Yongjae Chuh is Co-Founder and CTO of iSharingSoft. He holds a degree from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and worked as a Senior Software Engineer at SAP in Seoul, Korea.

He was selected for the competitive Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator program in New York City, chosen as one of only eleven companies from over 1,000 applicants, reflecting the technical depth and entrepreneurial vision he brings to iSharingSoft.

For readers who may be new to iSharing, can you tell us about the vision behind the app and how it differentiates itself from other location-sharing platforms?

iSharing addresses the fundamental need for family safety and connection in today’s mobile world. Our platform distinguishes itself through three core advantages: proprietary battery optimization technology that consumes only 1% of device battery over 24 hours, high accuracy location tracking for all movement types including walking, biking, and driving, and comprehensive privacy controls with user-defined sharing groups designed specifically for family safety.

What inspired the creation of iSharing, and how has the app evolved since its early days?

Our founders, both working parents, recognized the need for reliable family safety technology. Since launching in 2011, we have grown to serve over 60 million users globally through primarily organic growth. We have expanded from basic location sharing to include emergency alerts, 365-day location history, place-based notifications, and cross-platform accessibility including a web version.

What gives iSharing’s team unique insight into what families actually need from location-sharing technology?

Our team is made up of people living the same experiences as our users – parents with kids, university students, young adults in relationships, and people living abroad with elderly parents back home. When we develop features like inactivity alerts or privacy controls, we’re solving problems we face in our own lives. That personal connection drives our product decisions and helps us understand what families actually need.

Considering the crowded landscape of location-sharing apps in the US, what unique qualities position iSharing as a potential leader in this market?

Our competitive position comes from proven international success – we’re the top location-sharing app across multiple Asian and European markets through customized strategies that identify each country’s characteristics. We have high-accuracy tracking for all movement types, whether walking, driving, patented battery efficiency using only 1% daily. Our 365-day location history and 4.8-star global rating show consistent user satisfaction. What’s driving adoption, especially among families with seniors, is our inactivity alert feature that gives peace of mind without being intrusive. As a lean startup, we can quickly add safety features and respond to user needs faster than larger competitors.

How does iSharing’s growth strategy for the US differ from its approach in other regions, such as Asia?

Our global experience taught us that addressing universal safety problems requires localized solutions. The US market shows distinct usage patterns compared to our Asian markets. While Asian families focus heavily on safety, American users embrace more diverse applications and prefer using multiple platforms – we see higher adoption of our iPad and web versions. Families with teenagers appreciate that kids can control their own privacy settings, avoiding authoritarian dynamics. We’re seeing social uses like college roommates using nearby alerts for dorm privacy, plus emphasis on driving-related features for car-dependent lifestyles. This flexibility shapes our US marketing to emphasize user autonomy alongside safety benefits.

Many apps in this space focus on social features. How does iSharing strike a balance between safety, connection, and privacy to stand out?

Privacy forms the foundation of our platform architecture. Users maintain complete control through explicit approval systems for all connections and granular sharing permissions. We implement end-to-end encryption and undergo regular security audits. This approach ensures intentional sharing rather than default connectivity, addressing user concerns while enabling necessary safety and social functions.

Can you walk us through some of iSharing’s more advanced safety features and how they balance effectiveness with privacy protection?

Our SOS alert feature demonstrates this balance well. When someone activates an emergency alert, it automatically captures a 10-second audio recording of their surroundings and sends it with their location to emergency contacts. This gives families crucial context, they can hear background sounds to understand the situation, but only activates when explicitly requested for help. It provides just enough information to be useful in an emergency without creating constant surveillance.

With new technologies like AI, IoT, and wearables becoming an increasingly significant part of daily life, how do you envision iSharing evolving?

Future integration plans include IoT devices and expanded hardware compatibility with anything that becomes part of people’s daily lifestyles. These developments will enhance our safety intelligence while maintaining user control and privacy standards as our core principles. Also, we expect AI capabilities will play a larger role in pattern recognition and anomaly detection, identifying when users deviate from established routes or behavioral patterns that could indicate safety concerns.

Looking ahead to the next year or so, what are your biggest priorities for getting more people in the US to use iSharing?

Our priorities focus on continuing safety feature development based on user needs and feedback. We emphasize our technological advantages , particularly driving-related features and emergency support capabilities that address real safety concerns American families face daily. Building awareness through strategic partnerships and demonstrating our unique value propositions like battery efficiency and privacy controls will be key to expanding our US user base.

As safety and digital well-being become bigger concerns, how do you think location-sharing apps will change the way families and communities stay connected?

Location-sharing technology is becoming essential infrastructure for modern families, particularly as traditional community structures evolve and geographic dispersion increases. These platforms enable proactive rather than reactive safety measures, supporting aging-in-place initiatives and providing peace of mind for distributed families. The technology supplements rather than replaces human connection.

Where do you see the location-sharing industry heading in the next five years, and how is iSharing getting ready for what’s next?

The industry is moving toward predictive safety capabilities and ambient computing integration. We anticipate AI-driven risk identification and prevention, along with deeper integration with smart city infrastructure and emergency services. iSharing is preparing through continued AI investment, platform architecture expansion, and maintaining our commitment to user privacy as these technologies develop.

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