Jewelry with a Panic Button. Proudly Made in Mexico Rafa Fernandez De Castro - Fusion
go to original April 24, 2016

A group of recent college grads in the southern state of Michoacán have crowdfunded a “smart jewelry” startup that aims to protect women from violence.

Geek & Chic is an online retailer that sells bracelets and necklaces with an emergency button that when pressed for three seconds sends a SMS or Whatsapp text message to preselected cellphone contacts letting them know their friend is in danger.

Company director David Alvarez told Fusion the jewelry’s “panic button” uses bluetooth to connect to a smartphone app that allows users to be tracked via GPS. Now the company wants to expand its product line to sell unisex bracelets to men.

Alvarez says he and his colleagues came up with the idea in college after being robbed at gunpoint multiple times and witnessing a rising wave of kidnappings, extortions and femicides in their hometown of Morelia and the larger state of Michoacán.

“Cops won’t do anything, and we didn’t want to remain with our arms crossed,” he said.

The company’s second crowdfunding aims to raise $11,500 to expand into unisex bracelets, keychains and other similar projects. Alvarez says it costs around $30 to produce one of his bracelets, which sells for $70. He says 150 bracelets have already been preordered online.

Read the rest at Fusion

Photo: Geek & Chic/Facebook

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