Press Releases

CNN Features 3rd-i in National Story Highlighting Baylie Grogan's Legacy and Student Safety Awareness

Published June 8, 2026

MIAMI, FL — 3rd-i, the real-time communication and emergency coordination platform founded by University of Miami graduate Dillon Abend, was recently featured in a national CNN story highlighting the legacy of Baylie Grogan and the efforts of her family to improve awareness around student safety, preparedness, and emergency communication.

The article, written by CNN journalist Faith Karimi, shares Baylie's story and the advocacy work of her mother and stepfather, Shawnee and Scott Baker, Co-Founders of Baylie's Wish Foundation. Through education, awareness, and outreach, the foundation helps families navigate important conversations surrounding student safety, healthcare preparedness, and emergency planning before a crisis occurs.

Baylie's story has become a powerful reminder of how quickly situations can change and the importance of communication, awareness, and keeping trusted contacts informed while on the go.

As part of that mission, Baylie's Wish Foundation has partnered with 3rd-i to help advance conversations around modern safety technology, emergency preparedness, and real-time communication.

The Bakers believe technology like 3rd-i could have made a meaningful difference that night.

As noted in CNN's coverage, “The Bakers believe the app could have made a big difference in keeping Baylie safe that night.” Their decision to partner with 3rd-i reflects a shared commitment to helping students, parents, and communities gain greater awareness, communication, and access to critical information during uncertain situations.

“We are honored to work alongside Shawnee, Scott, and the entire Baylie's Wish Foundation team,” said Dillon Abend, Founder and CEO of 3rd-i. “Baylie's story reminds us that information, communication, and awareness can be critical during emergencies. Our mission is to help connect users, trusted contacts, trained Safety Agents, and emergency personnel through technology that provides access to critical information when every second matters.”

Unlike traditional location-sharing or tracking applications, 3rd-i combines live video, audio, location sharing, trip monitoring, trained Safety Agents, emergency escalation capabilities, and responder-focused tools into a single platform designed to bridge the gap between everyday communication and emergency response.

Recent innovations launched within 3rd-i include proactive Movement Detection Notifications, which can prompt users to Go Live when they are on the move during user-selected time periods. By default, users can receive reminders between 9 PM and 4 AM, helping trusted contacts stay informed during times when many people are walking, traveling, commuting, or returning home. Friends can also nudge one another to Go Live, sending a notification that allows a user to begin sharing with trusted contacts or a Squad in as little as two taps.

The platform also features Dual Camera Livestreaming, allowing users to simultaneously capture both their surroundings and themselves while sharing live video, audio, and location. Livestreams can continue even when users leave the application through Picture-in-Picture functionality, enabling ongoing communication and recording while using other apps. During emergencies, livestreams can be shared with trained Safety Agents to provide additional situational awareness and context.

To make emergency assistance more accessible, 3rd-i recently launched Lock Screen Widgets that allow users to Go Live, Trigger an Emergency for a Friend, or Connect Directly to a trained Safety Agent in as little as two taps directly from their lock screen.

Another key innovation is Trigger Emergency for a Friend and Groupchat Emergency Dispatch. Traditional emergency calls made on behalf of someone located in another county or state can sometimes require transfers between dispatch centers before reaching the correct jurisdiction. 3rd-i's system is designed to help streamline that process by routing emergency information based on the location of the individual needing assistance rather than the location of the caller.

The platform can utilize a user's real-time or last known location and allows that location to be adjusted for greater precision within large properties, campuses, apartment complexes, schools, stadiums, and other complex environments. Users can also identify and share the closest access point to their location through Entry Pinning, providing additional information that may assist responders in locating an individual more efficiently.

Additional platform capabilities include:

• Live and recorded video, audio, and location sharing
• Trip Mode with route, destination, ETA, and arrival monitoring
• Access to trained Safety Agents
• Discreet Emergency Dispatch capabilities
• Critical Alerts that can notify trusted contacts during emergencies
• Emergency notes and responder-focused information sharing
• Battery percentage sharing during emergency events
• AI-powered transcription and event summaries
• Squad-based communication and monitoring

The partnership between Baylie's Wish Foundation and 3rd-i reflects a shared commitment to helping students, families, and communities stay informed and better prepared during everyday activities and emergency situations.

“Technology alone cannot prevent every tragedy,” Abend added. “But we believe better communication, greater situational awareness, and faster access to critical information can help improve emergency coordination when seconds matter.”

As 3rd-i continues to expand across college campuses, families, and communities nationwide, the company remains focused on building innovative technology that helps users stay connected while providing trusted contacts, trained Safety Agents, and emergency personnel with the information they need to respond more effectively.

About 3rd-i

3rd-i is a real-time communication and emergency coordination platform that combines live video, audio, location sharing, trip monitoring, trained Safety Agents, emergency escalation capabilities, and responder-focused tools into a single experience. Founded by University of Miami graduate Dillon Abend, the company is focused on developing technology that helps users stay connected while providing trusted contacts and emergency personnel with greater situational awareness during everyday activities and emergency situations. Link to CNN article here: https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/15/us/baylie-grogan-health-care-proxy-cec

Media Contact: info@3rd-i.com

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22-Year Old Entrepreneur Raises $1 Million Scaling Game-Changing Interactive Safety App 3rd-i

Published July 7, 2025

Dillon Abend Secures Funding to Grow Real-Time Social Safety App Inspired by Personal Loss, Built on Student Needs, and Poised to Redefine Safety Technology

Miami, Fla. (June 23, 2025) — 3rd-i Technology Inc., the groundbreaking mobile safety startup founded by University of Miami graduate Dillon Abend, proudly announces it has raised $1 million in funding from over a dozen institutional and angel investors, including an initial $100,000 investment from the University of Miami. Additional funding includes former individuals from Lyft, FedEx, a Goldman Sachs executive, a Leidos executive, GE, a Korn Ferry executive, and CMPSE (a Sarasota-based software company).

The capital will power the continued expansion of 3rd-i's student safety platform, which is expanding across major U.S. cities and college campuses.

This milestone follows a six-month fundraising effort that began in September 2024 and underscores widespread investor belief in Dillon's vision: to build a real-time, proactive safety solution for students, rideshare passengers, and everyday individuals. The original idea for 3rd-i was born not in a lab, but on late-night runs in bear-prone areas of New Jersey while in high school, where Dillon frequently stayed on the phone with family for reassurance which sparked the idea for an app that incorporated face to face communication and integrated safety and recording features.

After moving to Miami for college, the concept evolved into a mission. Hearing repeated stories of rideshare-related safety incidents, Dillon was determined to create a smarter, more responsive safety solution, one that didn't rely on luck, passive alerts, or outdated technology.

“Rideshare-related incidents are a growing concern across the country, and the stories behind them are deeply unsettling,” said Dillon Abend, Founder and CEO of 3rd-i. “Ridesharing has become essential to our daily lives, and I wanted to create a product that amplifies safety on the go. With incidents occurring in cities all over the country, it's clear that passengers need more robust safety measures than just sharing their location or trying to FaceTime a friend. After more than one-hundred product versions and years of testing with students, tech professionals, and safety experts, we believe 3rd-i will set a new standard for personal safety.”

The startup is not only a response to peer safety concerns, but also a tribute to his late father, and a way to build a legacy of impact through technology. With initial support from the University of Miami's USTARR program, Dillon grew the platform from a campus project into a scalable company that won first place at the Miami Herbert Business School's Business Plan Competition and again at the Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of South Florida Pitch Competition.

The 3rd-i app transforms a user's phone into a powerful live safety hub. Key features include:

• Trip Mode: Automatically shares your livestream, route, and updates with chosen “Squads” during rides, walks or runs.
• Live Streaming: Share both front and back camera feeds using dual-camera mode.
• Picture-in-Picture (PIP): Keep streaming and recording while using other apps.
• AI Transcription & Summary: Automatically transcribes and summarizes recorded video for easy review by squad members.
• SOS Button: Sends your livestream, location, and profile details to a 24/7 Emergency Dispatch Center, which coordinates directly with local law enforcement.
• Coming Soon: Crime map, Family & Small Business Plan, & Real-time AI audio and visual threat detection, advancing 3rd-i's mission to proactively identify danger before it's too late.

With the new $1 million in funding, 3rd-i has been able to increase internal infrastructure by hiring seven new team members across technology, marketing, and sales. In addition, they completed a full app design overhaul to improve UX and scalability, and built out a Partner Program to help schools, businesses, and organizations embed 3rd-i's safety tools into their platforms.

Dillon's approach is highly collaborative, working closely with law enforcement, university administrators, security consultants, and the families of rideshare related tragedy victims to ensure the app reflects real-world safety needs. With consistent updates based on student feedback and a growing list of national partnerships including collaborations with the #WHATSMYNAME Foundation and Baylie's Wish Foundation, 3rd-i is rapidly becoming a category-defining player in the emerging space of social safety technology.

For more information, partnership inquiries, or to download the app, visit www.3rd-i.com.

About 3rd-i

3rd-i was founded by Dillon Abend, inspired by the safety concerns faced by his friends after a series of disturbing rideshare-related incidents in Miami. Tired of the limited options like calling, FaceTiming, or simply sharing a location, Dillon set out to create a smarter, more responsive way for people to stay connected and protected in real time. Originally launched as a simple tool to enhance personal safety, 3rd-i has evolved into a robust situational awareness and connectivity platform. Through collaboration with over 50 University of Miami students, as well as input from rideshare assault survivors and families affected by rideshare-related tragedies, 3rd-i has been built with real stories, real needs, and real urgency at its core.

Today, 3rd-i partners with organizations selling bulk subscriptions to help their employees, customers, users, students and more stay safe and connected to friends and family like never before. Whether for individuals, communities, or enterprises, 3rd-i is committed to transforming the way people protect themselves and connect with those who matter most. For more information, please visit www.3rd-i.com.