A Chat with James Paul, CEO & Co-Founder at Kids’ Safe Phone Network: Voop

Tell us about Voop

Voop is a global kids’ safe phone network delivered as an eSIM-based mobile plan. It makes smartphones significantly safer for children by combining connectivity with powerful safeguarding software. Unlike traditional parental control apps, which can be easily bypassed, our solution integrates directly with the network and device, creating a level of resilience that parents, schools, and care providers can truly rely on. We work with schools, governments, and the social care sector to create safer digital environments, and ultimately it helps parents make smartphones safe by default.

Voop is built on eSIM because it provides a level of flexibility and universality that physical SIMs can’t match. It means we can reach families globally without the friction of new hardware. Already, thousands of families are using Voop, giving us constant feedback that helps refine and improve the service every month.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

The idea emerged from two converging insights. First, eSIM technology finally makes it possible to create differentiated telecom experiences through software rather than hardware. Second, we’re living through a generational crisis: almost every eleven-year-old now carries a smartphone, granting them instant access to incredible technology but also exposing them to grooming, abuse, and the worst of the internet. We saw an opportunity to pair telecom innovation with urgent social need; building a system that enables access while protecting children at scale.

At the same time, the founding team came from both telecom and child protection backgrounds, which meant we could see both the technical feasibility and the social urgency. That blend of perspectives gave us the confidence to build something ambitious from day one, knowing that it had the potential to work at both the technical and societal level.

Tell us about your core product or service

Our core product is a safe mobile phone plan that can be installed on almost any smartphone via eSIM. It comes with calls, texts, and data, but with safety built in from day one. Parents use a companion app to manage controls, similar in concept to parental control apps, but far more robust because of the underlying eSIM and software. For institutions, we’ve built an enterprise management platform that allows schools and care providers to set policies, restrict access during school hours, or tailor controls for different safeguarding scenarios.

What most excites you about the digital safeguarding industry?

It’s a rare combination of mission and momentum. Safeguarding has become a hot topic, capturing public attention and political will. That creates an environment where real change is possible. At the same time, the industry is full of commentary but short on builders who can deliver scalable solutions. That’s where Voop is different, we’re not theorising, we’re building technology that can protect thousands of children today and millions tomorrow. That clarity of purpose makes the work deeply energising.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome along the way?

We thought children would be the toughest group to persuade, but they’ve actually been brilliant early adopters. The challenge has been adults – parents, governments, institutions – who are often slow to adopt even simple technology. Despite making the product as seamless as possible, there’s still a lot of inertia. Overcoming that requires relentless clarity in how we explain the product, demonstrate impact, and prove that adoption is simple, affordable, and effective.

What is your number one piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Get your first customers before you build anything more than a prototype. Then obsess over them. Their feedback should shape your product, refine your message, and help you zero in on the most valuable ideal customer profile. The tighter your focus, the faster you’ll build traction, and the more efficient your use of time, capital, and energy will be.

What can we hope to see from Voop in the future?

Our vision is that every child has a Voop safe phone plan, and that baked-in safety becomes the global market standard for smartphones. We want to create a world where parents, schools, and care providers don’t have to bolt on protections after the fact. Safety will be embedded from the network up.

In practice, this means building partnerships with educators, regulators, and technology providers who share our mission. By creating a collaborative ecosystem around safeguarding, we can make sure that children everywhere benefit from consistent protection, no matter what device or platform they use.