HAVAÍC, a venture capital firm known for its strategic investments in innovative technology companies, has announced its leadership in a Bridge to Series B investment round for AURA, a leading safety-tech platform. The VC firm contributed US$1 million to the US$1.1 million funding round, collaborating with African venture and private equity firm AfricInvest.

This latest funding round marks a continued relationship between HAVAÍC and AURA, which began in 2018 with HAVAÍC’s initial external equity investment of R6 million. A subsequent equity investment of the same amount followed in 2020, along with a secondary share purchase of early-stage investors in 2022. The completion of this round in May 2024 enables AURA to expand its international footprint, now spanning 22 key regions globally.

AURA, founded by Warren Myers, Ryan Green, and Adam Pantanowitz in 2016, has established itself as a leading marketplace in South Africa. The platform centralizes data from over 170 private security companies and uses AI to dispatch the nearest vetted response vehicle to its more than 400,000 active users. The technology platform enables users to access the nearest vetted private security and medical response units through connected devices. Last month, AURA was named one of Africa’s fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times, ranking 27th in Africa and seventh in South Africa. This recognition highlights the startup’s role in fueling economic development, job creation, and market competitiveness.

AURA raised $4 million (R62 million) in a Series A funding round in 2021, led by MultiChoice Group (MCG), KLT Holdings, and Buffet Investments. 

“AURA’s vision is to democratize access to its network and make emergency response more accessible,” says co-founder Adam Pantanowitz. “Because we have this scale, we’re able to increase access and improve affordability. Since AURA’s inception in 2016, there are areas previously not serviced by private security firms that now have AURA watching over them. The responder application and the AURA marketplace ensure that safety emergency units reach users faster, eliminating the need for call centers used in the traditional security sector.”