Today’s Killer Startup: Companion App
Elevator Pitch
Never walk home alone again – Companion lets you keep your loved ones informed of where you are and if anything is wrong.
Why It’s A Killer Startup
We all have methods for protecting ourselves when we walk alone at night. For example, when cell phones first came out, I used to call my dad or, if he wasn’t available, pretend like I was talking because I was under the impression that I’d be safer in the sketchy New York City neighborhoods I lived in if would-be attackers spotted me. Another method I used for awhile was wrapping my head in a scarf after I realized that the guys in my neighborhood didn’t bother religious women as much and I’ve also been known to carry pepper spray, knives, and keys in my knuckles.
All of my methods worked, for awhile, but they have obvious flaws. The cell phone trick – which was pretty common a decade or so ago – has been shown to put people more at risk, as your voice and fancy phone can attract thieves. The scarf trick was just a funny fluke particular to the neighborhood I was living in at the time – I’ve yet to find another place where it works. Weapons provide some protection, but it’s not advisable to carry knives unless you’re trained in hand-to-hand combat and I’ve always kind of doubted that the keys-in-knuckles thing really works.
From now on, though, maybe I should just use Companion.
This new app asks you to enter your destination and then pick which friends will be keeping an eye on your journey. Your chosen companions can keep track of your trip in real time and the app will let them know if anything goes wrong en route. You can choose to end the trip at any time but the app will automatically end it for you when you arrive at your chosen destination.
The app checks in with you if it suspects that something has gone wrong on your trip. You’re given the option of confirming that everything is okay and if you fail to do that, the app will let your friend know that something is wrong. There’s also a one-tap call to the police, in case things take a really bad turn for the worse.
For most people, this app is a superfluous tool, kind of like how a seatbelt is something you use hundreds of thousands of times but only really need once or twice. For every person who has walked home with keys between her knuckles, the Companion app is a nice little reassurance that even if you’re walking alone, help is right beside you.
Tweetable
You’ll never walk home alone again once @getcompanion is in your pocket. http://www.companionapp.io/ #app #safety
