A Phoenix-based startup that built a mobile safety app for U.S. military service members and their families has pivoted its platform to serve travelers.
OZZI, a winner in the tech category for Venture Madness 2021, retooled its app to provide travelers with information to stay safe on trips. The app features safety ratings and maps for neighborhoods and destinations worldwide, in addition to real-time alerts for potential weather disruptions, crime, hazards and other potential safety concerns.
“What we're bringing to the consumer market is a new type of safety technology that we think can help people — whether they're traveling or just moving around day-to-day,” Isaiah Lopez, OZZI’s founder and CEO, said.
In 2021, shortly after winning Venture Madness — Arizona's longest running pitch competition — OZZI was informed that the federal government was eliminating a small business technical contract program it was involved in, prompting the company to rethink its app, Lopez said.
“We knew that we had an obligation to our customers and investors to be good stewards of their capital and find something new to do,” Lopez said. “We found a couple of travel agents in our network and they said, ‘Hey, we think that your service might actually be a good fit for our agency.’"
OZZI drew up letters of intent and raised additional funding from Scottsdale-based Habanero Ventures & Investment Co. and some out-of-state investors.
“We said, ‘We're going to take what we've done at an international scale for the (U.S.) Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the intelligence agencies, and we're going to bring this to a consumer market,” Lopez said.
OZZI has gained more than 500 users for its travel app since October, Lopez added.
“People are just thrilled that they don't have to guess anymore. It takes a lot to plan a vacation, especially if you're going somewhere international and you're really unfamiliar with the area,” Lopez said. “We simplify that process without a heavy lift.
“If you aren't sure if your Airbnb is in a safe neighborhood, we'll let you know. We paint a picture on a map that says, ‘This section of town has these risks,’” Lopez continued. “We’re not looking to have people avoid these areas. We want people to just feel competent that they're making an empowered decision without having to do all of that effort.”
OZZI contains an algorithm that pulls data from thousands of sources around the world. Millions of data points are analyzed on a daily basis and verified through a team, Lopez said.
“Unlike other safety apps that allow users to just report random things without being verified, which drives fear instead of confidence, we only publish verified incidents that will affect somebody's safety,” Lopez said.
Lopez built his first commercial travel safety algorithm in November 2015. From there, he expanded that algorithm to a real-time web app, so employees and executives of companies were able to access immediate support if affected by a global safety incident.
In 2020, Lopez, along with OZZI’s co-founder and chief financial officer, Vince Bicicchi, launched a mobile app for users in the U.S. military and federal government, some of whom were relocating or traveling on temporary assignments.
Subscription plans coming
Currently, the app is free for users. OZZI plans to generate revenue via subscriptions by trip duration, Lopez said.
“If you are just going out of town for a weekend, maybe a seven-day plan works for you,” Lopez said. “If you're going on a study abroad trip, maybe a 90-day plan works for you. Or if you're a power traveler and you're always on the go, then our annual plan works out great.”
Lopez said there could be potential for OZZI’s app to incorporate push-button connections to emergency call centers worldwide as well as integration with other platforms.
OZZI is releasing a “significant update” to its app this week that includes changes based on customer feedback to improve the user experience, Lopez said.
The company may consider pursuing additional seed funding in the second quarter, Lopez said.
“We can't wait for the market to realize that they can literally tap in an address, a point of interest, or a city anywhere in the world and they can know what's going on from a safety perspective,” he said.
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