Haven Outpaces Goals and Reaches 1,000 Downloads One Week After Launch

Haven grows rapidly and spreads its revolutionary campus safety app with students, parents, and allies across Canada.

TORONTO, September 17, 2021 — Haven, a mobile safety app company created by two University of Toronto students who believe that returning to a pre-Covid world does not mean returning to pre-COVID dangers, overshot projections and reached over 1,000 downloads and #79 on the App Store just one week after its launch.

The company used a variety of marketing strategies such as social media, organic word-of-mouth, and print media to reach students across Canada. Haven Co-Founders made TikToks promoting the app’s launch, handed out flyers to students in Downtown Toronto, and engaged users in various online forums as well.

Additionally, recent sexual assault and safety incidents at Western University prompted a lot of downloads from students through word of mouth.

“It is so heartwarming seeing so many of our users posting about Haven on their social media and getting their friends and family to join the Haven community as well. We couldn't have reached 1,000 downloads so quickly without their constant support” says Haven Co-Founder and CEO Nelson Lee.

Haven has been working for the past 6 months to create an app that helps improve campus safety. Haven was created after co-founders Nelson Lee and Ethan Hugh learned about the prevalence of sexual assaults and harassment at universities across Ontario in August 2020.

In March 2021, Haven was accepted by the University of Toronto's incubator, the Hatchery, to join their NEST 2021 Summer Program, which provided connections, mentors, and resources to help Haven succeed in its mission.

Haven released its app, ‘Haven – Safety Locator & Alert’, on the App and Google Play Store in September 2021. The Haven app can download here: bit.ly/DownloadHaven.

Media Contact

Nelson Lee

nelson@havensafe.co