In a world where convenience often comes at the cost of safety, HERide is flipping the script. Born in Atlanta and now expanding into Athens and beyond, the women-founded rideshare startup is reimagining what mobility can and should feel like: safe, dignified, and intentional. By centering women drivers and listening closely to the needs of underrepresented riders, HERide isn’t just offering an alternative to the major platforms. It’s demanding a new standard.
The Spark Behind the Startup
For HERide Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Jillian Anderson, the vision started behind the wheel. While driving for major rideshare platforms, she noticed a pattern.
“Countless women passengers expressed visible relief when they saw I was a woman driver,” she says. “They would often open up and share unsettling stories about past experiences where they felt defenseless, uncomfortable, even afraid.”
As this pattern became impossible to ignore, Jillian started surveying women in her personal network. The results confirmed what she already suspected: this wasn’t an isolated concern. “What struck me most was how normalized that fear had become,” she says. “HERide isn’t about offering a preference — it’s about solving a problem that traditional platforms haven’t addressed with the urgency it deserves.”
From day one, HERide set out to do more than make people feel comfortable. “We’re actively rewriting the rideshare landscape,” Jillian explains. “We’re creating protections and practices that don’t currently exist. And that benefits everyone.”
Not Just a Safer Option, a Smarter One
HERide’s model is built with precision and purpose. Yes, all drivers are women, but anyone, regardless of gender, can ride. That distinction is key, says co-founder and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer DeVynne Starks. “We’re not about exclusion. We’re about inclusion — especially for people who’ve felt overlooked or unsafe,” she says.
HERide drivers earn 80% of each fare, a number that far exceeds what’s offered by most competitors. But empowerment isn’t just economic. “Our drivers are often the primary earners in their households,” DeVynne adds. “They deserve to work without sacrificing personal safety.”
The company’s commitment to safety runs deep. Riders and drivers undergo a detailed vetting process, and HERide builds its tools based on real feedback. Beyond rideshare services, the co-founders are looking at partnerships to increase HERide drivers’ economic opportunity, like access to financial education, vehicle maintenance support, or health and wellness resources.
“Another misconception is that we’re just a niche preference,” says DeVynne. “But this is about addressing real safety concerns with intentional design. Some people also assume we are anti-men, and that could not be further from the truth. We give riders and drivers more choice, not less. HERide is not a reaction to fear. It is a proactive solution rooted in care and community.”
Raising Capital and the Sloss.Tech Spotlight
HERide may be gaining momentum, but its early days were fueled more by grit and passion than capital. “We are operating in one of the most competitive, capital-intensive industries — and doing so as Black women founders,” says Jillian. “Less than one percent of venture capital goes to us. That number speaks volumes … not about our ability, but about the barriers that continue to exist in this space.”
Without access to traditional funding streams, the HERide team got scrappy, creative, and bootstrapped. “We leaned on support from family and friends. We participated in pitch competitions, grant programs, and local innovation labs,” Jillian says. “Every dollar raised came with a story of perseverance, and every obstacle forced us to sharpen our strategy, messaging, and belief in what we’re building.”
Their perseverance paid off big time when HERide took home a win at Sloss.Tech, the Southeast’s premier tech conference and startup showcase. (SB Note: We just covered another one of this year’s winners, WiNK Therapeutics.) “Winning at Sloss.Tech was such a validating moment for our team,” Jillian says.
“It’s one thing to believe in your mission, but it’s another to have that vision recognized on a stage that celebrates innovation and tech culture,” she adds. “The win showed us that people understand what we’re doing and see the value in a women-centered solution in tech. It’s helped open doors for new conversations, partners, and investors.”
Stories That Stick
For DeVynne, the emotional fuel behind HERide’s growth is easy to access because she hears it daily. “One story that comes to mind is from a single mother who began driving with us after leaving a corporate job that made it difficult to be present for her children. She told us HERide gave her the flexibility to earn a meaningful income while still picking her kids up from school every day. This wasn’t just about driving. It was about reclaiming control of her time, safety, and dignity.”
Rider stories can be even more heartwrenching. “A young woman told us she’d stopped using rideshare services after being harassed. Her first trip with HERide ended with tears. She told her driver it was the first time she felt safe riding alone at night,” DeVynne recalls. “Those moments are why we do this.”
HERide has also become a lifeline for older women, college students, and survivors of domestic violence. “One survivor told us HERide was the only rideshare she trusted,” DeVynne says. “She didn’t have to explain, brace herself, or feel re-traumatized.” That kind of emotional safety is central to HERide’s mission, and it’s shaping their roadmap for the future.
Next Turns for HERide
“We’re focused on thoughtful, scalable growth that meets both demand and need,” DeVynne says. “While Atlanta has been our home base, we are looking to expand into other metropolitan areas where rideshare use is high and safety concerns are just as prominent. Cities with large airport traffic, college campuses, and dense event activity are top of mind.”
HERide is also rolling out new features to enhance safety and accountability, including AI-powered tools, in-app communication upgrades, real-time monitoring, and emergency response integration. “Our aim is not just to keep up with trends,” says DeVynne, “but to lead with innovation that centers safety and dignity.”
Standing (and Driving) in Their Power
Being a founder is never easy, but Jillian and DeVynne agree: HERide has changed them for the better. “It’s made me more fearless,” Jillian says. “Creating change is rarely comfortable, but it’s always necessary. I’ve learned how to stand in rooms where people don’t expect to see someone like me and claim my space with confidence.”
For DeVynne, the transformation is both strategic and personal. “HERide taught me how to lead with purpose,” she says. “It’s helped me let go of needing every answer upfront and to embrace collaboration as a superpower.”
Their leadership is the kind that feels rare but deeply necessary: unapologetic, values-driven, and community-rooted. And that’s exactly what makes HERide less a rideshare company and more a movement on wheels.
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