The main challenge moving forward for WatchDog Robotics is educating potential clients about the effectiveness of its system and that similar fire-suppression technology has already been implemented throughout much of Europe, Ethan Pretsch said. (Courtesy WatchDog Robotics)
Years ago when Ethan Pretsch was working with Mahaffey Event & Tent Rentals, he and others built many structures that needed a critical safety component: fire suppression.
Pretsch, a native Memphian who now lives in Wyoming, quickly realized the complex systems of sprinkler heads and piping seemed cumbersome and inefficient. He envisioned a system that could use artificial intelligence and tech to specifically target fires and keep them from spreading.
Enter WatchDog Robotics. Pretsch’s idea started about 2021, including a trademark or two in 2022. But he met with a software company in 2024, and that’s when development of the company started to accelerate, he said.
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Steve Bohnel is a Temple University graduate, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He’s worked at news organizations in Iowa, Maryland and Pittsburgh, covering local and state politics. He covers health care, transportation and logistics, public companies, banking and finance and technology. He is an avid traveler, an Everton F.C. and Philadelphia sports fan, and likes collecting records and biking around town.
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