RapidSOS
{{Short description|Technology company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = RapidSOS
| logo = RapidSOS_logo.svg
| type = Startup Company
| foundation = {{start date and age|2012}}
| founders = Michael Martin and Nicholas Horelik
| location = New York, United States
| products = {{unbulleted list|RapidSOS Connect|RapidSOS Safety|RapidSOS Portal|RapidSOS Premium|RapidSOS Integrations}}
| industry = Public Safety, Software
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.rapidsos.com/}}
| num_employees =
| revenue =
}}
RapidSOS is an intelligent safety platform that securely links data to 9-1-1 and first responders. It connects more than 500 million devices directly to 15,000+ first responder agencies.{{cite web|title=RapidSOS, an emergency response data provider, raises $30M as it grows from 10K users to 250M|date=6 November 2018 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/06/rapidsos-an-emergency-response-data-provider-raises-30m-as-it-grows-from-10k-users-to-250m/amp/|publisher=TechCrunch|accessdate=10 December 2019}}
Founded in 2012 by Michael Martin and Nicholas Horelik, RapidSOS partners with IoT companies to improve caller data accuracy in 9-1-1 centers.{{cite news |title=How a startup is quietly transforming our antiquated 911 system |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/startup-rapidsos-aims-to-transform-911-calls/ |accessdate=10 December 2019 |work=CBS News}} RapidSOS’ first product was the Haven mobile application. Since its foundation, the company has sent emergency data to 9-1-1 telecommunicators without users needing to use an app.
The company has introduced product offerings such as RapidSOS Safety, RapidSOS Portal, RapidSOS Premium, and RapidSOS Integrations. RapidSOS has working relations with companies like Apple,{{Cite web|title=Apple's iOS 12 securely and automatically shares emergency location with 911|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/06/apple-ios-12-securely-and-automatically-shares-emergency-location-with-911/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Apple Newsroom|language=en-US}} Axon,{{Cite web|title=RapidSOS and Axon ink deal to give better real-time information to emergency responders|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/22/rapidsos-and-axon-ink-deal-to-give-better-real-time-information-to-emergency-responders/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=TechCrunch|date=22 April 2021 |language=en-US}} Uber,{{Cite web|date=2019-03-14|title=Uber's Emergency Button|url=https://www.uber.com/newsroom/emergencybutton/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Uber Newsroom}} Google,{{Cite web|last=Deahl|first=Dani|date=2018-09-19|title=Android phones in the US will now automatically share your location during 911 calls|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/19/17878382/android-phones-location-sharing-emergency-911-calls-us|access-date=2021-09-24|website=The Verge|language=en}} Cove, Simplisafe,{{Cite web|last=Priest|first=David|title=Can sharing home security data cut 911 response times? SimpliSafe and RapidSOS think so|url=https://www.cnet.com/home/security/can-sharing-home-security-data-cut-911-response-times-simplisafe-and-rapidsos-think-so/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=CNET|language=en}} Sirius XM{{Cite web|title=Sirius XM, RapidSOS Partner to Send Car Crash Data to 911|url=https://www.govtech.com/biz/Sirius-XM-RapidSOS-Partner-to-Send-Car-Crash-Data-to-911.html|access-date=2020-09-02|website=www.govtech.com|date=18 August 2020 |language=en}} and MedicAlert to facilitate emergency response.{{cite web |title=RapidSOS raises $25 million more to furnish first responders with emergency data |date=8 October 2019 |url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/10/08/rapidsos-raises-25-million-more-to-furnish-first-responders-with-emergency-data/amp/ |publisher=VentureBeat |accessdate=10 December 2019}}
History
RapidSOS was founded in 2012 by Michael Martin and Nicholas Horelik to address the 911 data challenge.{{cite web|last1=Rob|first1=Matheson|title=Finding 911 callers instantly|url=https://news.mit.edu/2015/rapidsos-one-touch-911-0918|website=MIT News|date=18 September 2015 |accessdate=11 July 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Lacina|first1=Linda|title=Michael Martin of RapidSOS: Together We Go Further|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/273055|website=Entrepreneur.com|accessdate=11 March 2017|language=en|date=28 March 2016}} Martin had a personal experience with 9-1-1 connection difficulties when his father fell off of the roof of his home in Rockport, Indiana, breaking his wrist and shattering his hip. Martin's father could not reach 9-1-1 from his cellphone and was laying outside in freezing temperatures until his wife came home and called 9-1-1 from their landline.{{cite news|last1=Rifkin|first1=Glenn|title=A Lifesaving Smartphone App Inspired by a Brush With Tragedy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/business/smallbusiness/a-lifesaving-smartphone-app-inspired-by-a-brush-with-tragedy.html|work=The New York Times|date=30 September 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Hansman|first1=Heather|title=A Harvard Student's App Could Bring 911 Into the Future|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/harvard-students-app-could-bring-911-into-the-future-180955339/|website=Smithsonian|accessdate=11 March 2017|language=en}} Also, Martin cites an experience he had after first moving to New York City, when he was followed closely by a man who had intentions to rob him. In wanting to call 9-1-1, he states that he "realized just how difficult it is in the middle of whatever your emergency is to get out your phone, dial a number, and have a coherent conversation about who you are, where you’re located, and what’s occurring."
RapidSOS’ first product was the smartphone app Haven.{{cite web|last1=Walker|first1=Lauren|title=Clock Begins Ticking for 911 System Improvements|url=http://europe.newsweek.com/clock-begins-ticking-911-system-improvements-319553?rm=eu|website=Newsweek|date=3 April 2015 |accessdate=11 March 2017|language=en}}{{cite web|title=Swipe to save a life: New app aims to make 911 calls quicker|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/4151374978001/swipe-to-save-a-life-new-app-aims-to-make-911-calls-quicker/?#sp=show-clips|website=Fox News|date=3 April 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Knutson|first1=Ryan|title=Startup Seeks to Solve 911's Biggest Riddle: Pinpointing Cellphone Callers|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/startup-seeks-to-solve-911s-biggest-riddle-pinpointing-cellphone-callers-1493112780|website=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=4 June 2017|date=25 April 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Polansky|first1=Rachel|title=NBC2 Investigators: Can new technology fix 911's fatal flaw?|url=http://www.nbc-2.com/story/35409840/nbc2-investigators-can-new-technology-fix-911s-fatal-flaw|website=WBBH-TV|accessdate=13 May 2017|language=en}}{{cite web|last1=Chávez|first1=Karen|title=Mobile app could save lost hikers and others' lives|url=http://www.citizen-times.com/story/life/2017/03/15/mobile-app-could-save-lost-hikers-and-others-lives/99024230/|website=Citizen Times|accessdate=4 June 2017|language=en}} The app gave users the ability to see family members' real-time locations, "check in" to send their location to their loved ones, and call 9-1-1 on behalf of someone else, sending that person's location and personal information to the dispatch center closest to them.{{cite news|last1=Flynn|first1=Kerry|title=RapidSOS' Haven App Wants To Connect You To 911 With One Click On Your Smartphone|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/rapidsos-haven-app-wants-connect-you-911-one-click-your-smartphone-2388193|work=International Business Times|date=29 June 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Crichton|first1=Danny|title=When Seconds Count, RapidSOS Will Be Ready When 911 Isn't|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/06/03/rapidsos/|website=TechCrunch|date=3 June 2015 |accessdate=13 May 2017}}
From 2012 to 2015, RapidSOS studied the data from over 12 million 911 calls.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} From 2016 to 2017, RapidSOS began testing its platform with location data, working with Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) across the country.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} In 2018, RapidSOS worked with Apple to allow U.S. iPhone users who call 911 to automatically and securely share their location data with first responders through the RapidSOS Platform.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} By the end of the year, RapidSOS partnered with Google to send Android ELS data through the RapidSOS Platform as well.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}
In March 2023, American online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platform Grubhub announced a partnership with RapidSOS. Grubhub announced that the partnership will improve the safety of its drivers via sharing dynamic location data as well as caller ID directly to 911 responders when an emergency call is placed via the Grubhub for Drivers app.{{Cite web |last=Bursztynsky |first=Jessica |date=19 January 2023 |title=Grubhub just rolled out new emergency safety features for gig workers with RapidSOS |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90836411/grubhub-just-rolled-out-new-emergency-safety-features-for-gig-workers-with-rapidsos |access-date=14 March 2023 |website=fastcompany.com}}
Featured products
RapidSOS sends information from IoT devices and apps to public safety during emergencies and anxious moments.
- RapidSOS Safety is 24/7 AI-enabled safety agent support for customers, employees, and communities.{{Cite web |title=Tech Companies - Safety solutions for business {{!}} RapidSOS |url=https://rapidsos.com/tech-companies/solutions/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=rapidsos.com/ |language=en-US}}
- RapidSOS Connect is an easy-to-integrate emergency API for faster, more effective emergency response.
- RapidSOS Portal is a free solution that provides critical and vetted data to 9-1-1 telecommunicators from 500M+ connected devices, including real-time caller location, health profiles, vehicle crash data, and more to support their life-saving work.{{Cite web |title=Public Safety Solutions - Critical Incident Data {{!}} RapidSOS |url=https://rapidsos.com/public-safety/solutions/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=rapidsos.com/ |language=en-US}}
- RapidSOS Premium includes all of the features of RapidSOS Portal, plus additional mapping capabilities and workflow enhancements to help 9-1-1 telecommunicators streamline emergency response.
- RapidSOS Integrations is a service that allows GovTech and public safety software partners to integrate life-saving data from the RapidSOS Platform with their software.{{Cite web |title=Emergency Communication Centers {{!}} RapidSOS |url=https://rapidsos.com/emergency-communications-centers/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=rapidsos.com/ |language=en-US}}
Recognition
- 2016: Winners of 21st Century Communities Challenge by Utah Science Technology and Research.{{cite web|title=USTAR announces winners of 21st Century Communities Challenge|url=https://www.deseret.com/2017/2/11/20605565/ustar-announces-winners-of-21st-century-communities-challenge/|website=Deseret News|access-date=11 March 2017|language=en|date=11 February 2017}}
- 2016: Consumer Technology Association's Innovation Entrepreneur Award.{{cite web|title=Skip West, Valencell and RapidSOS Honored with CTA's 2016 Innovation Entrepreneur Awards|url=https://cta.tech/News/Press-Releases/2016/September/Skip-West-Valencell-and-RapidSOS-Honored-with-%C2%A0CT.aspx|publisher=Consumer Technology Association|accessdate=11 March 2017}}
Funding
In November 2018, RapidSOS announced a $30 million Series B funding round, led by Playground Global.
In October 2019, RapidSOS closed their Series B Funding round of $55 million, led by Energy Impact Partners.
In February 2021, RapidSOS closed their Series C funding round of $85 million, led by Insight Partners.{{Cite web|title=RapidSOS raises $85M for a big data platform aimed at emergency responders|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/09/rapidsos-raises-85m-for-its-emergency-response-data-platform/|access-date=2021-09-24|website=TechCrunch|date=9 February 2021 |language=en-US}}
In October 2022, RapidSOS closed additional Series C funding round of $75 million, led by Night Dragon, bringing the company's total raised to over $250 million.{{Cite press release |last=RapidSOS |title=RapidSOS Raises $75 Million to Expand Intelligent Safety Platform |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rapidsos-raises-75-million-to-expand-intelligent-safety-platform-301658413.html |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}