Aurelian, a tech startup aiming to support America’s strained emergency response system, has secured $14 million in funding to expand its AI-powered voice assistant. The tool is designed to manage non-emergency 911 calls, easing the burden on overstretched dispatch centers across the country.
The move comes as emergency call centers nationwide face a severe staffing shortage, creating backlogs and increasing pressure on remaining personnel. Aurelian’s technology offers a solution by automatically handling low-priority calls—such as noise complaints, parking issues, and lost property—allowing human dispatchers to focus on true emergencies.
The startup’s pivot into public safety originated from an unusual source: a local salon frustrated by a blocked parking lot and long wait times to report the issue. Founder Brian Keenan discovered that emergency dispatchers were also fielding non-emergency requests, contributing to system-wide inefficiencies. From this, Aurelian’s AI assistant was born.
The AI agent can recognize whether a call is a genuine emergency. If so, it reroutes the caller to a human dispatcher. Otherwise, it collects relevant information, generates a report, and forwards it to the appropriate agency for follow-up—without tying up emergency resources.
Since launching in May 2024, Aurelian’s system has been adopted by over a dozen jurisdictions, including Snohomish County, Washington; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Kalamazoo, Michigan. These areas report benefits such as reduced call volumes and shorter hold times for emergency callers.
Aurelian maintains that the AI does not replace human workers, but fills critical staffing gaps created by a high-turnover industry. Dispatchers in some counties report working up to 16-hour shifts due to chronic understaffing.
With fresh investment, Aurelian plans to scale its AI solution to more cities, addressing a growing public safety concern with cutting-edge technology.
