Biofire Technologies announced that it is emerging from three years in stealth mode, having raised $17 million in seed funding to bring its Smart Gun to market- the largest private investment in a firearm technology startup in history.

The firm's biometrically-authenticated handgun instantly unlocks for users authorized by its owner, but remains locked for all others. Biofire's diverse group of backers includes early funders of Google, Airbnb, SpaceX, Tesla, Flatiron Health, and GitHub.

Biofire's unique approach to firearm safety has garnered bipartisan support from more than 50 VCs, private family offices, and high net-worth individuals, including Biofire board member Lt. General Guy C. Swan III (ret.), Ron Conway, Founder of SV Angel and the Smart Tech Challenges Foundation, and bestselling author Gavin de Becker.