WoW Woman in Wearable Tech I Rajia Abdelaziz, founder of invisaWear
Rajia Abdelaziz is the founder of invisaWear.
invisaWear is jewelry that can save your life. invisaWear pieces look like everyday accessories but they are actually safety devices backed by America's #1 security provider (ADT).
Rajia graduated from The University of Massachusetts with a degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. A scary incident she experienced in college, inspired her to create invisaWear for a school project. When she realized that the only products on the market were ugly panic buttons (the kind that even your grandma doesn’t want to wear) she knew she needed to develop them into a real product.
Today, invisaWear is backed by America's #1 security provider (ADT). She is proud to have developed a product that helps save lives with a click of a button.
Double-click the button on the backside to immediately text a GPS location link to up to five emergency contacts to let them know you need help.
Enable the free 9-1-1 feature (the US only) to connect with 9-1-1 dispatchers.
With the invisaWear bracelet, there are multiple discrete options to alert for help including Live GPS tracking, 24/7 reassurance calls from an agent, activity tracking, and more.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
I graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a double major in electrical engineering and computer science. In college, my involvement as the President of The Society of Women Engineers inspired me to get more women into tech. I found my love for the industry as an intern with Amazon in robotics.
After a scary incident in college, I was inspired to turn one of my school projects into a real product. I turned down job offers by some of the most well-known tech companies to pursue them because I knew it would really help people.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
I actually didn’t mean to get into the industry - it was by accident and influenced by a scary experience. After a night out at an event in college, I was heading back to my car when another car full of guys rolled down the window and started yelling inappropriate comments. One of the guys got out of the car and started approaching me. Luckily I was able to get safely to my car but I felt vulnerable and helpless. I didn’t even have enough time to reach for my phone and call for help. I started researching but the only thing on the market was big, ugly panic buttons. I have faced many challenges during the process of creating the product and expanding it. It is always a rollercoaster ride but so rewarding.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
It took about six years to get invisaWear to where it is today. One of the biggest obstacles I faced was the sexism and the agism that comes along with being a young female entrepreneur. I had numerous people in the industry provide me with unwanted negativity around invisaWear. This negativity only fueled me to be a part of the small statistics in successful start-ups.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
One of invisaWear’s biggest achievements to date is the lives that have been saved. 5 years ago, we were able to help a young woman who was involved in a serious car accident. Most people don’t realize this until the moment, but during the majority of car accidents your phone gets thrown and is out of reach or you can’t find it. The car accident this woman was involved in was so bad that she was trapped in the car and couldn’t get out. She had nothing to rely on to call for help except her invisaWear keychain. The story still inspires me.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
We continue to develop the product and get it into the hands of those that really need it. In May, we donated a handful of products to Asian elders impacted by the 339% increase in Asian hate crimes since the pandemic. The Unity Rally event hosted community leaders for a day of awareness and resources.
One of the newest features to the product is voice activation.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Absolutely! There are so many reasons it is important to me. When I was in school, I double majored in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Massachusetts. In a lot of my classes, I was usually the only female engineer. Especially when I went off to do my internship and started looking for career opportunities. I remember one of the male engineers looked me dead in the eye and tried to insinuate that an engineering career path wouldn’t be good for me in the long run. It really ticked me off because I knew I was good at math, science, programming, etc.
In college, I was also the president of The Society of Women Engineers Chapter. We did a ton of community outreach and helped teach kids about math and science. I noticed that many female engineers had a parent that was already in the industry. Other students didn’t have the same exposure to the field and the opportunities that come with it so it wasn’t as attractive to them. That is why I am so passionate about female-oriented engineering groups. They do a great job of spreading awareness.
Then when I started the development phase for invisaWear, the only safety wearables popping up were the ugly panic buttons. We need women in tech so we can develop the products we actually want!
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
There will be a lot of further developments in the wearable technology space. I am a huge advocate for artificial intelligence. I think there is a lot of predictable technology coming out that we are definitely keeping our eye on. There is so much innovation taking place and my hope is that there will be more women in the space to participate.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Don’t listen to those that are doubting you. Focus on why you might not fail or what you “why” is. For me, my why was creating a safer world. I wasn’t okay with living my life getting paid a large sum of money at one of the top tech companies to not do anything about the horrific statistics surrounding sexual assault.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
I’m a little biased toward the jewelry space but I would have to say, Kendra Scott. When I first started developing invisaWear, I would listen to all her previous interviews. She always said, “you can’t take no for an answer”. Another woman I admire is Carolyn Rafaelian, the CEO of Alex and Ani, who named the company after her two daughters and created a jewelry empire.
I really admire Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo. When I was a little girl my dad told me a story about how Marissa built a nursery in her office after she had her baby. I really admired how she juggled both while working for one of the biggest names in tech and media.
Find out more about invisaWear on their website.
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This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.