Our Story
Crowd Compass began in 2022 as a small passion project, born out of a simple need—staying connected in crowded spaces where cell service fails. The idea first took shape at Shambhala Music Festival, where overloaded networks made it impossible to reach friends. Surprised to find no reliable solutions readily available, our founder Chris decided to build one himself.
Chris' vision went beyond just finding a solution to fix a communication issue. Recognizing that phone screens often distract from the festival experience—for many, an opportunity to unplug and fully immerse in the moment—he set out to build something different.
Turning to his friends and the festival community on Reddit, he began gathering ideas and insights to shape the perfect festival-friendly, friend-finding companion. Together, they envisioned a “low-tech” device that could function without relying on a cell phone.
Operating like a real compass, or festival mini-map, they hoped to build a device that would enhance the festival experience by making the process of finding friends feel like part of the adventure.
And with that, the Crowd Compass community was born.
How It All Began
Determined to bring his idea to life, Chris designed and produced the first working Crowd Compass prototypes from his home office. By Shambhala 2023, he had put together ten devices, ready for the first round of testing.
The devices worked flawlessly, making for one of our best festival experiences yet. We were able to wander freely around the festival grounds, meeting up with friends whenever we wanted. It eliminated the stress of coordinating meetup times and locations and allowed us to keep our phones safely stowed back at camp.
We also experienced something we hadn't expected—we were constantly being stopped by other festival-goers asking about the device. People weren’t just excited about the idea; they wanted one for themselves. We hadn’t originally planned on selling them, but the demand was undeniable. It became clear that Crowd Compass was something worth sharing.
Then, something happened that changed everything. During the 2023 test, Crowd Compass helped coordinate a response to a medical emergency. Someone at the festival was in crisis, and thanks to the device, we were able to quickly locate them and coordinate help. In that moment, we realized Crowd Compass was more than just a fun way for us to find our friends—it had the power to enhance safety, provide peace of mind, and make a real difference when it mattered most. We knew we had built something that needed to be shared.
From concept to creation — the first digital rendering of the initial prototype design
The first field test at Shambhala 2023
Early PCB development
Early Crowd Compass prototypes, 3D printed and ready for testing
Packed up and headed to Burning Man for more testing
From Prototype to Thousands of Happy Customers
We knew we had to bring Crowd Compass to market, but we were determined to get it done right. For the next year, we worked tirelessly to perfect the design, working closely with early users and reconnecting with the Reddit community to gather feedback.
Based on community feedback, we completely redesigned the Crowd Compass to be more powerful and user-friendly:
- Added a text display and messaging, enabling users to send and receive text messages directly on the device.
- Improved distance tracking, introducing 7 zoom levels ranging from 100 feet to over 3 miles, making it easier to gauge actual distances and using the text display to show the current level.
- Switched to replaceable batteries to eliminate recharge downtime and ensure users would never be caught without power.
- Developed a mobile app, allowing users to send offline text messages through the Crowd Compass network, view friends on an interactive map, customize settings, and seamlessly install firmware updates.
Through countless iterations of redesign and testing, we refined every detail—because delivering a product our first customers and backers could fully trust and enjoy was our top priority.
In 2024, we officially launched Crowd Compass to an incredible response. Thousands of people have since used it to stay connected at festivals, raves, hikes, camping trips, snowboarding, skiing, and more.
What started as a small idea turned into something much bigger—a product that brings people together in ways we never expected
Early renderings of the redesigned Crowd Compass
Crowd Compass V2 returns to Shambhala 2024
V2 Crowd Compass and packaging prototypes
The redesigned prototypes are brought to life
Crowd Compass Companion app launches for Shambhala 2024
The first Crowd Compasses are delivered to customers!
More Than a Product, A Connected Community
Crowd Compass isn’t just a device—it’s a community-driven project, shaped by the people who use it. Whether you're lost in a festival crowd or off the grid on a camping trip, staying connected should be simple, fun, and reliable.
The Crowd Compass journey has been shaped by an incredible community that understands the need for better ways to stay connected:
✅ Festival-goers who know the struggle of getting lost in massive crowds
✅ Rave moms & dads looking out for their crew
✅ Bassheads who lose themselves in the music (and sometimes, the venue)
✅ Hikers, campers & skiers exploring places where cell service doesn’t exist
✅ Families who want a simple way to stay connected with their kids in busy or remote places
From day one, our priority has been clear: create a product people truly love. But Crowd Compass wouldn’t be what it is today without the unwavering support of our community. Their feedback, enthusiasm, and belief in what we’re building have shaped every step of our journey.
We test, we improve, and we listen—because our customers aren’t just users; they are part of our journey.
Crowd Compass community meetup at North Coast 2024
One of our first customers ♡
Nick hosts the first Crowd Compass vendor booth at North Coast 2024
Thankful for the many early supporters...
...who helped shape this journey
Another happy Crowd Compass member!
Meet the Team
Chris | Inventor & CEO
Chris brings a wealth of experience as a software engineer, having worked with both tech startups and Fortune 500 companies. Originally on track for a career in medicine, he attended medical school at the University of British Columbia before pivoting to his true passion—technology, innovation, and problem-solving. His expertise in project development and systems design eventually led him into hardware and manufacturing through the creation of Crowd Compass.
Guided by the belief that all problems can be solved by breaking them down into manageable tasks, Chris has applied this systematic approach to every obstacle, allowing him to learn, adapt, and push forward. As both an innovator and mentor, he has inspired many others (including his wife, Arianne) to think beyond perceived limitations, embrace new challenges, and turn ambition into achievement.
Colton | Chief Operating Officer
Colton ensures that Crowd Compass operates seamlessly, overseeing everything from logistics to customer experience. With a background in the medical industry and project management, he has contributed to several critical initiatives addressing the opioid crisis and emergency response.
Bringing a deep commitment to safety and harm reduction—core values that shape our mission—Colton plays a pivotal role in integrating these principles into our work. His expertise and dedication ensure that Crowd Compass not only enhances connection but also helps create safer, more supportive environments for our users.
Arianne | VP of Engineering
Arianne brings a unique blend of medical expertise and technical innovation to the team. With a background in nursing, she transitioned from bedside care to the tech space after earning a graduate degree in healthcare administration, where she recognized the need for better technology in healthcare. A self-taught software engineer, she has worked with multiple health tech startups, driven by a passion for developing solutions that enhance care delivery and quality.
As a strong advocate for harm reduction, Arianne is particularly excited about efforts in her home province of British Columbia to integrate Crowd Compass technology into harm reduction and emergency response protocols within the festival space.
Nick | Director of Customer Success
With a background in training, leadership, and customer experience, Nick brings an essential skill set to the team. As an early adopter and advocate of Crowd Compass technology, he recognized its potential to foster connection and community and quickly became an integral part of the team.
Driven by his dedication to community-building and passion for customer satisfaction and success, Nick has played a pivotal role in earning consumer trust. Through multiple customer engagement initiatives, he has strengthened long-term relationships, fostered a thriving community, and cultivated an experience where users feel valued, supported, and connected. His efforts in gathering early consumer feedback have been instrumental in shaping product development and driving continuous improvements to enhance the user experience.