ChildRescue · Project

Smart Platform That Helps Find Missing Children Faster Using Crowd Intelligence

digitalPilotedTRL 7

Imagine every person walking down the street could become an extra pair of eyes when a child goes missing. ChildRescue built a mobile app and platform that sends location-based alerts to people near where a missing child was last seen, turning ordinary citizens into a network of "human sensors." It also uses data analysis to predict where a child might go based on their profile and behavior patterns, helping response teams make faster, smarter decisions. The system was tested with real missing children hotlines and the Red Cross for unaccompanied refugee minors.

By the numbers

250,000+

missing children cases reported annually in the EU

consortium partners

countries represented in consortium

total project deliverables produced

SME partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Every year, over 250,000 children are reported missing across the EU, and response organizations rely on fragmented systems and limited public awareness to locate them. The critical first hours of a case are often wasted because there is no efficient way to mobilize citizens near the child's last known location or to predict where the child might go. Unaccompanied refugee minors present an even harder challenge, as they often have no established contacts or traceable digital footprint.

The solution

What was built

ChildRescue delivered a fully functional platform with APIs and a mobile app (progressing through early prototype, Release I, and a market-ready Release II), featuring location-based crowd alerts, multi-layer child profiling, predictive analytics, and evidence validation — all as open-source modular software ready for adoption by response organizations.

Audience

Who needs this

Missing children hotline operators (Amber Alert, 116 000 networks)Humanitarian organizations managing refugee populations (Red Cross, UNHCR partners)National law enforcement agencies with child protection unitsSmart city platform providers integrating public safety featuresChild welfare NGOs coordinating volunteer search networks

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Public Safety & Emergency Response

any

Target: National or regional missing persons response organizations

If you are a missing children hotline or emergency response organization dealing with slow case resolution — this project developed a ready-to-deploy platform with mobile alerts and predictive analytics that turns citizens near a child's last known location into active searchers. It was piloted with Amber Alert and 116 000 hotline operators across multiple countries, processing real cases. The open-source modular design means you can adapt it to your existing operations.

Humanitarian & Migration Services

any

Target: NGOs and international organizations managing refugee populations

If you are a humanitarian organization struggling to track and locate unaccompanied refugee minors — this project built a dedicated module tested by the Hellenic Red Cross specifically for this use case. With over 250,000 missing children cases reported annually in the EU, the platform uses multi-layer profiling to help identify and locate vulnerable minors. Missing Children Europe ensured the results are designed for adoption across volunteer organizations continent-wide.

Civic Technology & Smart City Solutions

SME

Target: Technology companies building public safety or smart city platforms

If you are a civic tech company looking to integrate crowd-sourced public safety features into your platform — ChildRescue developed open-source APIs and a modular architecture designed for third-party adoption. The platform includes location-based mobile notifications, predictive analytics, and evidence validation tools. With 12 consortium partners across 6 countries already integrated, the APIs are documented and tested for interoperability.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to adopt the ChildRescue platform?

The platform was developed as an open-source, modular solution, meaning the software itself is freely available for adoption. Costs would come from deployment, customization to your organization's workflows, and ongoing hosting and maintenance. Based on available project data, no specific licensing fees are mentioned.

Can this scale to national or international operations?

Yes. The platform was designed for adoption by different voluntary organizations across Europe. Missing Children Europe and Red Cross were involved specifically to ensure visibility and adoption across all relevant response organizations in Europe. It was piloted across multiple countries with real operational partners.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The project explicitly describes the solution as modular and open source, designed to be adopted by different organizations according to their needs. This suggests permissive licensing, though specific license terms should be confirmed with the coordinator at the National Technical University of Athens.

How does this integrate with existing missing children alert systems?

ChildRescue was built to complement existing models of operation, not replace them. The platform was piloted directly with partners responsible for Amber Alert and the 116 000 hotline, meaning it was designed to work alongside these established systems. The modular architecture and documented APIs support integration with existing infrastructure.

What evidence exists that this actually works in real situations?

The project ran real-world pilots in two scenarios: missing children cases handled through Amber Alert and 116 000 hotline partners, and missing unaccompanied minors cases supported by the Hellenic Red Cross. The final platform release (Release II) is described as fully functional and market-ready after extensive testing.

Does this comply with privacy and data protection regulations?

The project explicitly states it respects and protects privacy and personal data. Given it was developed under EU funding with GDPR in full effect during the project period (2018-2020), the platform was designed with data protection by design. Specific compliance documentation should be requested from the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

The ChildRescue consortium brings together 12 partners from 6 countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Romania), with a balanced mix of 4 industry partners and 4 SMEs alongside 2 universities and 6 other organizations (likely NGOs and hotline operators). The 33% industry ratio is solid for a social-impact project, and the involvement of operational end-users like Missing Children Europe and the Hellenic Red Cross as consortium members — not just advisors — means the platform was shaped by the people who actually handle missing children cases daily. Led by the National Technical University of Athens, the consortium combines technical capability with real operational reach across European missing children networks.

ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNIONCoordinator · EL
ELLINIKOS ERYTHROS STAVROSparticipant · EL
SINGULARLOGIC ROMANIA COMPUTER APPLICATIONS SRLparticipant · RO
SUITE5 DATA INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS LIMITEDparticipant · CY
UBITECH LIMITEDparticipant · CY
SINGULARLOGIC PLIROFORIAKON SYSTIMATON KAI EFARMOGON PLIROFORIKISparticipant · EL
SUITE5 DATA INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS LIMITEDparticipant · IE
FRANKFURT UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCESparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

Coordinator is the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the development team.

Order a report on this consortium See ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore adopting the ChildRescue platform for your organization or integrating its APIs into your public safety solution? Contact SciTransfer for an introduction to the development team and a tailored briefing.

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