Flock Safety CEO on the future of surveillance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
▼ Summary
– Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 about AI, surveillance, and public safety, addressing the privacy vs. safety debate.
– Flock Safety, co-founded in 2017, sells surveillance technology including license plate recognition and drone first responders to businesses and law enforcement.
– The company raised $275 million last year, reaching a $7.5 billion valuation, with $950 million in total funding since inception.
– Flock faces backlash from privacy advocates like the ACLU, including camera destruction, the end of a partnership with Amazon’s Ring, and a lapsed deal with the LAPD.
– TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place October 13-15 in San Francisco, featuring this discussion among other events for founders and tech enthusiasts.
The boundaries separating privacy from public safety have never been more blurred, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes the surveillance landscape. At the epicenter of this evolving controversy sits Flock Safety, a company that has attracted both massive investment and fierce public scrutiny.
That’s precisely why TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 has invited Flock’s founder and CEO Garrett Langley to the main stage. He will address these charged issues head-on. Disrupt has long hosted candid, high-stakes conversations, and this session promises to be no exception.
Langley’s examination of AI, surveillance, and the future of public safety is only one highlight among many. This year’s event runs October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. You can explore the full lineup of announced programming here, or secure the best early-bird pricing right here.
How Flock Safety and Langley arrived at Disrupt 2026
Langley is no stranger to the startup ecosystem. Before founding Flock, he led the car subscription service Clutch and oversaw engineering and design teams at the platform Experience, which was sold to Cox Enterprises for $200 million in 2014.
Flock Safety launched in 2017 alongside co-founders Matt Feury and Paige Todd. After going through Y Combinator, the company found rapid success selling its surveillance technology to businesses and law enforcement agencies. While most people associate Flock with license plate recognition, its cameras serve broader surveillance purposes. The company has also moved into drone first responders following its acquisition of Aerodome.
Flock’s most recent fundraise, a $275 million round last year, pushed its valuation to $7.5 billion, a sharp jump from the prior year’s $4.8 billion. In total, the company has raised $950 million since its inception.
That financial success has been matched by significant pushback. Privacy advocates like the ACLU and members of the public have voiced strong opposition. Some have even destroyed Flock’s cameras. The company continues to offer its databases to U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has drawn particular criticism. Two notable setbacks include Amazon’s Ring ending its partnership with Flock and the LAPD allowing its deal with the company to expire earlier this month.
Langley will discuss how Flock navigates the increasingly intertwined worlds of AI and surveillance. The conversation is expected to be illuminating for both the company’s supporters and its critics.
To see the discussion live and connect with more than 10,000 founders, investors, tech enthusiasts, and innovators flocking to San Francisco for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 from October 13-15, grab a ticket at the best price you’ll see all year right here.
(Source: TechCrunch)