AURA raises US$15m to expand into US

AURA, an emergency response services marketplace with roots in South Africa, has secured US$15 million in a Series B funding round.

The investment, co-led by global venture firm Partech and the Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund (CAIF), marks a major milestone in the company’s global expansion plans.

Founded in 2017 by Warren Myers, Ryan Green, and Adam Pantanowitz, AURA connects individuals and businesses with the closest vetted private and public emergency response providers - including security, medical, and roadside assistance.

Through a seamless, tech-enabled platform, AURA offers users access to a distributed network of responders, reducing emergency wait times and increasing coverage.

With this new funding, AURA plans to accelerate its growth into the United States and build a global “clearing house” for emergency response — a universal dispatch system that connects users to nearby help across geographic borders, all via a single API.

“This funding marks a pivotal moment for AURA,” said CEO Warren Myers. “Having built a profitable and trusted presence in the UK and Africa, we’re now ready to take personal safety global. Our mission is to make access to life-saving services seamless, borderless, and available through a single API — empowering individuals and the platforms that serve them.”

Since launching in South Africa, AURA has expanded into the United Kingdom and Kenya. Today, the platform supports more than 1.2 million users and protects over 200,000 properties through its fixed-location services. Its client base includes major insurers, mobility platforms, and smart home providers.

The Series B round brings AURA’s total funding to over US$21 million. In 2018, HAVAÍC led the first external equity investment in AURA of R6 million, followed by a second equity investment round in 2020 of the same amount, and a secondary share purchase of early-stage investors in 2022. Concluded in May 2024, HAVAÍC led a Bridge to Series B investment round, contributing US$1 million to the US$1.1 million total in partnership with African venture and private equity firm AfricInvest.

In 2023, AURA was named one of the fastest-growing companies in Africa by the Financial Times.