What Is the Brave Project?
Brave is all about saving lives through smart overdose detection tools that kickstart life-saving community responses. It’s not just another app or gadget—it’s a whole system designed to keep people who use drugs safer, especially when they’re alone. From the Brave App to Brave Buttons and Sensors, these tools work wherever and whenever drugs are used, making sure help is just a tap or alert away. The project operates as a cooperative, meaning it’s co-owned and democratically governed by its members—those who use the products, work there, or invest. This unique setup ensures that the people most affected have a real say in how things run and how the tools evolve.
Main Benefits of Brave’s Overdose Detection Tools
Brave’s impact is clear and powerful. Here are some key figures that show just how much difference these tools are making:
- 18,000+ connections to care
- 1,800+ safer spaces created
- 400+ overdoses reversed
These numbers aren’t just stats—they represent lives saved and communities made safer through timely overdose detection and response.
How Brave Supports Different Communities
Brave’s tools are tailored for various settings and groups. For supportive housing managers, where nearly half of overdoses happen, Brave Buttons connect residents to staff support, reducing fatal risks and easing the pressure on teams. In public spaces like libraries, transit hubs, or coffee shops, Brave Sensors discreetly detect overdoses in bathrooms, alerting staff instantly while respecting privacy. And for community service providers and health workers, these tools offer peace of mind, knowing that help can arrive fast when seconds count.
Why Overdose Detection Matters
Despite harm reduction efforts and safer drug supplies, overdoses still happen every day. But here’s the thing—overdose deaths don’t have to be inevitable. Most overdoses can be reversed with naloxone if detected quickly enough. Brave steps into that critical five-minute window between overdose and intervention, bridging prevention and reversal. It’s about catching the moment when every second counts and activating a life-saving response before it’s too late.
The Cooperative Model Behind Brave
Brave isn’t just a tech company; it’s a co-op. This means members—users, workers, and investors—share ownership and governance. They co-design products, influence decisions, and share profits. This democratic approach ensures the tools stay true to the needs of people who use drugs and those who support them. It’s a community-driven mission, built on trust, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
Brave’s Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Reducing overdose fatalities and improving community health
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Focusing on marginalized groups like Black, Indigenous, and people of color
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Making public spaces safer with overdose detection technology
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – Collaborating with harm reduction providers and public health organizations
Brave’s Vision for the Future
Brave is more than just technology—it’s a movement toward ending overdose fatalities. By partnering with research bodies, harm reduction services, and public health leaders, Brave keeps pushing the boundaries of what overdose detection can do. The goal? To make these life-saving tools accessible to everyone, especially those most at risk. Whether it’s through private-label apps for health organizations or community-driven co-op governance, Brave is lighting the way to safer, healthier communities everywhere.
