Chicago, IL -- (SBWire) -- 11/26/2013 --Chicago-based start-up crowdfynd has developed an app that is designed to help Chicagoans avoid falling victim to crimes before they occur. crowdfynd, a free mobile application, is a new platform that allows users to share real-time city and safety information directly with others in their neighborhood. These real-time alerts are sent directly to a user’s smartphone, allowing them to avoid potentially dangerous situations. Awareness of trouble lurking around means greater chances of avoiding danger and eventually, lowered crime rates across a city struggling with crime prevention.

Notifications are crucially important to safety, as they are a proactive measure rather than a reactive response to an event that has already occurred. Here’s an example of how these notifications can be beneficial to Chicagoans: "Say your walk home from the El may be several blocks and take only a few minutes. However, you’ve heard that criminal activity is up in your neighborhood and you’d like to take precautions to avoid falling victim. Just download the crowdfynd app and set customizable alerts to notify you whenever a crime occurs within 1mile of your home (distance settings can adjust as needed) to be fully aware of your surroundings. If a crime or safety issue is reported within your alert zone, crowdfynd notifies you immediately. You now have real-time information to choose an alternate route, seek a chaperone or even communicate directly with the crowdfynd community member who posted the incident to see if things are resolved. Thanks to helpful tools like a live geo-tagged map and in-app messaging, you’ll stay informed and connected to the crowd around you, helping you stay safe."

The idea for crowdfynd was born when Co-Founder and CEO Jay Sebben saw a missing persons flier while in a Chicago coffee shop, and realized there was little that he could do to help with the issue.

“As I waited for my coffee, I couldn’t shake the fact that a flier was the best option the family had to spread the word about a potential crime. I wondered how many people would see the flier and forget about it the minute they left the coffee shop. With all the advances in technology in recent years, I knew there had to be a better way to share information and help people in distress.”

This experience led to Jay uniting with Co-Founder and CTO Pinaki Saha, and together they created crowdfynd. The concept of crowdfynd is simple, effective and open to anyone with internet access or a smartphone. A community of users can create and share posts if they have lost something, found something or witnessed criminal activity. Using powerful tools such as geo-tagged maps, social media integrations and real-time push notifications, crowdfynd arms users with the ability to keep themselves and other community members safe.

For more information on crowdfynd, visit https://www.crowdfynd.com or download the free crowdfynd app from the iTunes store today. The company plans to release an Android version of the app this winter.

About crowdfynd
Crowdfynd is is a free mobile and web-based application that uses crowdsourcing for Lost & Found and City & Safety reporting. Born in Chicago, crowdfynd has been featured in local and national news outlets such as TechCrunch, Time and Fox News. In the summer of 2013, crowdfynd was named a Top 5 start-up at TechWeek Chicago, a premier tech event.

Crowdfynd Media Team
media@crowdfynd.com
Chicago, IL - USA
(888) 653-1733
https://www.crowdfynd.com