A PERSONAL safety mobile app developed by a York graduate has won the top prize in a competition to celebrate businesses launched by students while at university.

PingWHEN has been developed by Sam Heather to allow users to automatically alert an emergency contact if they fails to reach a pre specified destination within an allocated time.

The concept won over judges at the University of York's Plan Envy competition, which recognises entrepreneurial achievements of students gained while at university.

The app won a £2,500 prize package after winning both the Most Innovative Concept award and the overall Best Plan and Concept title.

Currently undergoing trails with a private data range of 50 users, and with a 1,100 user waiting list, pingWHEN targets young female students, and works by allowing them to enter details of a journey including its final destination, and the time expected to reach it.

If the user doesn't reach their destination in the specified time, they are sent a text via SMS, and if no response is received, a pre-entered emergency contact will then be sent a text to alert them of the failed arrival, along with the user's actual location, which is monitored using tracking technology.

The concept is the brainchild of American entrepreneur Julie Markham, and has been developed by University of York graduate Sam Heather, who was made chief technology officer while studying a computer science degree this year.

York Press: Overall Plan Envy Winner Sam Heather from pingWHEN, second right, with freelance challenge winner Chris Saunders, right, and from left Karl Kontus of Ambitio, Ben Ezard and Tara Annison of RateMyUniHouse, and Fozia Parveen, of Fifteen21 Magazine.

Due to be launched in the US later this year, the app has already attracted interest from potential investors in London, and was praised by Plan Envy judges for its potential appeal to users of all ages.

Mr Heather said: "I've always believed in this product, but you do sometimes have doubt as to whether other people will believe in it.

"Winning this award has just reinforced that confidence and belief in what we can achieve with this."

Commercially pingWHEN will generate income through a subscription model for additional features, though the basic app will be free to download.

The Plan Envy event featured four finalists in total as well as two finalists in a Freelance Challenge Competition.

Tara Annison and Ben Ezard's student property rating venture RateMyUniHouse won the Most Robust Plan title, and accompanying £500 prize, while app developer and biology student Chris Saunders won the Freelance Challenge and £1000 prize.

Fozia Parveen, creator of Fifteen21 Magazine was runner up in the Freelance Challenge, taking home £500, while other Plan Envy finalists included Karl Kontus who set up personal motivational tracking app venture Ambitio and Benjamin King who set up KinYu to compete trade deals in China on behalf of UK companies.