Community Wolf

Community Wolf is a public safety technology company that utilizes an AI-driven platform accessible via WhatsApp to facilitate anonymous crime reporting and intelligence gathering. Founded in 2022 by high school friends Nick Mills and Michael Houghton, the startup aims to address the underreporting of crime in South Africa by providing an accessible, free, and anonymous channel for citizens.

The co-founders' paths diverged after high school, with Mills gaining operational expertise by co-founding a solar energy startup in South Africa, and Houghton founding an AI software agency and venture builder, working with organizations across Africa and Europe. The idea for Community Wolf was sparked by the realization that WhatsApp's widespread use could be leveraged for community safety, bypassing the need for users to download a new application. This insight, combined with Houghton's AI expertise, led to the creation of the platform.

The company's primary service allows users to report suspicious activity, crimes, and other incidents through text, voice notes, or images on WhatsApp. This data is then processed by AI to identify patterns, map crime, and provide actionable insights to private security firms, law enforcement, and community safety groups. For individuals, the service is free and includes features like real-time alerts for designated areas and trip tracking for personal safety. The business model includes a subscription-based service called "Enterprise Wolf," which offers advanced, hardware-free tools for private security companies, such as license disc scanning, group monitoring, and live patrol logs, all integrated within WhatsApp.

In May 2025, Community Wolf secured £340,000 in a funding round led by UK-based venture capital firm Fuel Ventures to enhance its technology and expand operations across South Africa and into other high-risk regions like Nigeria and Brazil.

Keywords: public safety, AI, crime reporting, WhatsApp, community safety, predictive modeling, anonymous reporting, security services, data analytics, incident response