FlamAid founder and CEO Julieta Rueff displaying her "passive grenade" at Net Summit 2023
John Koetsier
One in three girls on the planet has suffered bodily or sexual assault, in line with the World Well being Group. One is making an attempt to finish that by providing a "passive grenade" that makes use of 110 decibels of sound to scare off would-be predators and alert authorities.
"My purpose is to get all girls dwelling protected," says Barcelona-based Julieta Rueff, founder and CEO of FlamAid. "I'm a girl … I've been in very scary conditions and I felt completely helpless."
The FlamAid is a $40 grenade-shaped alarm. It clips onto a handbag, strap, belt, or belt, or suits in a pocket. Pull the pin with some pressure, and it'll sound a loud alarm whereas concurrently alerting 911 and sending messages to as much as three mates or relations. It recharges through a USB-C port, is aware of its GPS coordinates, and may ship SMS alerts, however the 911 calls and SMS alerts require an extra $7/month subscription. The bottom product is white, however skins can be found in a number of colours to match a girl's nails, lipstick, purse, or outfit.
The FlamAid passive grenade suits simply in your hand.
John Koetsier
Why the grenade form?
"It's an announcement," says Rueff, who's showcasing the system at Net Summit in Lisbon. "It's seen. Most self-defense devices are hidden, however I don't wish to disguise once I need assist."
It's additionally not too grenade-shaped. So as to be kosher for airline flights the FlamAid sports activities vertical indentations, not outward ridges like actual grenades. The FlamAid can also be coated with gentle silicone, suits simply in your hand, and isn't heavy. When detonated, it should be turned off by a course of in an accompanying app, as safety in opposition to an attacker merely silencing it. An necessary observe: 110 decibels is not going to completely harm listening to: hurt occurs at 130 decibels or greater for over 10 minutes.
Over time Rueff says that hotspots the place girls have used their FlamAids shall be populated right into a map that identifies hazard zones.
The actual query: will girls use it?
"Looks like a pleasant step up from the brass knuckles that appeared like a cat I used to hold round in my 20s," says Sara Camden, an adtech govt.
A number of feminine mates additionally replied within the affirmative once I requested the query on Fb, with one saying that FlamAid "looks as if a sensible and low-cost self-protection merchandise." One other stated she'd "get one for my daughters if they'd night college lessons or labored late … clip to backpack or bag. I like that it's not simply noise however calls too."
Others had issues: what if it goes off by accident? What for those who by no means carry a handbag, and so don't have a spot to place it or clip it? Some thought the grenade form may be too aggressive; some wished one thing extra outrageous.
The FlamAid will not be alone, in fact. WanderSafe affords a tool for the same objective that clips on to a keychain, and affords a number of kind components. One good friend talked about she has a Spot system, which might name a helicopter proper to her spot (albeit with important value for the rescue).
Rueff is early in her entrepreneurial journey with FlamAid. After beginning the corporate late in 2022, she bootstrapped it to launch, and is now looking for funding. A big safety firm has tendered a major pre-order contract, she says, whereas she's elevating capital for commercialization and growth.
Whereas girls are her first core viewers, she's planning to develop to different prospects.
"Proper now I concentrate on girls," she advised me. "However I might like to additionally deal with different susceptible teams, together with youngsters."