Familo – Knowing Where Your Family Is
The startup Familo aims to make life easier for families. Through the app developed by founders Hauke Windmüller, Michael Asshauer, and David Nellessen, family members can see where their loved ones are at any given moment. In addition to location information, users can chat or send an emergency alert—for example, if the youngest child needs to be picked up from soccer practice because his bike has a flat tire. Anyone worried that parents or spouses might use the app as a disguised “Big Brother” tool can rest assured: The automatic location sharing can be turned off at any time. Familo recently broke the one-million-user mark.
Loopline Systems – Preventing Dissatisfaction Before It Starts
Many employees have already mentally handed in their notice to their employer, as the “Engagement Index” from the consulting firm Gallup regularly shows. Berlin-based Loopline Systems aims to ensure that this never happens in the first place. The software developed by founders Nora Heer and Christian Kaller streamlines systematic feedback between companies and employees: With just a few clicks, companies can track individual performance and developed skills, agree on shared goals, and monitor employee satisfaction. Loopline recently closed its second funding round, significantly increasing its seven-figure investment total once again.
Qabel – “The Jack-of-All-Trades of Encryption”
Anyone who has ever dealt with signing and encrypting emails knows that secure online communication is no walk in the park. As a result, it’s often left to service providers, without users really knowing how effective the protection offered actually is. The Qabel platform, which describes itself as the “jack-of-all-trades of encryption,” now aims to put cryptography back in the hands of users. The startup, which emerged from the innovation department of praemandatum GmbH, is developing user-friendly protection against surveillance through end-to-end encryption and metadata obfuscation. What sets it apart: Instead of focusing on individual applications, Qabel aims to secure every form of online activity—from emails and cloud storage to chats.
