SmartSip - Outsmart Drink Spiking
Who we are
SmartSip is a safety-first company committed to empowering individuals—especially college-aged women—with discreet, science-backed straws that prevent drink spiking and promote personal agency. Founded with a strong conviction for drink safety, SmartSip merges smart chemistry with everyday design to create a product that is both effective and effortless to use.
Our mission is simple but powerful:
To protect people in social drinking settings by making safety and awareness as easy and invisible as using a straw.
By prioritizing innovation, accessibility, and trust, SmartSip is redefining what it means to feel safe while going out.
Quick Facts:
Roughly 1 in 5 women experience sexual assault during college, a majority of cases involving alcohol or other substances (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
One 2016 study across 3 major colleges showed that 1 in 13 students (7.8%) had their drink spiked at some point in college. These numbers may be actually higher due to the lack of reporting with drink spiking. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016).
The problem can’t be easily avoided in the modern college landscape. Roughly 50% of college students drink alcohol regularly, and up to 80% consume it to some extent (alcohol help.com). Around 30% of college-aged women reported binge drinking in the past month (National Survey on Drug Use and Health).
Studies show that as little as 5% of spiking cases are actually reported. A study done by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University found that “90% of people don’t contact the police after being spiked and around half of those said it’s because they ‘don’t see the point.’”
Drink spiking is largely unreported for several reasons: 1) Victims often do not remember what had happened after the fact. 2) Victims face social stigma and may not want to report other students to authorities. 3) Victims may be embarrassed and fearful of being punished themselves (especially if they are drinking underaged) or disaffected and think they will not be believed.
Why SmartSip?
Discrete and empowering: SmartSip is designed to be highly discrete, blending seamlessly into any social setting as an ordinary drinking straw. Its color-changing feature activates only in the presence of common date-rape drugs, without drawing attention or disrupting the user's experience. This subtle approach empowers users to stay safe without using an awkward or cumbersome testing devise, making it ideal for college students and nightlife environments where discretion is key to both comfort and safety.
Easy to use: SmartSip is intentionally designed to be effortless and intuitive to use—just insert it into your drink like a regular straw, and it does the rest. There are no apps to install, buttons to press, or tests to run—if a harmful substance is detected, the straw's color visibly changes. This hands-free, real-time detection makes SmartSip ideal for busy social settings, allowing users to focus on their night out without sacrificing safety.
Peace of mind for friends and family: SmartSip is not only an effective tool for its user, its an invaluable safety measure for families and communities. Whether it's a parent sending their child off to college or a student watching out for a friend during a night out, SmartSip helps everyone feel a little more at ease.
Providence College: Neve Palmeri ’27 wins BIG EAST Startup Challenge
Press
NBC 10 Boston: Providence College student invents straw to detect date rape drug
The Hun School of Princeton: Neve Palmeri '23 Invents SmartSip, A Straw that Detects Drink Spiking