RapidSOS, an IoT tech startup founded by Harvard grad, raises $21M funding to help first responders tackle unprecedented challenges during this pandemic

First responders globally are facing unprecedented challenges amidst COVID-19. RapidSOS will use the funding to extend its work with 4,700+ public safety agencies globally – providing health, connected building, wearable, telematics, and other critical data to first responders to empower faster and smarter emergency response.

Enter RapidSOS, a New York City-based emergency technology startup that builds transformative technology to save lives. RapidSOS provides life-saving data from millions of connected devices directly to 9-1-1 and first responders in an emergency – providing faster, more effective response for over 150 million emergencies annually.

Partnering with Internet of Things (IoT) companies and the public safety community, RapidSOS provides a proprietary rich data link to public safety – sending lifesaving data to aid in emergency response. By analyzing data around when and where emergencies are occurring, RapidSOS is developing technology to predict and preempt emergencies and dynamically warn people in harm’s way – a complete paradigm shift from emergency response to emergency prediction and preemption.

Earlier this month, RapidSOS raised a $21 million funding round led by Transformation Capital, a leading digital health growth equity fund. The round also included participation from C5 Capital, a leader in cyber security, Laerdal Million Lives Fund, a global health fund focused on life-saving impact, and existing investors. This new funding brings the company’s total funding to $107 million and comes just over six months after RapidSOS announced the close of a $55 million round led by Energy Impact Partners.

RapidSOS was founded by Michael Martin, an Harvard MBA graduate and MIT PhD Nick Horelik. In 2012, the duo decided to launch RapidSOS  with the mission of connecting the world to public safety with life-saving technology. RapidSOS has developed the world’s first emergency response data platform, which links life-saving data from more than 350 million connected devices and mobile apps directly to 911 and first responders, sharing real-time information such as a caller’s name, location, and opt-in health information. This data is critical to helping 911 centers accelerate response, especially in the millions of emergencies where it is challenging for the caller to speak.

“Prior to RapidSOS, most emergency medical treatment had to occur without even knowing the patient’s name, much less any other data about the patient,” said Todd Cozzens, Managing Partner at Transformation Capital. “RapidSOS has transformed the way we respond to emergencies and we are excited to help them extend that reach into healthcare.”

“911 and first responder systems are critical pieces of our global infrastructure,” said Admiral Michael Mullen, Operating Partner at C5 Capital and 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “I’m excited by the partnership between RapidSOS and thousands of public safety agencies to digitize emergency response.”