DualSafe’s two-in-one helmet
In the bustling streets of Chandigarh in north India where two-wheelers weave through traffic and helmet laws are strictly enforced, Arvind Sethi, CEO and co-founder of DualSafe, experienced a life-altering moment. Years ago, a near-fatal accident left him shaken but unscathed—thanks to a properly strapped helmet.
That incident, coupled with the daily hassle of managing helmets for himself and his wife, planted the seed for an idea: a smarter, more practical safety solution for riders.
Fast forward to 2025, and DualSafe’s innovative two-in-one wearable safety helmet is turning heads, not just in India but globally, as it redefines road safety with a blend of ingenuity and advanced technology.
A helmet born from pain points
For Sethi, the inspiration behind DualSafe’s flagship product, the dual helmet, was deeply personal. Growing up in Chandigarh, a city known for its disciplined traffic culture, he was no stranger to the logistical headache of carrying, storing, and maintaining helmets. “Even one helmet can be a hassle, let alone two,” he recalls.
The problem compounds for pillion riders, who are often handed substandard helmets—if any at all—leaving them disproportionately vulnerable in accidents. Add to that the wear and tear from sun, pollution, and moisture, plus hygiene issues like hair fall from sweaty, dirty helmets, and it’s no wonder many riders skip this critical safety gear altogether.
DualSafe set out to solve these pain points with a helmet that’s more than just protective headgear—it’s a safety gadget. Launched after over four years of development, the dual helmet is a two-in-one design that fits seamlessly into the limited storage of standard two-wheelers while packing advanced features like mobile connectivity, helmet-to-helmet communication, and an integrated camera.
Recognised by SiliconIndia as one of the Top 10 wearable startups in 2023, DualSafe’s minimum viable product (MVP) showcases IoT capabilities that hint at its potential to evolve into a fully connected device.
How it works: Safety meets convenience
The dual helmet tackles the practical and safety challenges head-on. Its compact, patented design ensures both rider and pillion helmets slot into a single unit, eliminating the need to juggle multiple pieces.
A protective shell shields the interior from environmental damage, while enhanced ventilation and a cooling effect keep riders comfortable, even at sweltering traffic stops.
Also Read: Indonesian startup Helmad turns your two-wheeler helmet into a moving billboard
Perhaps most impressively, the helmet’s structural design mimics the multi-directional impact protection system (MIPS)—a premium feature that typically adds €50-60 (US$54-65) to a helmet’s cost—without the extra price tag.
In a country like India, where road accidents claim over 150,000 lives annually, and helmet non-compliance remains a stubborn issue, DualSafe’s approach could be a game-changer. By addressing usability (storage and hygiene) alongside safety (MIPS-like protection), the helmet encourages consistent use—potentially shifting rider behaviour in a market where enforcement alone isn’t enough.
Watch it in action here: Dual helmet demo.
From concept to reality: A four-year journey
The road to DualSafe’s MVP wasn’t without bumps. Sethi and his team finalised the concept in April 2020, partnering with InventIndia Innovations Private Limited to bring it to life. But the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in their plans.
“We couldn’t find a single vendor in India with the capacity and capability to develop the protective shell per our design,” Sethi explains. After a global search, DualSafe turned to manufacturers in Hong Kong and China to complete the critical component.
Four years later, the result is a helmet that’s not only functional but scalable. With patents secured in India, the UK, and the USA, and a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) clearing 10 claims, DualSafe has already brainstormed 11 additional features based on expert feedback—think geospatial photography, RFID sensor scanning, and volumetric video cameras for AR/VR integration.
A business model built for scale
DualSafe co-founder-couple Arvind and Anupama Sethi
DualSafe’s revenue strategy is as ambitious as its product. The company is targeting B2B sales, with ongoing talks with two-wheeler manufacturers, taxi aggregators, delivery organisations like Zypp Electric and rental organisations (details remain under NDA).
From there, the plan is to flow into B2B2C and B2G channels through dealerships, eventually hitting a threshold of 150,000 helmets annually to launch direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales via their website and marketplaces.
Globally, DualSafe has its sights on 62 countries with significant two-wheeler populations, 34 of which mandate helmets for both riders and pillion passengers. Exports are on the horizon, starting with the US, UAE, and South Africa. For markets with stringent certifications like DoT, SNELL, or ECE, Sethi envisions a royalty model, licensing DualSafe’s patented tech to local manufacturers. “It’s impossible to achieve every certification ourselves,” he admits, “but we can still bring the benefits of DualSafe to riders everywhere.”
Beyond two-wheelers: A helmet for all
While two-wheeler safety is DualSafe’s core focus, its applications extend far beyond. Industries like mining, construction, cement, oil rigs, and defence have shown interest, drawn by the helmet’s compact storage and IoT features.
Imagine a construction site where helmets double as communication hubs via Wi-Fi or RF, or an oil rig where a chinstrap alarm ensures compliance. Features like speed monitoring, geospatial tracking, and 360-degree environmental scanning could even transform the Dual Helmet into an industrial “black box” for safety audits.
Driving change in India and beyond
In India, where helmet compliance lags despite alarming accident stats, DualSafe’s strategy hinges on redefining the helmet experience. “It’s not just about meeting regulations,” Sethi says. “It’s about making helmets something riders want to wear.” Enhanced comfort and built-in safety features address the root causes of non-compliance— inconvenience, discomfort, and poor quality—while partnerships with major manufacturers could flood the market with DualSafe helmets, normalising their use.
Internationally, regulatory navigation remains a challenge, but Sethi is optimistic. Tie-ups via the royalty model will ease entry into complex markets, ensuring DualSafe’s vision reaches riders worldwide.
The future is smart—and safe
As smart wearables gain traction—much like wristwatches evolved into fitness trackers—Sethi sees helmets following suit. “Safety headgear will be replaced by safety gadgets, especially two-in-one designs,” he predicts. With its blend of practicality, protection, and IoT potential, the dual helmet is poised to lead that charge, proving that innovation can save lives, one ride at a time.
The post DualSafe unlocks safety: A smart, two-in-one helmet built for the modern rider appeared first on e27.