Australian WanderSafe App for Women to Launch in the US

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, Australian entrepreneur Stephenie Rodriguez is set on launching her safety app for women in the United States. Appropriately named‘WanderSafe,’ the app is designed to alert solo travelers and commuters of threats in real time and offer information on their surroundings. The app notifies users of nearby crime hot spots, pickpocketing rates, taxi safety, and terrorism threats. Users can also report crimes anonymously through the app’s partnership with Crime Stoppers International. In addition to the app, Rodriguez developed a device equipped with an alarm and strobe light to thwart off aggressors. Rodriguez wanted to extend her business to the US when she found out that less than 2 percent of the total Australian capital pool went towards backing women founders. "It's more lucrative in the US and there's a higher risk appetite...it's where our VC money will come from to grow. Being a female-led business we just don't have the capital here. There's more funds in the US with a focus on minority groups and female founders," said Rodriguez.