{"id":27987,"date":"2026-06-09T16:24:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T23:24:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=27987"},"modified":"2026-06-09T16:29:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T23:29:49","slug":"usc-dornsife-economics-graduate-wins-red-bull-basement-2026-world-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/usc-dornsife-economics-graduate-wins-red-bull-basement-2026-world-final\/","title":{"rendered":"After global innovation win, USC Dornsife graduate aims to make calling for help safer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                                              \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/06\/adler-lifeline-ai-win-top-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/06\/adler-lifeline-ai-win-top-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/06\/adler-lifeline-ai-win-top-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/06\/adler-lifeline-ai-win-top-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Young man smiling excitedly while holding trophy\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Darnell Adler celebrates his victory at the Red Bull Basement World Final in his hometown of San Francisco. (Photo: Priscilla Rodriguez \/ Red Bull Content Pool.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=alumni\">Alumni<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>After global innovation win, USC Dornsife graduate aims to make calling for help safer<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Darnell Adler\u2019s Lifeline AI took the top prize at Red Bull Basement\u2019s World Final, giving the recent economics graduate new momentum to build what he hopes will become a global standard for discreet emergency alerts.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Katie Kim Scott and Jim Key<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">June 9, 2026<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"m7.43475275 9.52380952-2.17490843 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     >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Just weeks after graduating from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Darnell Adler won the top prize in a global innovation competition for students and first-time founders.<\/p>\n<p>Adler\u2019s startup, Lifeline AI, won <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redbull.com\/us-en\/events\/red-bull-basement-world-final-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Red Bull Basement\u2019s 2026 World Final<\/a> in San Francisco, earning $100,000 in equity-free funding, $25,000 in Microsoft Azure credits and mentorship from Red Bull Ventures.<\/p>\n<p>The competition drew more than 135,000 ideas from 40 countries. Adler\u2019s winning concept is a personal safety platform designed to help people discreetly call for help in moments when taking out a phone and speaking or dialing 911 may be unsafe.<\/p>\n<p>For Adler, who graduated in May with a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/econ\/\">economics<\/a> from USC Dornsife, the victory capped a whirlwind few weeks that included final exams, graduation and two rounds of high-stakes pitching. It also brought him back to his hometown, where his family was in the audience when Lifeline AI was named the global winner.<\/p>\n<p>USC Dornsife News spoke with Adler about the idea behind Lifeline AI, what it was like to win on a world stage and how his USC Dornsife experience helped prepare him to build something he hopes will make people safer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>How did the idea for Lifeline AI begin?<\/h2>\n<p>When you\u2019re a guy, you don\u2019t always think about your own personal safety as much as other people might. What really sparked the idea was that something bad happened to someone close to me. That made me realize this wasn\u2019t just something that could happen to someone I love. It\u2019s a global issue.<\/p>\n<p>I started running surveys and talking to people. In one survey with 137 people, 99% said they wished they had a safety tool like Lifeline AI. That helped me understand how many people could use something like this and how important it is to build tools that can help make the world safer for the people we love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>What does Lifeline AI do, and how does it work?<\/h2>\n<p>Lifeline AI is everything in a police report delivered in seconds, without ever taking your phone out of your pocket.<\/p>\n<p>It allows someone to trigger a silent SOS without anyone around them knowing. With one gesture, nobody hears it and nobody sees it, but the important information from that situation can be sent to the people who need it \u2014 friends, trusted contacts or even emergency responders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>How did the idea evolve as you developed it?<\/h2>\n<p>At first, I had a product that was completely different. I wasn\u2019t necessarily thinking enough about what consumers would actually want or use.<\/p>\n<p>So I went to potential users and asked them directly: \u201cThis is what I have. Would this work?\u201d And they told me straight up, \u201cNo, this is not what we need. This is not what we would use.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Taking that feedback completely changed the product. It pushed me to build a tool designed around the moments when people need help most.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How This USC Dornsife Grad\u2019s AI App Beat 135,000 Ideas Globally\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Yqt91wXOj4U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>How did you get involved with Red Bull Basement?<\/h2>\n<p>I had no clue what Red Bull Basement was.<\/p>\n<p>I played club lacrosse at USC, and our team manager was a Red Bull student marketeer. She told me I should apply. I\u2019m pretty sure it was one of the last days to apply, and I think I got my application in with about 15 minutes left.<\/p>\n<p>Thank God I did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>What was it like to hear Lifeline AI named the global winner?<\/h2>\n<p>I still don\u2019t think I have the words for it.<\/p>\n<p>There was a lot going through my head. I never thought I\u2019d be in that position. Being in my hometown of San Francisco, surrounded by the other finalists, who were all congratulating me, and hearing my family a couple of aisles away; it was surreal.<\/p>\n<p>Just hearing everyone so excited, and knowing that Lifeline AI can actually help build a safer world, was an incredible feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>You graduated from USC Dornsife just before the World Final. What was that stretch like?<\/h2>\n<p>During finals week, I actually had to push some of my finals because I had the Red Bull Basement national final. I was trying to prepare my product, understand my pitch and study for five different courses at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>Once I walked across the stage at graduation, I felt like a weight had been lifted. Then I went fully into build mode.<\/p>\n<p>Being able to walk at graduation and then walk across the World Final stage \u2014 and receive that recognition \u2014 is hard to put into words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>Why did you choose economics at USC Dornsife?<\/h2>\n<p>Economics is such a broad and powerful major. It gives you the ability to go into so many different areas, including real estate, quantitative work and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n<p>I also had some of the best professors in economics. They helped me understand myself and how to think about the things I wanted to build. All credit to Dornsife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>How did your USC Dornsife education help prepare you for this moment?<\/h2>\n<p>Everything I learned in class helped me think about building products.<\/p>\n<p>In statistics, for example, I worked on projects using regressions and thinking through real estate markets. I was always taking things I learned in class and bringing them into products I was passionate about.<\/p>\n<p>USC Dornsife also gives you the ability to figure yourself out. It\u2019s broad enough that you can explore different avenues, but it also pushes you to make the most of your time. At USC, every person you meet can open another door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <h2>What\u2019s next for Lifeline AI?<\/h2>\n<p>Because Lifeline AI deals with people\u2019s lives, trust is the most important thing. We have to take things one step at a time and make sure we get it right.<\/p>\n<p>The goal is for Lifeline AI to become the global standard for calling for help \u2014 until no one has to choose between their safety and their silence.<\/p>\n<p><em>Editor\u2019s note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Related Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a 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alerts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":27988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51,26,16,17],"tags":[99,76,111],"class_list":["post-27987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-health","category-science-and-technology","category-student","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-awards-and-honors","tag-economics"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>After global innovation win, USC Dornsife graduate aims to make calling for help safer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Darnell Adler\u2019s Lifeline AI took Red Bull Basement\u2019s World Final top prize, giving him a chance to set a new standard for emergency alerts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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