A tech company that aims to transform emergency call systems has successfully secured $27 million in a Series B funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz.
The company, Prepared, provides 911 dispatchers with the capability to access a caller's real-time GPS location, given their phone's compatibility. Through Prepared’s platform, dispatchers can also receive and respond to text messages, images, and — for iPhone users equipped with Apple’s Emergency SOS Live Video feature — conduct video calls.
Prepared's co-founder and CEO, Michael Chime, emphasizes that the platform equips operators with essential context that can enhance emergency responses. “Our technology is designed to alleviate the pressure of individual calls, enabling faster emergency responses,” Chime stated. “If we can save precious seconds on any 911 call, that’s our goal.”
Across the nation, many 911 centers still rely on outdated landline systems, struggle to pinpoint caller locations, and are unable to manage SMS or images. This is despite ongoing efforts over the past 20 years to modernize the more than 5,500 emergency call centers in the U.S. through the Next Generation 911 (NG911) initiative. NG911 is internet-based and supports multimedia communication and more precise caller information. However, as reported by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, its implementation has only reached about 56.2% of the country.
Founded in 2019 by Chime, Dylan Gleicher, and Neal Soni, Prepared originally targeted a specific emergency scenario: school shootings. The founders, who were personally affected by tragic school events like Sandy Hook, left Yale to create a public safety application for school officials. After a year, they identified a broader market opportunity within 911 call centers, prompting a strategic pivot for the company.
Today, Prepared offers a comprehensive web-based platform that provides dispatchers with real-time transcripts of calls. Utilizing AI, it highlights critical information, such as addresses and emergency details, and even translates communications for dispatchers when needed.
Recently, Prepared introduced a feature allowing dispatchers to converse with Spanish-speaking callers using an AI-generated voice. This tool transcribes the dispatcher’s speech, translates it, and vocalizes the translation, significantly streamlining communication without requiring third-party translators—an often time-consuming process.
“With the growing number of non-English speakers, particularly in urban areas, this has been a pressing request from emergency agencies,” Chime shared. “Typically, language translators can take several minutes to join a call, which is unacceptable in emergencies.”
Prepared's dashboard is tailored for 911 dispatchers. Recent statistics from U.S. regulators suggest that even minor reductions in response times could save thousands of lives annually.
However, the use of AI in translation and other features poses certain risks. Concerns regarding AI misinterpretation and discrepancies in accuracy among different demographic groups have arisen. For instance, a recent study revealed that some leading speech recognition systems were significantly less accurate when processing audio from Black speakers compared to their white counterparts.
Chime emphasizes that Prepared’s AI functions are optional — the critical features like video streaming, GPS tracking, and text messaging are available at no cost to 911 centers. He believes that AI can significantly enhance the speed and accuracy of call processing for dispatchers. “We are pioneering AI applications in public safety to convert data into actionable insights,” he stated. “Prepared’s summarization tool allows dispatchers to quickly scan AI-generated incident summaries instead of sifting through lengthy audio or notes. Our translation feature enhances accessibility for Spanish-speaking callers and can improve overall response times.”
Prepared partners with nearly 1,000 public safety agencies across 49 states and intends to utilize the new Series B funds to bolster product development and marketing strategies. There are also plans for expanding the team, with an aim to hire 20 new employees by the end of the year, adding to their existing 50-person workforce in New York.
“We are just scratching the surface of what’s possible in unlocking vital citizen data,” Chime noted. “We envision a future where Prepared connects and optimizes the entire workflow from the moment a call is received to when a field responder arrives on the scene.”
First Round Capital, M13, and various undisclosed angel investors also contributed to Prepared’s Series B funding, bringing the company’s total funding to $57 million.
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