Our Mission
At Stride, we believe that accessing help in the outdoors should never be complicated. Our mission is to make search and rescue devices more accessible through an innovative rental system that allows all outdoor enthusiasts to signal for help without enxtesive planning up front.
Our Story
Founded by Diya Patel, a passionate Georgia Tech student, Stride emerged from a problem of her own. There was no way to access help in the backcountry without spending lots of time and money before a trip. The Stride journey began with the recognition that traditional satellite communicators, while essential, often require arduous setup and upkeep. They can also be prohibitively expensive for many outdoor enthusiasts. This realization sparked an innovative solution: a rental-based search and rescue device system that would save time, decrease costs, and revolutionize how people approach safety in the backcountry.
Meet the Cofounders of Stride: Diya Patel
During her first backpacking trip, Diya realized there was no way to signal for help if it weren't for her friend's Garmin InReach. Both of them were in Torres del Paine National Park, in the middle of the Patagonia region of Chile. This got her thinking about how safety equipment like the Garmin InReach could be more accessible to college kids like herself.
While training for a marathon, the idea of accessible safety came up again as Diya long runs in a new city during a summer internship. The following semester, Stride became what it is today through a group project at Georgia Tech. With Stride, Diya aims to ensure that every adventurer has access to the safety equipment they need, regardless of their experience, time commitment, or budget.
Outside of Stride, Diya is an M.S. Analytics student at Georgia Tech and an active flight instructor. You can find her running, traveling, and exploring in her free time.
Meet the Cofounders of Stride: Jacob Anderson
Jacob Anderson has been backpacking and hiking for over a decade. He has explored remote places across the U.S. and internationally, and has experienced firsthand the challenges of not being able to call for help in emergencies. This inspired him to join Stride as a cofounder, with the goal of making hiking and outdoor adventures safer for everyone.
While hiking in the Appalachian Mountains, Jacob often found himself in areas with limited cell coverage and in a couple occasions people who needed help but were unable to call for it. These experiences motivated him to work on Stride, so that others wouldn't have to face the same challenges.
Outside of Stride, Jacob is an M.S. Computer Engineering student at Georgia Tech and freelance youth programming instructor. You can find him working on his latest project, hiking, or writing music in his free time.
Stride with us.
We are hard at work developing the Stride device so you can safely explore the outdoors. Sign up for updates on the Stride device below, and be the first to take safer steps when we launch. For questions, please contact us here .