Fundraising FoxSonder
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Australian on-demand personal safety and wellbeing service combining a 24/7 app, support centre and in-person responders.
Also known as Sonder · Sonder Australia
Investors · 5
How we know: Cardinia Ventures's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Also in the syndicate · 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Sonder operates an on-demand support network for personal safety and mental health, delivered through a dedicated mobile app backed by a 24/7 support centre and a network of in-person response officers. The service spans preventative safety and psychological support through to responses to acute mental crisis and situations involving risk of physical harm. App features include risk alerts, geo-location and a direct line to the company's round-the-clock operations centre.
The support centre is staffed by people trained in emergency response and mental health first aid, with capabilities described as covering complex problem solving and medical triage. In-person response officers with emergency services experience can attend a member, provide emotional support, escalate to other support services and, in certain cases, supply essentials. The company positions the service as multilingual and rapid-response, connecting an individual to a network of professionals within 20 minutes, and as bridging the gap for people who need help but whose situation does not warrant an emergency triple-zero call.
The company is headquartered at 834 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo, NSW, Australia, and maintains both a physical office and a remote-friendly working model. Named executives and founders referenced in sources include co-founder Chris Marr, Chief Financial Officer Ryan Kaveney, and Head of Education Joanna Storti.
Business model
Sonder sells subscription access to its support network, combining software (app with alerts and geo-location), a staffed 24/7 support centre and in-person responders. It serves both individual members and organisations, which purchase the service to support employees, students and mobile or remote staff.
Subscription pricing for members, described on the company's site as starting from $1 per day, alongside organisational partnerships covering employees and student cohorts.
Traction
Reported a spike in service uptake as organisations focused on safety culture during the COVID-19 pandemic, with welfare checks on employees and students, quarantine assistance and mental health support; the CFO cited significant new customer wins and expansion with existing customers. The company received several Australian business and innovation awards in 2019.
Latest developments
Media engagement included Sydney Morning Herald coverage of its first-responder network ambitions, a Mentored with Mark Bouris podcast interview with co-founder Chris Marr, and The PIE Perspectives discussion of coronavirus and student mental health featuring Head of Education Joanna Storti.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned in the personal safety and workplace mental health/wellbeing category, describing itself as filling the gap between existing underutilised workplace support tools and emergency services. Australian media reporting described strong growth tailwinds in safety for students, employees and mobile staff.
Combines digital monitoring and alerts with human support staff trained in mental health first aid and medical triage plus in-person responders drawn from emergency services backgrounds, offering escalation pathways for situations that fall short of an emergency services call.
Technology
A mobile application providing on-demand access to support, with risk alerts, environmental scanning, geo-location tracking and a direct connection to a 24/7 operations centre, integrated with human support staff and a dispatchable in-person responder network.
Go-to-market
Direct app download for individual members combined with partnerships with employers and education providers; visibility built through media coverage, podcasts and industry awards.
Individuals seeking personal safety support, plus organisations responsible for the welfare of employees, remote and mobile workers, and international and domestic students; the company has a large presence in the international student sector.
Geography
Headquartered in Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia, with stated ambitions to build a global first-responder network.
History
By 2019 the company had been recognised in Australian business and startup awards. During the COVID-19 pandemic, border closures disrupted parts of its international student partnerships, prompting cost re-examination including temporary universal pay cuts and reliance on JobKeeper support and partner concessions, while it continued investing in product development and its support network. Australian Financial Review coverage referenced a capital raise and reported the company eyeing a $100 million valuation, with commentary from investor Wendell Keuneman of Tidal VC.
Risks & controversies
Pandemic border closures curtailed the international student segment, disrupting existing partnerships and pausing new ones, and led to revenue impacts, changing forecasts and temporary pay cuts as the company managed cash runway.
Compiled by commissioned research from 9 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 6
launches, deals, and filingsSonder announced a A$40 million funding round led by Blackbird Ventures and SEEK, with new investment from Hostplus Super and support from existing investors including MA Growth Ventures. Proceeds were earmarked for platform enhancement, scaling operations across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and building AI-driven features.
The company reported passing one million members while citing 40 per cent year-on-year growth.
Sonder announced mental health support for farmers with WFI, an employee wellbeing partnership with Mogers Drewett, and a staff wellbeing engagement with rail operator Southeastern.
Included on the Australian Financial Review BOSS Most Innovative Companies list for 2019.
Named to LinkedIn's Top 10 Australian Startups list for 2019.
Named Telstra Emerging & Energised National Winner 2019 and New South Wales Business of the Year 2019.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 9
primary sources listed
- Contact ussonderwip.webflow.io · web
- Sonder raises $40M and surpasses 1 million members as workplace health and safety demand surges - Sondersonder.io · web
9 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Sonder do?
- Australian on-demand personal safety and wellbeing service combining a 24/7 app, support centre and in-person responders.
- Who are Sonder's investors?
- Sonder's investors include Cardinia Ventures, Blackbird Ventures, MA Growth Ventures.