familiar for an authorized user, as the user pulls the trigger, the Smart Gun makes a sub-millisecond fire control decision based on if the user is authenticated. This approach also greatly enhances the robustness of the safety mechanism against attempts to bypass it. There is no “lock” or other mechanism that can be removed or tampered with to convert the Smart Gun back into a traditional firearm, as the electronic fire control system is an integral, and specialized, part of the function of the firearm.

Beyond the core safety features, Biofire takes the privacy of its users extremely seriously. All biometric data is stored locally on the firearm in encrypted form​. This encryption is zero-knowledge, which means that no one, not even Biofire, has access to the encryption keys used to protect the data as they are generated securely within the Smart Gun itself. Additionally, the Smart Gun does not have any wireless connectivity – there is no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, or, broadly, radio frequency capability in the firearm itself​. This closed-system approach protects the owner’s information and ensures the Smart Gun cannot be accessed remotely.

Finally, the Biofire Smart Gun supports up to five authorized users per firearm​. The owner can add additional trusted users – for example, a spouse, an adult family member, or a close friend​. This decision is made by the owner, and any changes require the owner’s biometric information to confirm the addition of a user. This flexibility allows each family to decide who should have access to their firearm. If the situation changes, the owner can instantly revoke access. This is analogous to having multiple keys to a safe – and the owner decides who holds the keys.

In summary, the Biofire Smart Gun is a fully integrated, sophisticated firearm that marries state-of-the-art electronics and software with high-quality mechanical performance and reliability. For an authorized user, it functions just like a traditional 9mm pistol – they can use the Smart Gun with no special steps needed beyond picking it up and pulling the trigger. For anyone else, it is a heavily engineered paperweight.

I want to now turn to Biofire’s perspective on policy.

As the only company that is currently offering a commercially available personalized firearm, we have a unique viewpoint on how personalized firearm technology and emerging firearm technologies like ours should be contemplated by legislation and regulation. In short, Biofire opposes any government mandates requiring the use, sale, or exclusive availability of personalized firearms, expressly or otherwise. We instead support approaches that incentivize voluntary adoption without infringing on consumer choice or the broader firearms market.

Let me outline a few key points underlying our position:

First, let us be clear, any mandate of personalized firearm technology is a de facto gun ban.

Biofire is currently the only manufacturer with a viable personalized firearm on the market, and we currently produce a single model, which is highly optimized for home defense to the exclusion of other use cases. In comparison, the US commercial firearms market today comprises thousands of models of firearms from a competitive group of manufacturers, with each model competing for a different use case and niche. This is how the firearms industry, like any industry, addresses the wide range of different ways that Americans own and use firearms.

Any law that required all, or any subset, of gun purchasers to buy only personalized firearms would force consumers into a very narrow selection – currently one model – which is, as compared to the thousands of models of traditional firearms, highly unlikely to meet their needs. This also places impossible and existential expectations on any developer of personalized firearm technology. While we are confident that we have built the best handgun possible for home defense, it is truly impossible for us to build any single model of firearm that can meet every use case with the same degree of care we have paid towards home defense. We are one manufacturer of one type of product in a diverse market with many types of products. Mandating Smart Guns would be like mandating that the only vehicle available for purchase in America is a Tesla Cybertruck – a position jarringly disconnected from the needs of the American public.

Additionally, the Biofire Smart Gun currently retails for $1,500, a premium priced product. While we have worked hard to keep our cost as affordable as possible, investing millions into cost reduction initiatives, a Smart Gun contains hundreds of dollars of advanced electronics, sensors, and optics not present in a traditional firearm. This places the Biofire Smart Gun, at least for now, out of reach of many Americans who have very real and present need to own a firearm.

Finally, from a very tactical perspective, while Biofire is rapidly scaling our manufacturing capacity we are a single early-stage company with limited production capacity. No company today, including Biofire, is prepared to supply an entire state’s demand for handguns with a single product line. A mandate would likely leave law-abiding citizens with no available gun to purchase at all, the literal definition of a gun ban. This zero-sum scenario is one major reason we oppose mandates – it pits new technology against old in a way that is counterproductive.

This is not just opinion, we have seen this play out in practice. A previous personalized firearm mandate law enacted 2002 in New Jersey backfired so spectacularly that it was effectively repealed by its sponsors in 2019​. During those intervening years, rather than spurring innovation as intended, that mandate froze the personalized firearm space: it antagonized gun owners who feared losing access to traditional firearms and deterred investors from funding personalized firearm development.

Even the most ardent advocates now agree that the New Jersey approach was counterproductive​. Mandates will stifle innovation and investment in our young industry, just as the prior ones did. We are not here to repeat history, especially at a time where the Biofire Smart Gun is gaining rapid traction with the American public. No mandates of personalized firearm technology are in place today, and Biofire will be first in line to fight against any future mandate of personalized firearm technology​.

Second, personalized firearm technology is complex, expensive, and not easily replicated.

Biofire has deployed the best of America’s technologists, engineers, and designers for over seven years towards the development of this product, at a cost of tens of millions of dollars. This is not akin to designing a biometric safe using off the shelf components from China; we have deeply integrated a custom miniaturized computer, sensor suite and novel electronic fire control system into a firearm – while ensuring that it will function as required in the extreme conditions inherent to this use case.

The high development cost and technical expertise required mean that no traditional gun manufacturer has yet developed a similar product, in large part because of these significant financial and engineering hurdles.

If lawmakers mandated that all guns be personalized, you’d effectively be handing a monopoly to one small company until others catch up. That’s not healthy for competition, the American public, or fostering innovation in safety technology. Furthermore, there’s no guarantee that other manufacturers could quickly produce a safe and reliable personalized firearm even if compelled – it’s far from trivial. A mandate could thus stall the entire firearms market waiting for others to develop compliant products.

We believe a better approach is to allow this technology to mature and prove itself in the market on its own merits. In time, if personalized firearms from multiple manufacturers become available and cost-effective, more consumers will opt for them voluntarily. Innovation needs room to breathe.

Third, the Biofire Smart Gun is not a panacea for every issue related to guns, nor is it intended for every use case. We are the first to acknowledge that our product does not render traditional firearms obsolete, nor will it prevent all forms of gun violence. It is a specific solution aimed at a specific problem set: unauthorized use, particularly in the home.

We caution against viewing personalized firearms as single solution for many broader issues. For example, our solution does not inhibit individuals who are legally able to purchase firearms from buying a weapon to do harm. However, personalized firearms are one of very few options identified by public health experts as likely to reduce child accidents and teen suicides in households that own firearms. These are situations where the firearm is being used in a way that no gun owner ever intends, and thus a product-based approach like the Smart Gun is a good fit.

We are laser-focused on making our firearm the best option for people who want an extra layer of safety at home. For other responsible gun owners who prefer traditional models, that is absolutely their right – and we firmly support firearm owners’ freedom of choice​. In fact, I believe offering the Smart Gun as a voluntary choice is what will make the technology successful in the long run. Americans have a clear propensity to embrace innovation when it’s not forced upon them. Mandates or blanket bans only breed resentment or skepticism, whereas demonstrating the value of the product will earn trust over time.

If mandates are not a productive approach to accelerate adoption of personalized firearm technology, what are some approaches that could bear fruit?

In states, like Massachusetts, where there is public and political momentum around studying and promoting personalized firearm technology, incentive programs could be a positive way to accelerate voluntary adoption. For instance, states might offer tax credits, rebates, or other financial incentives for those who purchase a personalized firearm for home defense. These incentives could offset some of the premium associated with this novel technology and enable a wider range of Americans access to personalized firearms, where they might otherwise only be able to afford a traditional firearm. This could, in particular, have an outsize impact in some of our most vulnerable communities.

When citizens are considering a product like a firearm, where there are lives at stake, they look to trusted experts for advice. States could engage the firearm experts they already employ in law enforcement and public safety to assist with independent evaluation and trust building around high-quality personalized firearms.

Updating safe storage laws to expressly include personalized firearms, a safe storage technology clearly superior to any other on the market, would also incentivize adoption and increase compliance with these laws.

Instead of mandates and coercion, we support a market-driven approach supplemented by thoughtful incentives. Let the best solutions rise to the top because people want them and because they are better than the competition, not because they’re the only legal option. Any proposed incentive structure must preserve consumer choice and not penalize those who opt for traditional firearms.

I am confident that as our Smart Gun continues to prove itself – as early adopters have positive experiences and as independent experts vet its quality – more and more Americans will choose to adopt this technology. That organic growth is important. It sends a signal to other manufacturers that there is a viable market here, which will encourage competition, investment, and further innovation. Nothing would slow that progress more than a premature mandate that causes backlash or discourages others from investing in R&D.

Before concluding, let me clearly address a specific concern we often hear from our customers: the fear that personalized firearms might be used by policymakers as a tool to restrict access to traditional guns. Biofire is understandably very sensitive to this concern. I want to state unambiguously that we do not support using our technology as a pretext to ban or confiscate other firearms. We have and will continue to oppose any attempt to politicize our product or personalized firearm technology more broadly.

As one example, we have not and will not submit our Smart Gun to New Jersey’s personalized firearm roster for precisely this reason. Under New Jersey’s personalized firearm roster law, the moment a personalized firearm is officially certified, every gun store in the state would be required to stock it, which is an undue burden on retailers and could engender political weaponization of our technology​.

We’re building positive long-term relationships with the firearms industry, the dealers, instructors and enthusiasts who our customers rely on for advice, training and service. The industry is excited about the Biofire Smart Gun and willing to judge it on its own merits. Forcing arbitrary additional administrative burdens on gun stores doesn’t incentivize them to support our technology; it does the exactly the opposite.

In closing, I want to reiterate that Biofire’s goal is first and foremost to advance the development of firearm safety technology. We are the vanguard, tackling the challenges of the frontier to materialize new, better choices for American gun owners. This goal is not realized by mandating adoption of a premium technology that is limited in supply and not intended for every situation.

We believe this technology can save American lives lost every day to gun violence, and we’re bringing it to market in that hopeful spirit. These are not statistics in a CDC database, these are your community members, your neighbors, even your family, being impacted by the very real costs of gun injury. We strongly believe the success of this technology relies on earning the trust of gun owners and the public, not on government edicts that turn personalized firearms into a political football. Smart Guns must stand on their own merits as a safety innovation.

Biofire stands ready to work with policymakers, law enforcement, public health experts, and, more broadly, the firearms community to develop sensible incentive programs that will encourage the adoption of personalized firearms in a way that respects Americans’ rights and choices. Let’s advance safety and innovation through collaboration, not coercion.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide Biofire’s perspective and experience to this Commission, and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.

[1] CDC WONDER, 2023.

[2] CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, December 15, 2023.

[3] Miller M, Azrael D. Firearm Storage in US Households With Children: Findings From the 2021 National Firearm Survey. JAMA Network Open. 2022 Feb 1;5(2):e2148823. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.48823. PMID: 35191973; PMCID: PMC8864510.

[4] US ATF National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA) - Volume 4, Part II.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/report/nfcta-volume-iv-part-ii-%E2%80%93-firearm-thefts-and-losses-updates-and-new-analysis/download

Biofire joined industry exhibitors on January 21, 2025 at SHOT Show® Industry Day at the Range™ for live demonstrations of the Smart Gun. Attendees were able to see the Smart Gun first hand, and get an early opportunity to demo the shooting experience with the Biofire team out in the wild.

Biofire’s presence drew significant attention from event attendees, and you can read or watch their takes below:

• Would You Buy Biofire’s Smart Gun? – GunsAmerica shares their take on the Biofire Smart Gun after a demo at SHOT Show in both an article and video. Read more or watch now.
• RECOIL Includes Biofire in Their SHOT Show Day 1 Roundup – Biofire gets featured in RECOIL’s SHOT Show day 1 highlights. Read more.
• Biofire: A Smart Gun Company Who Likes Hackers – hands-on shooting and a discussion on Biofire’s approach to cybersecurity and firearm safety. Watch now.
• thegatman SHOT Show Day 1 Range Day – A range-day reaction video including the Biofire Smart Gun in action. Watch now.

• The Biofire Smart Gun has been added to the Massachusetts Approved Firearms Roster.
• Biofire is fully compliant for delivery in all 50 states after passing third-party evaluation and meeting regulatory requirements.

BROOMFIELD, Col., Feb. 14, 2025 The Biofire Smart Gun has been officially added to Massachusetts’ most recent Approved Firearms Roster, marking a key moment: the Smart Gun is now available for delivery in all 50 U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Biofire Smart Gun’s inclusion on Massachusetts’ Approved Firearms Roster comes following passing evaluation by a state-certified, third-party lab and a recommendation from the Massachusetts’ Gun Control Advisory Board.

The Smart Gun’s availability across all 50 U.S. states represents a pivotal moment for the Biofire Smart Gun, and for the advancement of innovation in firearm safety technology in the United States.

This achievement underscores growing recognition of Biofire’s dedication to meeting and exceeding industry safety and reliability requirements. The approval also advances the options of gun owners to choose the safest home defense firearm available, regardless of where they reside.

The Smart Gun has previously been approved and added to Maryland’s handgun roster, and California’s handgun roster and California Firearm Safety Device list paving the way for national availability.

• The Biofire Smart Gun has been added to the California Hand Gun Roster
• Biofire is approved as an integrated Firearm Safety Device

BROOMFIELD, Col., Feb. 6, 2025 Biofire is proud to announce that its groundbreaking Smart Gun has been officially added to California's Department of Justice Handgun Roster and has been approved as an integrated Firearm Safety Device.

This milestone paves the way for California residents to purchase and own the Biofire Smart Gun and be compliant with current California safe storage laws. The Smart Gun’s approval as an integrated Firearm Safety Device allows for storage without having to put it into a safe or using another lock if there is an authorized user enrolled. Biofire encourages owners to always use safe firearms practices, and to enroll into their Smart Gun as soon as possible after receipt.

To be included on California’s Handgun Roster, the Biofire Smart Gun underwent rigorous testing to meet the state’s stringent safety and performance standards. The approval process required multiple production samples of the firearm to pass a series of demanding evaluations, including drop tests, firing tests, and assessments of its integrated firearm safety device. These tests ensured that the Smart Gun functions reliably under various conditions while maintaining its innovative biometric security features. Biofire’s successful completion of these assessments highlights the company’s commitment to delivering a firearm that not only meets but exceeds industry safety requirements.

Biofire is an advocate for innovation in firearm safety technology. The approval of the Biofire Smart Gun represents a positive step toward regulators embracing technological advancements that enhance safety without limiting gun owners’ rights to choose the firearm that is right for them.

Read more about how Biofire supports gun owner’s choice in Boland v. Bonta and watch Biofire’s stance on mandates.

The Smart Gun has previously been approved and added to Maryland’s handgun roster, increasing its availability across the United States.

BROOMFIELD, Col., Feb. 3, 2025. Biofire’s flagship product, the Smart Gun, has been officially added to Maryland’s Handgun Roster by the Handgun Roster Board.

This approval by the Maryland Handgun Roster Board, paves the way for Maryland firearm owners to benefit from the latest advancements in firearm security and technology.

Maryland’s approval and roster inclusion reflects growing recognition of innovation in firearm technology and paves the way for expanding nationwide availability of the Smart Gun.

Biofire is proud to be available as an option for gun owners in Maryland and continues to advocate for the right for gun owners’ to choose the right firearm for them.

Recoil includes the Biofire Smart Gun as one of their highlights from the first day of Shot Show 2025.

Read more on Recoil's website at recoilweb.com/shot-show-2025-day-1-roundup-187195.html

Levi Sim at GunsAmerica shares his thoughts on the Biofire Smart Gun after a hands on experience at SHOT Industry Day at the Range 2025.

He covers the features of the firearm, performance during shooting, and his thoughts on the conversation around smart guns.

Read the full article at https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/would-you-buy-biofires-smart-gun-shot-show-2025/ or watch GunsAmerica's video on Youtube

• First Smart Guns delivered to customers
• Biofire to continue to ramp up production capabilities to deliver on its significant order book generated since pre-order launch

BROOMFIELD, Col., Aug. 6th, 2024. Biofire Group (“Biofire”), a leading defense technology company dedicated to building the future of firearms, today announced that it has delivered the first production Biofire Smart Guns off the manufacturing line to customers.

The Smart Gun® is here. Fulfillment of the first customer Smart Guns represents a key milestone in bringing Biofire’s flagship product to market after its debut last April was met with waves of support.

“The Smart Guns shipped today are the culmination of years of incredible effort and problem solving by the Biofire team,” said Kai Kloepfer, Founder and CEO of Biofire. “This accomplishment marks a realization of a dream that many believed to be impossible, a firearm that is instantly accessible to the owner while remaining secure from unauthorized use: the world’s first and only biometric firearm on the market.”

Bringing the Smart Gun to market required a leap forward in firearm technology and consumer product manufacturing - the likes generally seen in defense, aerospace, or medical devices. Biofire’s novel and advanced approach to firearm development ensured the product not only met, but exceeded the highest standards of modern engineering. Starting with a heavy focus on researching the needs of today’s gun owners, Biofire recognized from an early stage the potential for technology to have a huge impact on firearms.

Designed for home defense, the Biofire Smart Gun enables firearm owners to defend themselves against external threats while preventing unauthorized access and misuse. From its Guardian Biometric Engine™️ to its electronic fire control system and high-endurance battery, the Biofire Smart Gun’s technology ensures that the shooting experience is seamless: authorized users can simply pick up the gun and fire it. The Smart Gun has undergone extensive durability and live-fire testing to ensure it meets these standards. For additional details on the Smart Gun’s advanced technology and features, please visit smartgun.com/tech-specs.

Bringing the Smart Gun to the world would not have been possible without the support of our customers, partners and investors, and with significant investments raised to develop the Smart Gun – to all who supported and believed in Biofire, thank you!

Biofire is the first and only venture capital-backed firearm technology company in the United Sates and has raised $40 million from leading investors including Founders Fund, CAZ Investments, Valhalla Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, Break Trail Ventures, Serafund and K2 Global.

Biofire maintains focus on continuing to fulfill Smart Guns to customers, and customers who have placed reservations will receive information related to their delivery and finalization status based upon the timing of their reservation. Production capabilities will continue ramping up throughout the year.

The Biofire Smart Gun is available to order now at smartgun.com/build with a refundable $149 deposit, total price of $1,499.

About Biofire Group Inc.

Biofire is building the future of firearms. The Biofire Smart Gun is designed around state-of-the-art biometrics, creating a handgun that instantly unlocks for the authorized users and remains locked for all others. Through a vertically-integrated, full-stack, broad reimagining of the firearm industry, Biofire is enhancing gun safety while preserving privacy and civil liberties. For more information visit https://www.smartgun.com or contact [email protected] for media inquiries or [email protected] for investor inquiries.

• CAZ Investments and Valhalla Ventures among new investors joining the Series A financing round led by Founders Fund
• Additional $7 million to accelerate initial production of Biofire’s Smart Gun

BROOMFIELD, Col., Feb. 5, 2024. Biofire Group (“Biofire”), a leading defense technology company dedicated to building the future of firearms, today announced the extension of its Series A financing. The additional $7 million adds to the previously-raised $15 million Series A round led by Founders Funds, which was the first venture capital-led investment into a firearms technology company. The Series A extension included participation from new investors CAZ Investments, Valhalla Ventures, Serafund and K2 Global, along with existing investors Founders Fund, Liquid 2 Ventures, Break Trail Ventures and Gaingels.

“CAZ is proud to support Biofire’s critically-important mission to build the future of firearms - improving firearm safety and ultimately saving lives,” said Sam Levens, Deputy Chief Investment Officer at CAZ Investments. “What Biofire has pioneered - the true integration of software and hardware in firearms - has a vast amount of applications, bringing these new technologies not only to consumers in the US but also to security services, law enforcement and defense agencies in service of America and its allies.”

In 2023, Biofire launched the Biofire Smart Gun for pre-order in the US, becoming the first company in the world to build a handgun from the ground up with a fully-integrated electronic fire-control system and state-of-the-art biometrics. The Smart Gun instantly unlocks for users authorized by its owner, but remains secured from unauthorized use.

“Biofire’s deeply technical approach to revolutionizing the firearms industry continues to gain traction in the market and attract support from exceptional investors,” said Biofire Founder and CEO Kai Kloepfer. “This unwavering support from our investors has positioned Biofire as a technology trailblazer in the industry, and as a non-partisan and pragmatic leader in firearm safety.”

Biofire’s Series A Extension continued to garner strong support from leading venture capital investors, including Valhalla Ventures, further confirming the attractiveness of firearm safety and technology as an investment category for institutional funds.

“The Biofire Smart Gun is a major milestone in the long history of firearm development and ownership in the US, akin to the introduction of the Colt Revolver in 1836 or Browning’s development of the M1911 in the 1890’s,” said Rohan Pujara, General Partner at Valhalla Ventures. “Valhalla is excited to support Biofire on its journey to usher in a new era in firearm technology, manufacturing and customer experience”.

With the additional capital from the Series A Extension, Biofire remains on track for a transformative year in 2024, which will see the first Smart Gun shipped to consumers, the first fire-by-wire firearm in the market and the first handgun manufactured with fully-integrated electronics.

About Biofire Group Inc.

Biofire is building the future of firearms. The Biofire Smart Gun is designed around state-of-the-art biometrics, creating a handgun that instantly unlocks for the authorized users and remains locked for all others. Through a vertically-integrated, full-stack, broad reimagining of the firearm industry, Biofire is enhancing gun safety while preserving privacy and civil liberties. For more information visit smartgun.com or contact [email protected] for media inquiries or [email protected] for investor inquiries.

This week, CEO Kai Kloepfer expressed Biofire’s position on smart gun technology mandates in a video message to our customers: Biofire opposes mandates and always will. We are firmly against any mandates for new firearm technology that restrict gun owners’ right to choose the firearms that best fit their situation.

Biofire is actively working in multiple states to oppose policies that stifle innovation and restrict gun owners’ choices. This week, Biofire filed an amicus letter with the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in connection with the Boland v. Bonta litigation, which challenges the constitutionality of the California Unsafe Handgun Act (the “UHA”). Biofire believes that the regulatory mandate within the UHA stifles innovation in life-saving technologies and creates barriers to adoption of safer products like the Biofire Smart Gun among the gun-owning community.

Biofire is actively engaged with owners, advocates, regulators, and lawmakers across the country to build consensus-driven solutions that enhance safety. We are committed to delivering innovative technology that saves lives, but firearm safety technology should never come at the expense of a gun owner’s right to choose the firearm that’s right for them. Biofire will always actively fight against mandates for new technology, even when policies seem to favor Biofire’s business. If it’s not right for everyone, it’s not right for us.

DOWNLOAD BIOFIRE’S AMICUS LETTER HERE.

Biofire’s amicus letter in support of challenge to California UHA

Molly C. Dwyer, Clerk of the Court
Office of the Clerk
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
P.O. Box 193939
San Francisco, CA 94119-3939

Dear Ms. Dwyer,

In line with Circuit Advisory Committee Note to Rule 29-1, Biofire Technologies Inc. (“Biofire”) respectfully submits this amicus curiae letter stating that it wishes to adopt the Plaintiffs-appellees' arguments in support of affirmance of the district court's ruling. Biofire writes this letter to the Court because it believes it has a unique perspective on handgun safety technology that the record in this matter should reflect. Biofire does not intend to burden the Court with duplicative content and only seeks to inform the Court of the importance of reducing barriers to innovations in handgun safety. Specifically, Biofire believes that the California Unsafe Handgun Act (the “UHA”) disincentivizes innovation in firearm safety by mandating arbitrary technology choices which only a portion of gun manufacturers must comply with, and further by requiring that advances in technology come at the expense of gun owners’ rights to choose which pistols suit their needs and preferences.

The Biofire Smart Gun is the world’s first commercially available biometrically authenticated firearm. It provides the gun’s owner with instant access to protection while ensuring that the gun is secure against unauthorized use, including access by children and use if it is stolen. Since its founding in 2016, Biofire has won respect and accolades from gun owners and supporters who believe in technology’s potential to help prevent thousands of firearm accidents, criminal misuse, suicides, and other tragic outcomes. This state-of-the-art handgun gives gun owners a more secure option for home defense at a time when millions of American children live in households with unsecured firearms.

Biofire’s best-in-class technical teams, bringing decades of experience in defense, military ballistics testing, and high precision-targeting weapons systems, designed the Smart Gun from the ground up to make it impracticable to convert the Smart Gun into a traditional firearm. The firearm is locked in its default state, and instantly unlocks only when either its fingerprint or its facial recognition sensors identify that an authorized user is holding the gun. For the gun’s owner and any additional users authorized by the owner, the Smart Gun shoots like a traditional firearm. When the Smart Gun leaves the control of an authorized user, the firearm instantly locks, making it secure without any further action by the user. To anyone else not authorized, the Smart Gun remains locked, therefore preventing access by children, teens, or others. We hope to have a meaningful impact on reducing the risk of accident, injury, and suicide in households with firearms.

Although the UHA’s stated goal is safety, Biofire asserts that the UHA stifles innovation in firearm safety in two ways. First, by mandating a specific, novel, never-before-commercialized microstamping technology, the UHA requires emerging companies like Biofire to spend limited financial, research, and development resources to attempting implementation of the government’s specifically and arbitrarily designated technology. It is worth noting that no company has implemented microstamping in a commercial firearm in the more than 15 years since the microstamping concept was first introduced by California lawmakers. This requirement comes at the expense of developing and implementing other safety innovations, like biometric authentication, that may have a more meaningful impact on safety. Further, because many pre-existing manufacturers’ products were admitted to California’s handgun roster and continue to be available to sale in California, this requirement places an unfair burden on new, innovative market entrants like Biofire that existing manufacturers are not required to meet. This double standard makes it more difficult for companies like Biofire to bring innovations in firearm safety technology to California consumers.

Second, by requiring that three pistols be removed from the handgun roster for every one that is added, the UHA creates a zero-sum game that puts emerging companies like Biofire in the position of being the catalyst for removal of a consumer’s preferred firearm, with no discernible safety benefit. California gun owners value the ability to choose which handgun is appropriate for their use case, and restrictions on this choice are generally unwelcome. Requiring innovators to be the source of these restrictions hurts their brand reputation with the very customers who may otherwise be enthusiastic adopters of these innovative and safer firearms. Based on strong early demand from California residents, Biofire believes that many California gun owners have and will determine that the Smart Gun will be the best choice for them. However, to the extent that gun owners believe that introduction of the Smart Gun comes at the expense of options available to the gun community, such gun owners will choose to vote with their purchasing power. If gun owners refuse to purchase the Biofire Smart Gun, the technology is not able to save lives.

In sum, the UHA’s requirements make it harder to bring innovative, safer firearms to market and, by eroding gun owners' freedom of choice, the UHA makes innovative firearms less likely to be adopted by gun owners who otherwise would purchase them.

Biofire has received thousands of pre-orders from customers across the country and plans to deliver the first Smart Guns to consumers in late 2023. California is already the largest market for the Biofire Smart Gun based both on raw numbers and on a population adjusted basis; but because the Biofire Smart Gun lacks a microstamping mechanism, the same as every other traditional handgun on the market, it does not meet the requirements of the UHA. So, the provisions of the California Unsafe Handgun Act may restrict the Smart Gun from reaching California. If those provisions stand, Biofire would be forced to refund and cancel hundreds of planned deliveries of the Smart Gun to California residents who have chosen to adopt this lifesaving technology.

In reviewing the State’s opening brief on appeal, Biofire notes the State’s claim that striking down the challenged provisions would allow the retail sale of a “significantly expanded pool of semiautomatic pistols lacking safety features that can save lives”. Appellant’s Opening Brief, at 3. In practice, the opposite has happened: the UHA’s arbitrary requirements have limited safety options and only stand in the way of allowing Californians access to a more secure handgun.

Biofire appreciates the Court’s consideration of its perspective in this matter.

Sincerely,

Kai Kloepfer
Chief Executive Officer
Biofire Technologies Inc.