A company which connects critical life-saving data to first responders听within the听emergency services听is launching in the UK.听
US-based听RapidSOS听has raised $85 million in听Series C听investment,听led by Insight Partners,听to听scale听its emergency听response听data听platform听around the globe.听听
The听90,000听emergency听999 calls听made听every day in the UK听rely on the听person听dialling听to verbally provide information.听RapidSOS听can provide supplemental data on the emergency and the individual involved direct to the screens in the听emergency听control听centre.听听
At no cost to the emergency services or the NHS,听RapidSOS听will听deliver听real-time information to the 999 system with calls automatically showing the individual鈥�s medical needs via MedicAlert UK ID cards.听 Further partnerships will be announced in the coming months.听
The investment, which brings听搁补辫颈诲厂翱厂鈥檚听total funding to $200m, will advance the company鈥檚 work to connect emergency data from digital health, smart buildings, security, connected vehicles听and听app companies with first responders globally.听
The听RapidSOS听Platform听already听powers听more than听4,800听emergency听communications听centers听across the US, covering 92% of the population, and is integrated with听more than听350 million connected devices.听听
These devices, recognized as听RapidSOS听Ready, transmit real-time location, health and medical information, connected building and alarm data and more in an emergency.听
鈥�2020 reminded all of us of the heroic work that first responders do in our most challenging moments,鈥� said听founder and CEO听Michael Martin.听听
鈥淲e spent the past eight years building the听RapidSOS听emergency response data platform in partnership with thousands of first responders 鈥� collaborating with leading technology companies to provide the right data, at the right place, at the right time to save lives across over 150 million emergencies annually.鈥澨�听
UK听BioTech听Immunocore raises $273m as it launches upsized US flotation
This past year put a spotlight on the importance of faster and more effective emergency response. The need for critical, life-saving data was never more apparent than in 2020 when the world faced unprecedented emergencies including the COVID-19 pandemic.听
Data from the听RapidSOS听Platform was used in over 150m emergencies during the calendar year 鈥� 400,000+ per day 鈥� and in some听cases听became the critical link between citizens and first responders when traditional voice 911 circuits went down in major disasters or attacks.听听
Millions of Americans听are able to听share important medical information with 911 through the Medical ID feature on an iPhone. When a user chooses to set up the feature, the information is shared when making an emergency call or using the Emergency SOS feature in supported regions.听听
In addition, in collaboration with the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and Direct Relief,听RapidSOS听launched the Emergency Health Profile, a simple and free way for anyone to share their health data with 911.听
Nikitas听Koutoupes, managing director at Insight Partners, added:听鈥淚nsight has a history of backing category-defining companies, and听RapidSOS听has all the makings of one in the emergency response space.听听
鈥淲e are excited to have our team of software听ScaleUp听and platform experts help drive听搁补辫颈诲厂翱厂鈥檚听mission.鈥�
nhs