Dive Brief:

• Emergency communications technology business RapidSOS raised $30 million in its recent funding round.
• The funding will go toward improving the data collection platform as well as expanding into international markets, according to TechCrunch.
• The RapidSOS platform collects data from devices including smart phones, connected cars, smart home devices and wearables, and sends it to 911 and first responders to give them pertinent information that could lead to faster and more targeted responses.

Dive Insight:

Emergency responders have a tough job as they often enter potentially life-endangering situations with little advance information. They have to rely on whatever background information the 911 dispatchers were able to glean from a caller, but many callers often struggle to give extensive, accurate details. Data collection services can send responders information such as a person's exact location or perhaps a person's health condition from a wearable device.

Some of the largest investors in this round of Rapid SOS funding include Apple, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Virgin Group, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Harvard University. The variety of investors indicates that many diverse groups believe using connected devices in this way is a strong use case, and it could lead to other helpful innovations in the emergency services realm and beyond.

The RapidSOS platform provides data to more than 1,500 U.S. public safety agencies, which covers about 180 million people. Using the funding for international expansion may not only add to the company's reach but also the types of data it handles.