Vodafone Foundation celebrates NG-SOS emergency app surpassing five million downloads across Europe

Vodafone Foundation celebrates NG-SOS emergency app surpassing five million downloads across Europe

(IN BRIEF) Vodafone Foundation has marked a major success as the NG-SOS emergency app surpassed five million downloads across Europe. Originally created as a university thesis project in 2012 by Filip Maleňák, NG-SOS began as a localisation tool and now supports emergency response in Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Bavaria, with expansion to Romania underway. The app transmits location, medical data and other key information to responders in one tap, and offers video calling, AI translation, avalanche alerts, public warnings, First Aid and AED modules, and TheGuardian location tracking. Integrated with rescue services and supported by Vodafone Foundation, NG-SOS continues to enhance crisis response and digital safety infrastructure at scale.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERKSHIRE, 9-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Vodafone Foundation is celebrating a major achievement for its emergency-response technology portfolio, as the NG-SOS app passed the milestone of five million downloads this month. The landmark figure highlights the Foundation’s commitment to supporting people in crisis situations and reflects the growing reliance on NG-SOS across European countries where the app is now part of everyday emergency preparedness.

The NG-SOS platform — known as Záchranka in the Czech Republic — was first conceived in 2012 as a bachelor’s thesis by biomedical engineering student Filip Maleňák at Brno University of Technology. What began as a project focused on improving location accuracy in emergency calls has since evolved into a comprehensive, multi-feature safety tool. Co-funded by the Vodafone Foundation, the app today connects users to emergency services in Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and, most recently, Bavaria, with deployment in Romania already underway.

NG-SOS enables users to request help at the push of a button. Along with the alert itself, it sends responders essential information such as GPS coordinates, medical details, phone battery status, and emergency contacts, helping teams act faster and more effectively during critical incidents.

Over time, NG-SOS has grown into a wide-ranging digital aid system offering:

• First Aid and AED guidance providing step-by-step instructions for urgent medical situations

• Public warning alerts for events including contamination risks, epidemics, and chemical hazards

• Emergency video call functionality offering visual insight to responders

• Icon-based injury reporting for situations where the caller cannot speak

• AI-powered live translations to bridge language gaps in cross-border emergencies

• Avalanche monitoring and rescue contact capability for outdoor safety

• TheGuardian real-time tracking, enabling users to share their movement route via SMS with a chosen contact

The app is also integrated with Mountain Rescue and Water Rescue Services and includes a locator map to help users identify nearby AED devices, hospitals, and pharmacies, extending support far beyond initial distress calls.

Reflecting on the success, app founder Filip Maleňák commented: “NG-SOS is a huge asset not only for people in emergencies but also for the rescue teams who depend on fast, accurate information. It’s becoming embedded in the emergency infrastructure of several European countries, and reaching five million downloads is a milestone we are incredibly proud of.”

Lisa Felton, Managing Director of Vodafone Foundation, added: “NG-SOS has grown from a simple localisation concept into a true life-saving assistant. Five million downloads mean millions more people can access help instantly — right from their pocket. It represents exactly what our Foundation stands for: technology connected for good.” She noted that NG-SOS forms part of one of Vodafone Foundation’s three strategic focus areas dedicated to supporting individuals and communities during crisis.

As adoption continues to expand, NG-SOS is strengthening emergency response capacity across Europe, proving how digital tools can make critical intervention quicker, smarter and more accessible. Users can learn more or download the app via the NG-SOS website.

Media contact:
GroupMedia@vodafone.com

SOURCE: Vodafone Group