Learning + Society
Learning + Society
Designed to empower communities and protect women everywhere, this prize challenged teams to create affordable, wearable technology that could instantly signal danger—alerting responders within seconds and mobilizing communities when every moment counts.
Impact
852 teams mobilized worldwide to tackle women’s safety
$40 average cost of finalist devices, ensuring affordability
$200K in surprise finalist funding to accelerate development
Winner
Leaf Wearables created SAFER PRO, a discreet device that sends instant alerts with GPS and audio recording. Affordable, stylish, and simple to use, it connects women to trusted responders in seconds—transforming personal safety into community action.
Leaf Wearables
Winning Teams
Women's Safety
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Sponsors fund the prize journey from bold idea to breakthrough—shaping each competition, supporting global teams, and accelerating solutions that scale. Their backing powers impact that lasts well beyond the prize.
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Barrier
Worldwide, one in three women experiences sexual violence, yet many regions lack emergency reporting and response systems. Without accessible tools, women face danger daily without a reliable way to call for help.
Breakthrough
Novel solutions would deliver affordable, discreet wearables that instantly alert responders to danger—transmitting GPS location, recording audio, and connecting to community networks to ensure rapid response anytime, anywhere.
About the Prize
The $1M Anu & Naveen Jain Women’s Safety XPRIZE was launched to leverage technology for one of the world’s most urgent needs: protecting women’s safety. The prize challenged teams to design affordable, user-friendly devices that could autonomously send emergency alerts, including GPS location, to responders in under 90 seconds, without depending on mobile networks.
Solutions had to work globally, be discreet enough to integrate into clothing or accessories, and function reliably in real-life conditions. The goal was not only to help individuals signal for help, but also to enable coordinated, community-based response.
Leaf Wearables won with SAFER PRO, a chip-based device that could be embedded in jewelry or everyday items. With one press, it sent alerts to guardians, shared live location, and began recording audio to support investigations. Its discreet, low-cost design made it accessible to millions.
The innovation didn’t just meet prize requirements—it also earned recognition as a Fast Company World Changing Idea (2019), underscoring its potential to create safer communities worldwide.
Prize Schedule
Launched in 2016, the competition concluded in 2018. After rigorous testing, Leaf Wearables’ SAFER PRO was named the Grand Prize winner for its discreet, affordable, and globally scalable women’s safety solution.
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