Why Creative Navy Awarded a $20,000 Grant to Sophie App

The latest winner of Creative Navy UX agency's $20,000 research and development grant is Sophie App. This ambitious project founded by Jacob Cleveland aims to reduce gender-based and generalized violence through a voice-operated alert system. 

Sophie App works both in direct conflict situations and as a lifeline for domestic abuse victims. Its two modes, Walk Mode and Quiet Mode, have an array of responses adapted to the complex contexts of use. In order to elaborate app response systems that are helpful, Jacob Cleveland and the Creative Navy design team conducted extensive research on attacker mentality and reported cases of violence.

Before lockdown, 1 in 4 women experienced violence at the hands of their intimate partner. In the summer of 2020, 6 black trans women under 32 were murdered in the span of 9 days. The pandemic has confined victims to the households they share with their abusers and exacerbated the vulnerabilities of previously targeted communities.  

Thanks to its red light alert system and the vocal command activated phone calls to local police or to user-chosen contacts, Sophie App can discourage attackers from escalating dangerous situations. Research shows that most attackers do not engage any further when they know the authorities have been alerted and reinforcements are coming. Named after the founder's beloved guard dog, the app is designed to reassure and empower vulnerable people. 

Additionally, Sophie App is extremely discreet in domestic violence situations. When in Quiet Mode, it makes voice activated emergency calls while the abuser remains unaware. Moreover, people can use Sophie App to alert a trusted neighbor. With the app at hand, help is always on the way whenever you need it most. 

“Everyone deserves to live free of the fear of violence — to be able to simply take a walk alone at night in their own neighborhood. However, many women and members of the LGBTQ+ community face real threats, both at home and in public, which they feel they have no power over,” said founder Jacob Cleveland. “At Sophie, we believe it’s time to change that.”

Dennis Lenard, CEO of Creative Navy, declared that: "Before we decide to support a project and give it our seal of approval, we always ask ourselves "Will this help someone?". We chose Sophie App because it was a thoroughly researched and well-structured idea that deserved to be translated into a digital product. Jacob is driven by his dedication for the community he serves."

About Sophie App

Sophie App is an innovative violence prevention system designed for vulnerable categories such as victims of domestic abuse and the LGBTQ+ community. 

About Creative Navy

Creative Navy is a UX design consultancy flaunting over 10 years in business and an impressive number of international clients. With offices in London, Basel, and Berlin, their team of 15 designers enjoys taking on challenging and meaningful design projects. Experts in designing for the medical field, embedded GUI, IoT, and unusual devices, they also support innovators on their product development journeys. 

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