Mission-minded Spotlight: ForceMetrics
By Liza Vilnits | Founder & CEO
Welcome to the final 2024 edition of ✨“Mission-minded: Building for Tomorrow" ✨
.............
Did you know that an estimated 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 in the US each year? Sometimes those calls are made by mistake, or out of panic due to an emergency situation - but regardless, dispatchers are working around the clock to determine the situation quickly. ForceMetrics is a company trying to aid first responders in these situations where time is of the essence. They are the only proactive decision-assist platform for first responders, providing real-time, actionable intelligence during 911 interactions.
😱 1) Why care? ForceMetrics cites that outdated systems often take 10, 20, or even 30 minutes to provide critical information to law enforcement on the job. Their technology is failing them and potentially putting people in further danger. While crime remains a concern for the country, that’s not the only reason 911 is dialed. ForceMetrics’ data assists officers, dispatchers fielding emergency calls as well as firefighters.
🔥 2) What makes the co. credible? In October, ForceMetrics announced a $22M Series A funding round, backed by Costanoa Ventures, the Hobson Lucas Family Foundation (founded by Mellody Hobson and George Lucas), GovTech Fund, Flybridge Capital, Stand Together Venture Labs, and Growth Warrior Capital. The company’s product is already being used in 30 departments across 11 states. Founder and CEO, Andre McGregor says ForceMetrics didn’t begin in a boardroom or tech incubator, but was grown out of lived experience by their team. Backed by a team of agents, law enforcement, and tech experts, ForceMetrics has been widely used by public safety agencies across the country.
💓 3) What I love about their story? Andre founded ForceMetrics because of his experience as an FBI Cyber Special Agent. In this recent blog post, he writes about how growing up in Denver as a Black man shaped his view of law enforcement, which later impacted his career. After George Floyd’s death in 2020, he felt a deep sense of urgency which led him to work with police officers to better understand their data and software. He says he founded ForceMetrics to, “bridge the gap and provide first responders with real-time, actionable insights that could save lives and prevent unnecessary escalation.
As emphasized by ForceMetrics, “safety starts with understanding— understanding the situation, the people involved, and the risks at hand.” Solutions like this aren’t just providing information, they’re creating stronger public safety and saving lives.
.............
In case you missed it, ✨“Mission-minded: Building for tomorrow" ✨is a monthly series where I highlight an under-the-radar founder or company that’s building something that has the power to enact real change in our world. From my personal perspective and understanding, I’ll tell you why you should care about what they’re building, what makes them credible, and what I love about their story. Here are the companies we’ve spotlighted so far this year:
📲November: TrueMedia, a nonpartisan nonprofit, that aims to identify political deepfakes in social media using AI to detect what are real posts online versus AI-generated content.
📕October: TrueLeap, a digital e-learning platform that integrates a learning management system (LMS), a content management system (CMS), and a content marketplace for educational support.
🌱September: Ecosphere Organics, an alternative materials company specializing in transforming organic by-products into high-value raw materials for a diverse range of industries.
🌡️August: FortyGuard, a pioneering urban temperature intelligence company, is trying to solve this global phenomenon.
💊July: Tip a ScRxipt, a controlled-expense debit card platform that enables government, healthcare providers, health plans, foundations, and community organizations to provide “payment assistance with guard rails.”
💻June: Pyrra, an intelligence platform that protects people, assets and brands from disinformation, physical violence and hate speech.
🤱May: Canopie, an app dedicated to providing mothers, including pregnant women, with mental health resources.
🧠April: Wayhaven, an adaptive, chat-based mental wellness app to support the unique challenges faced by college students - available 24/7.
💧March: Varuna, a company that enables the delivery of clean water efficiently by providing water system operators with actionable data and insights to identify blindspots.
✊🏿February: Acclinate, increasing health equity by making research more inclusive by helping pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations access and engage communities of color.
♀️ January: Mission-Driven Tech, a company that's building innovative solutions that normalize and modernize Cervical Health, a historically underfunded and misunderstood field of medicine.