Investors back companies for all sorts of reasons. It’s not every day they back one where success could ultimately be measured in lives saved.
Miami-based XSponse recently secured a strategic investment from Armory Capital, giving the school safety startup fresh capital to expand manufacturing, accelerate product development, and grow nationwide. Financial terms were not disclosed, but founder and CEO Lee Mandel said the partnership represents the validation of a mission shaped by one of Florida’s darkest chapters.
Founded in 2024, XSponse develops an integrated platform of software and hardware designed to help schools and first responders react faster during emergencies. That mission carries particular weight because two of the company’s co-founders, Ryan Petty and Andy Pollack, lost their daughters in the 2018 Parkland school shooting.
“It’s really all about saving seconds and saving lives,” Mandel told Refresh Miami. “Our technology is truly based on giving first responders access to information that they would not normally have.”
Mandel [pictured above] understands the problem from firsthand experience. Before launching XSponse, he built and later sold a security integration company that installed cameras, access control systems, and other physical security infrastructure.
“They spent millions of dollars on cameras. You have every door controlled. But where are your challenges?” he said. “The challenges truly are getting first responders accurate information in a timely fashion.”
Rather than replacing existing security systems, XSponse adds another layer. First responders can remotely unlock doors before arriving on campus, communicate through a school’s PA system, and gain visual access to classrooms during emergencies. To address privacy concerns, the company developed a patented mechanical shutter that physically covers classroom cameras during normal school hours and opens only when an emergency is activated.
Its product lineup also includes the XWearable, which combines an employee ID badge with an emergency alert device, and XShield, a touchscreen classroom hub that integrates communication, emergency response, and privacy-controlled video. Together, the products form what Mandel described as “a true ecosystem.”
The company has moved quickly. After launching its dealer network in early 2025 and shipping its first products later that year, XSponse has grown to 16 full-time employees and approximately 86 security dealers across the country.
“We started off with one or two pilots. Right now, we have a tremendous backlog that we’re trying to fulfill,” Mandel said.
The Armory Capital investment will help the company expand U.S. manufacturing, strengthen its engineering and sales teams, and continue developing its AI-powered safety platform. During his interview with Refresh Miami, Mandel said production remains entirely U.S.-based through manufacturing partners in New York and Pennsylvania.
“We’ve gotten the interest. We’ve proven the concept. We’ve done our pilots,” he said. “It’s now all about scaling.”
Although XSponse is already working with schools nationwide, Mandel sees an even broader future. The company plans to expand further into healthcare, municipalities, and public safety while continuing to build tools that help first responders make faster, better-informed decisions.
“We’re constantly looking at what we can do to speed up response time,” he said. “We’re always looking at new ways of integrating technology and providing first responders with tools.”
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- HealthSnap raises $25M to turn its AI promise into a growth engine – August 6, 2026
- XSponse wants to give first responders the seconds that save lives – August 6, 2026
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