Fuel Ventures has led a £340,000 investment round into Community Wolf, a fast-growing South African startup using WhatsApp to revolutionise public safety through community-driven crime reporting and intelligence gathering.
The funding, which closed this month, marks a pivotal step in Community Wolf’s mission to use simple, accessible technology to make communities around the world safer — beginning with its home market of South Africa, where the platform has already gained significant traction.
By turning WhatsApp — the world’s most widely used messaging app — into a crime reporting and public safety tool, Community Wolf has created a powerful new communication channel between citizens, authorities, and the wider safety ecosystem. Its intelligent technology stack acts as a connective layer, allowing real-time responses and generating valuable, data-driven insights for law enforcement and local communities.
The new funding will be used to enhance the platform, build out Community Wolf’s in-house tech team, and scale operations in key global markets with high public safety needs, including Nigeria, Brazil, and other parts of South America. Marketing will also be ramped up across digital and out-of-home channels, aimed at establishing Community Wolf as a trusted and recognisable safety brand.
Mark Pearson, founder of Fuel Ventures, said the decision to invest was driven by the platform’s transformational potential: “We’re backing Community Wolf because they’re building something truly game-changing — a public safety network that puts the power in the hands of the people, using tools we already know and trust. The impact in South Africa is already clear. We’re proud to support their mission as they scale globally.”
Co-founders Nick Mills and Michael Houghton launched Community Wolf as a grassroots initiative to help people feel safer in their neighbourhoods. The platform’s effectiveness and community engagement have since propelled it into one of the most innovative players in public safety tech.
“This investment is a huge validation of our vision,” said Mills. “We’ve seen just how transformative it can be to connect communities using platforms they already use. Fuel Ventures’ backing gives us the rocket fuel to expand our reach and deepen our impact.”
Houghton added: “We’ve always aimed to stay lean so we can remain close to the communities we serve. But we also want Community Wolf to become a household name — something people can rely on and trust to keep them safe. With this investment, we can grow with care and stay true to what makes us different.”
As governments and private companies increasingly look to harness technology for public good, Community Wolf’s approach — blending everyday digital tools with real-time safety infrastructure — could become a model for citizen-led security in high-need regions around the world.
