Beyond the familiar presence of antivirus applications, the cybersecurity sector has long operated primarily as a business-to-business enterprise, with its tools, research, and services largely targeted toward corporate clients rather than individual consumers. This focus has left average internet users—particularly those without technical expertise—to navigate the digital landscape on their own, often without sufficient resources or guidance. Among the most at-risk demographics are older adults, a generation that did not grow up immersed in the world of constant connectivity, smartphones, and social media. Many of them approach digital interactions with caution or uncertainty, making them especially susceptible to phishing, scams, and other evolving forms of online deception.
Recognizing this widespread vulnerability, sisters Catherine Karow and Ellie King Karow founded **ZoraSafe**, a forward-thinking startup dedicated to bridging this gap in personal cybersecurity. Their mission, as they explained in an interview with *TechCrunch* ahead of the upcoming **TechCrunch Disrupt** conference—where ZoraSafe is slated to participate in the prestigious *Startup Battlefield*—centers on empowering older users through both protection and education. Rather than simply acting as a digital shield against scammers, hackers, and fraudulent schemes, the app aspires to become a comprehensive learning companion. It does so by employing gamified microlearning modules—short, engaging lessons that teach essential online safety skills through play and repetition—to help users understand and identify risks before they become victims.
Although the application has not yet been released to the public, Catherine and Ellie anticipate a launch in approximately one month. Their pricing model will begin at $12.99 per month for individual users, while families and groups will be offered subscription plans at a higher rate to accommodate multiple accounts. This approach signals the founders’ intent to make ZoraSafe accessible not just to isolated individuals, but to entire family networks who wish to keep their older loved ones safe.
The sisters revealed that the app’s first version will debut with an array of practical and easy-to-use security tools. According to Catherine, these include a scanning feature that can analyze QR codes for potentially harmful or deceptive links, a function allowing users to forward suspicious text messages or emails directly to ZoraSafe’s team for verification, and an option for users to log known scams so that others within the community can be alerted. Each of these capabilities is designed to nurture collective vigilance. In fact, Catherine emphasized that they are deliberately *incentivizing* the social sharing of digital threats: “Our goal is to ensure that when one member encounters a scam, the entire Zora network can be alerted immediately. That way, the impact is contained, and prevention becomes a community effort rather than an individual struggle.”
Looking ahead, future updates will continue to expand the app’s functionality. Among the most anticipated features is one that will enable ZoraSafe to join a suspicious phone call—virtually and securely—so that its artificial intelligence engine can analyze the conversation in real time to detect whether the caller might be a scammer or even a deepfake voice. Importantly, Catherine stressed that ZoraSafe’s system will not actively listen to or record private phone conversations; its analysis occurs through privacy-conscious detection algorithms designed to maintain user confidentiality.
When the app identifies a possible threat, it will initiate an interactive chat session explaining precisely what the danger was, why it mattered, and how the user can recognize similar patterns in future encounters. As Ellie explained, the goal is not only to intervene in the moment but also to cultivate digital awareness and resilience over time. “The entire idea,” she noted, “is to build long-term confidence. We want people to internalize these safety habits so that even when they are not directly engaging with ZoraSafe, they are more alert and better prepared during any online interaction.”
The sisters have also prioritized privacy as a design cornerstone of ZoraSafe. Ellie elaborated that the app’s artificial intelligence system carries out approximately eighty-five percent of its processing locally—directly on the user’s device—while only fifteen percent of data is handled in the cloud. Even then, she emphasized, all transmitted information is thoroughly scrubbed of personally identifiable details before leaving the device, ensuring that users retain control over their digital footprint.
In parallel, Catherine described an upcoming complementary product: an NFC-enabled sticker designed for integration into smartphone cases. With a simple tap, users will be able to instantly summon the ZoraSafe app—whether they suspect a deepfake call or experience a personal emergency such as a fall, during which the app could alert their designated caregivers. This creative hardware addition provides a workaround for the limitations that iOS places on app monitoring across other applications. Another proposed method for seamless engagement is a convenient “Share to ZoraSafe” feature within the iOS sharing menu, allowing users to forward text messages or suspicious emails to ZoraSafe’s verification system with just one quick gesture.
Beyond the immediate launch, the co-founders envision a much broader future for their platform. Their long-term ambition includes extending ZoraSafe’s educational and protective framework to children—helping younger generations build healthy digital habits early—and forging partnerships with schools to integrate safety training into classroom environments. They also plan to internationalize the app, beginning with a Spanish-language edition to reach an even wider audience of non-English-speaking users vulnerable to similar forms of cyber exploitation.
Those interested in learning more about ZoraSafe’s innovative journey—and in witnessing how it stands alongside dozens of other promising startups—can explore its showcase during **TechCrunch Disrupt**, scheduled to take place in San Francisco from October 27 to 29, 2025. The event will feature multiple stages of engaging presentations, product pitches, and keynote discussions that celebrate creative solutions shaping the future of technology and online safety.
Sourse: https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/12/the-zorasafe-app-wants-to-protect-older-people-online-and-will-present-at-techcrunch-disrupt-2025/
