Local security and safety start-up Aura has secured funding of R2 million from Cape Town based venture capital firm HAVA'IC.
The funding, according to Aura, is the start-up's first tranche of a total R6 million funding round that will be completed by other parties in the next few months.
Aura provides emergency services with vital information on the person in distress, such as their blood type, medical aid, private security company and next of kin. It also provides exact GPS co-ordinates of the user's smartphone and directs how to get there fastest. When an alert is received from a customer's mobile app, Aura immediately pairs the customer to one of its listed independent armed reaction companies in SA.
When the reaction unit receives the alert, it is provided with all the customer's details and is directed via navigation to the customer's location.
Warren Myers, CEO of Aura, says the funding will be used to develop the platform further and expand its geographic reach.
"We will use the funding for expanding the supply network, developing into new integration partners, and building a strong team.
"Aura enables fundamental shifts in the local security industry. It allows for a shift from location-specific protection to location-independent response and support.
"The power of Aura's solution lies in the aggregation of security services from a fragmented, competitive industry and giving the means for people to access these emergency services even when they are in an area not covered by traditional fixed location services," he explains.
The security start-up says it has already concluded agreements with a number of high-profile corporate users and well-established consumer apps, enabling their staff and customers to have access to armed response protection while carrying out their normal work duties outside of a fixed location.
HAVA'IC CEO Ian Lessem has joined the Aura board in a non-executive capacity. He adds: "We are very excited by the prospects of growing Aura's traction with individuals, corporates, organisations and smaller security providers.
"The unique and cost-effective benefits for the corporate and insurance sectors, and Aura's future home automation and security joint ventures make it a potential game changer for many industries.
"Its technology and systems will ensure that people feel safer in their daily routines, as they will now be able to access emergency security services when out of their homes or places of work."
One of the challenges facing the local security industry, according to Myers, is that security is un-affordable and inaccessible.
"The South African Police Service doesn't have capacity to deal with the current requirements and private security companies mainly cover a specific area and generally don't collaborate or share data with other security companies.
"Furthermore, response times are extremely long as a result of the long dispatch process which involves significant human interaction.
"At Aura we believe that the only way SA is going to climb out of its ever-increasing crime crisis is by creating and executing disruptive, scalable and data-driven technology which makes security in SA more affordable, accessible, and effective.
"We are extremely excited about our partnership with HAVA'IC. Over and above the capital raise, they bring a well-diversified arsenal of valuable skill sets and business networks," he points out.
Before the end of the year, Aura says it will be forming new partnerships with security panic apps and other firms in an effort to make its services more accessible to the public.
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