WE ARE BRAVE

bRAVE tECHNOLOGY COOP ("BRAVE")

Brave is a multi-stakeholder cooperative, working from Vancouver, BC, and Columbus, Ohio. Our sole focus is preventing overdose death.

Our technology tools have been co-designed with people who use drugs, respond to overdose, and build community resilience in the face of the overdose epidemic. They are designed to connect people at risk of overdose with help they need: an ally to talk to, a human supporter to ensure they are safe, digital monitoring technology to detect when they’re in danger, a community of overdose responders, and professional emergency first responders.

Our latest Snapshot has more information on who we are, why we’re doing this work, and our approach.

Cooperative

Brave was founded on principles of economic justice and accountability to community. We believe that everyone involved in what we do should enjoy a share of the benefits and a say in how we do it. This is why we chose to become a cooperative.

Being a cooperative means that Brave is co-owned and democratically controlled by its members. Most for-profit businesses give ownership and voting power only to investors. In contrast, cooperatives split profits among all members and operate on a one-member one-vote basis.

There are several types of coops, which differ depending on what kind of members they have and how these members interact. Brave is a “multi-stakeholder” cooperative because we have three types of members - those who are who are workers at Brave (“labour members”), those who invest in the company (“investor members”), and those who use our technology or services (“customer members”). The choice to operate as a multi-stakeholder cooperative reflects Brave’s commitment to those who do the work, those who use the tools we create, and those whose financial support makes what we do possible.

You can learn more about our coop structure, and apply to be a member, in this document.

Coops have long embraced principles of fairness, equity and community engagement and the emergence of platform cooperatives in the technology sector is an emerging phenomenon we are thrilled to be a part of.

Privacy & Anonymity

To the greatest extent possible, our tools are designed to be private and anonymous. Coop members are required to identify themselves, and it is possible to create an account to use our tools, but it is not necessary (and you do not need to disclose any personal information if you do create an account).

In the event of an overdose, of course, your location will be revealed so that help can be sent. If there is no overdose then your location is not shared with anyone.

As it related to the Be Safe app, click the following link to read our Privacy Policy.

Recognition and Awards

We have worked hard to achieve success and recognition for our work, while building our community and technology.

We’re delighted to have won the MaRS Opioid Data Challenge, Phase 2 of the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge, and to have found partners and clients in Vancouver’s Overdose Prevention Society, CIRE, Raincity and many more.

Feedback

100% of residents feel safer with Brave Buttons

Resident Quotes:

“It’s a good thing to have the button. I completely feel safer with it there.”
“It’s a great idea.”
“I think it’s a good idea permanently…It should be automatically offered to people when they get a prescription.”