What Rescue.co does

Rescue.co, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya (153 Shanzu Road, Westlands, with a 24/7 dispatch centre at the same location), operates an emergency response coordination platform serving individuals, families, corporate teams, and partner platforms across Kenya and East Africa. The company is incorporated as Rescue Connect Ltd (trading as rescue.co) with Capsule Ltd. named in its privacy policy; both are Kenyan entities. Rescue.co addresses a structural gap in regional emergency services — at founding, average response time in Nairobi was nearly three hours versus roughly eight minutes in New York — and today operates what it describes as East Africa's largest emergency response network: 800+ ambulances, 1,000+ provider partners, 20+ helicopters, 100+ fixed-wing aircraft, 130+ roadside responders, and 300+ security teams, achieving an average response time of 15 minutes. The proprietary technology core is the Flare Platform, an intelligent dispatch system that uses real-time GPS, traffic, responder availability, and hospital capacity data to select and route the nearest appropriate responder, while supporting multi-agency coordination, hospital admission workflows, and live tracking.

Rescue.co monetises through recurring annual memberships (basic individual/family cover starts at 4,000 KSh/year, premium roadside at KSh 8,999/vehicle/year), 30-day SafeTravels travel cover priced from $25 (Kenya) to $125 (Africa), and B2B enterprise contracts plus API integrations sold to insurance, mobility, logistics, and healthcare partners. The product portfolio includes Individual/Family Memberships, Team/Corporate plans, the standalone Roadside by Rescue.co membership, SafeTravels for short-stay visitors, and a developer-facing API used by partners such as Bolt, Glovo, Sendy, and Lami to embed SOS and emergency response features inside their own apps. Distribution combines self-serve online sign-up at subscribe.rescue.co, enterprise field sales, a tourism reseller network, and embedded API partnerships; payments are processed via Stripe and M-PESA.

Scale disclosures include 2.4M+ members and 30,000 rescues (per the company website) or 65,000+ rescues (per a separate source) since founding, with operations spanning Kenya nationwide and air-rescue coverage across East Africa. The company reports 51–100 employees (50+ specialists in tech, medical, and response roles) and has been recognised by TIME Best Inventions (2020), the Financial Times/IFC Transformational Business Award (2024), the GSMA GLOMO Award (2024), the World Economic Forum Innovators Award for COVID-19, and the Google SDG Accelerator, among others. Disclosed investors include Enza Capital (2019) and the Nairobi Business Angel Network (2022); funding amounts are not public.

Name

Rescue.co

Legal name

Capsule Ltd.

Website

https://rescue.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rescue.co, founded in 2016 in Nairobi, runs East Africa's largest emergency response network — coordinating ambulances, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, roadside, and security responders through its Flare dispatch platform — and serves 2.4M+ individual, family, and enterprise members via subscriptions, travel cover, and embedded API integrations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Response Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191), Ambulance Services (621910), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Security Systems Services (56162)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Dispatch Center Services (PSAP/911 Support, Private Dispatch) (BPAKAFAJ)

Keywords

• Emergency response services
• Medical evacuation services
• Roadside assistance
• Emergency dispatch platform
• Air ambulance rescue

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions for individuals, families, and teams providing access to emergency response services including ambulance, roadside, security, and air rescue. Covers starting at 4,000 KSh per year for basic plans.
2. Short-term Travel Cover: 30-day SafeTravels coverage for tourists and travelers visiting East Africa, priced per person based on geographic coverage (Kenya $25, East Africa $50, Southern Africa $90, Africa $125).
3. B2B Enterprise and API Integrations: Custom corporate memberships, volume-based discounts, and API integration services for businesses. Partners include insurance companies, insurtech firms, mobility platforms, and healthcare providers bundling rescue services.
4. Optional Add-on Coverage: Air evacuation and roadside rescue add-ons to base memberships with additional annual fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rescue.co is an emergency response coordination service operating the largest emergency network in East Africa with 800+ ambulances, 20+ helicopters, and 100+ fixed-wing aircraft. The company sells annual memberships to individuals, families, and corporate teams providing 24/7 access to medical, roadside, security, and air rescue services coordinated through its proprietary Flare intelligent dispatch platform. It also offers a 30-day SafeTravels travel cover product, a standalone Roadside assistance plan, and an API for partners to embed SOS/panic button features within their own applications.

Product overview

Rescue.co is an emergency response platform providing premium emergency rescue services and coordination across East Africa. The platform consists of the Flare technology platform as the core infrastructure powering a multi-layered product portfolio: Rescue.co Membership serves as the primary consumer and corporate product covering medical rescue, air evacuation, security response, and 24/7 dispatch coordination; SafeTravels provides short-term 30-day travel cover for visitors to East Africa; Roadside by Rescue.co offers standalone vehicle-focused roadside assistance; and the Rescue.co API Integration enables enterprise partners to embed SOS and emergency features into their own applications. The offering is built around Kenya's largest emergency response network with 800+ ambulances, 20+ helicopters, 100+ fixed-wing aircraft, 130+ roadside providers, and 300+ security teams, all coordinated through the Flare intelligent dispatch system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rescue.co Membership (Individual/Family) Annual membership for individuals and families providing 24/7 emergency assistance, ambulance evacuations throughout Kenya, and optional add-ons for air evacuation and roadside rescue. Cover starts at KSh 4,000 per year.
• Rescue.co Membership (Team/Corporate) Corporate and team membership plans for organizations, SMEs, startups, NGOs, embassies, and mission groups with custom pricing for larger teams, instant alerts, and reporting dashboards.
• SafeTravels 30-day short-term travel protection plan for visitors to East and Southern Africa, covering ground ambulance, air rescue, roadside assistance, and security escort. Priced per person at $25 (Kenya), $50 (East Africa), $90 (Southern Africa), or $125 (Africa).
• Roadside by Rescue.co Standalone annual roadside assistance membership covering vehicle recovery (towing up to 600km total), flat tire changes, battery jumpstarts, fuel delivery, key retrieval, security escort, and ambulance response. Priced at KSh 8,999 per vehicle per year.
• Rescue.co API Integration API product enabling enterprise partners (e-hailing apps, insurtech platforms, logistics companies, healthcare providers) to embed SOS buttons, panic features, and emergency response capabilities within their own applications. Powers in-app safety features for partners such as Bolt, Glovo Kenya, Sendy, and Lami.

Quantifiable outcome

• Response time reduced from 3 hours to 15 minutes on average in Nairobi
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• BoltcoreTechnology or IntegrationBolt e-hailing platform uses rescue.co API to deploy an in-app SOS button for drivers and riders across East Africa. Rescue.co provides the integrated backend for safety features powering Bolt's emergency response capabilities.
• Glovo KenyacoreTechnology or IntegrationDelivery platform integrating rescue.co for rider safety and peace of mind. Rescue.co provides emergency response capabilities embedded in Glovo's platform.
• SendycoreTechnology or IntegrationLogistics platform providing drivers with emergency response through rescue.co integration. Enables convenient and fast emergency response through SOS button.
• JW SeagoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor insurance broker in Kenya bundling rescue.co membership into select insurance packages for clients. Provides access to network of ambulances, tow trucks, and security backup.
• GA InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of the largest and oldest insurance providers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda bundling rescue.co into select insurance packages.
• Wheels for LifestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonor-based maternal health initiative. Rescue.co provides urgent rescue and transfer services crucial to saving mothers and babies throughout Kenya. Has helped 100k+ women access healthcare.
• KK Security (Guardaworld)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSecurity company in Kenya belonging to Guardaworld group, providing security response services within rescue.co's network.
• Securex SecuritycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOne of the largest providers of security and guarding services in Kenya, integrated into rescue.co's security response network.
• BM SecuritycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBob Morgan Security Company, major provider of security and guarding services throughout Kenya integrated into rescue.co network.
• Ambulance and Medical Providers (800+)coreOthersNetwork of 800+ ambulances and first responders throughout Kenya, vetted and monitored through the Flare Platform. Includes advanced life support vehicles, medical crews, and specialized transport units.
• Aircraft Providers (20+ helicopters, 80+ fixed-wing)coreOthersPartnership with 20+ helicopters and 80+ fixed-wing aircraft providers for medevac and casevac operations throughout East Africa, including safari lodges, coastal resorts, and remote locations.
• Roadside Assistance Providers (130+)coreOthersNetwork of 130+ roadside assistance responders including tow trucks, breakdown support, fuel delivery, and tire services throughout Kenya.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• St John Ambulance Kenya: Long-standing Kenyan first aid and ambulance provider. Comparable ambulance services in Kenya, though primarily first-aid training and event coverage rather than a tech-driven dispatch platform.
• AAR Healthcare: Major outpatient healthcare and emergency response provider across East Africa. Adjacent capability through clinics and emergency transportation in overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• International SOS: Global leader in medical and travel security assistance, operating a dispatch and provider network analogous to Flare. Comparable membership/assistance model and enterprise risk contracts, but vastly larger global scope.
• Falck: Global emergency services and healthcare operator running ambulance, fire, and response services across multiple continents. Comparable large-scale emergency network operator but in mature, regulated markets.

Direct peers

• Assist America: Travel emergency assistance and medical evacuation provider bundled with insurance and membership products. Closely comparable B2B2C model where emergency response is embedded into partner offerings.
• MedAire: Medical assistance for aviation, maritime, and remote travelers — including in-flight medical support and remote evacuation. Overlaps with rescue.co's air rescue and SafeTravels product.
• Global Rescue: Provider of travel risk management, evacuation, and emergency response memberships to individuals and corporate travelers. Directly comparable subscription product and traveler segment, including the SafeTravels use case.
• AMREF Flying Doctors: East Africa's leading air ambulance operator providing medevac across Kenya and the region. Closest direct peer in air rescue and emergency medical evacuation in the same geography, with overlapping ambulance and pre-hospital services.

Emerging players

• Care by Uber / Uber Safety: Uber and Careem embed in-app SOS, trip safety features, and incident response for drivers and riders. A potential in-house competitor to rescue.co's mobility API distribution, anchored in a much larger global fleet.

Others

• Primecare Insurance / GA Insurance: Regional insurance players that already bundle rescue.co into products; representative of the insurtech ecosystem that could vertically integrate emergency response capability, making them adjacent ecosystem participants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RescueByFlare
• Facebookfacebook.com/RescueByFlare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rescue-co-emergency-response

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rescue.co