Our History
An Idea Born from Adversity
SafeBallot was born from a setback.
While preparing for the University of San Diego’s Fowler Business Concept Challenge, founder Elijah Johnson was pursuing a completely different business venture. When that concept failed to gain traction and was ultimately rejected, most people would have withdrawn from the competition.
Instead, Elijah and his wife, Donatella, asked a simple question... What can we build that is better, faster, or cheaper than what currently exists?
The answer became obvious. Our Voting System.
For generations, Americans have stood in long lines waiting to cast a ballot. The voting process has remained largely unchanged since the founding of our nation despite the fact that nearly every other aspect of life has evolved through technology.
Millions of people struggle to participate in elections because of work schedules, family responsibilities, transportation barriers, or accessibility challenges. Many citizens simply do not have the flexibility to leave work, stand in line, and return hours later.
The problem wasn’t a lack of people who cared. The problem was access. That realization sparked the creation of SafeBallot.
A Mission to Modernize Democracy Itself.
What began as an entrepreneurship competition quickly became a mission to modernize democracy itself.
During the competition, Elijah assembled a team from the University of San Diego who believed in the vision. Through a family connection, he also developed a relationship with Zane Renou, VP at iCrypto, a world-class cybersecurity company whose expertise would help shape the future of the platform.
Together, they began building a secure, scalable voting ecosystem designed to meet the demands of the modern world. The concept earned recognition throughout the competition and ultimately finished as one of the top ventures in the Fowler Business Concept Challenge.
But the placement was never the goal. The competition was simply the beginning. SafeBallot’s founders understood they were building something much larger than a class project or startup pitch. They were building a movement centered on trust, accessibility, and civic participation.
Today, that vision continues to drive every decision we make as we work toward creating the most trusted voting platform in the world.
Because democracy deserves technology that serves people where they are.
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