Nominations are open for the 2023 RISE Awards presented by Axon!

Last year, we received over a hundred submissions showcasing the incredible stories of first responders and community members making a lasting impact on the lives of those around them.

Every day, first responders go above and beyond the call of duty to protect and uplift their community. RISE Award Winners demonstrate the awe-inspiring bravery and heroism displayed by so many public safety professionals. Their stories inspire us in our work, and provide shining examples for future generations of first responders.

We look forward to highlighting more outstanding partners and stories at the 2023 RISE Awards!

RISE Award: This award honors three individuals for saving lives or showing exemplary performance in the line of duty

Winners will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two to Axon Accelerate 2023 in Phoenix, AZ, a $1000 monetary gift and a Roadshow Celebration at their agency

Jack Cover Medal of Heroism Award: Jack Cover, the original inventor of TASER technology, envisioned the preservation of life through non-lethal force. Today, Axon continues Jack’s legacy and vision through our live-saving TASER products. 

The Jack Cover Medal of Heroism Award is given on an ongoing basis to those who use a TASER device to de-escalate critical situations. 

All qualifying nominees will receive a medal, and every year one winner will be chosen for the Jack Cover Award and receive an all-expenses paid trip for two to Axon Accelerate 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona and a TASER Pulse energy weapon. 

Nominate an officer or send your story to awards@axon.com.

Axon's RISE Awards showcase the extraordinary courage, compassion and dedication to community demonstrated by officers and agencies," says Axon CEO and founder Rick Smith. "Our hope is that these stories of heroism and valor will inspire others as much as they inspire us.

Nominations are open November 28, 2022 - January 20, 2023. Nominees must reside in the U.S. or Canada. Community voting open January 23, 2022 - February 6, 2023. Community members may cast one vote per day. 10 finalists with the most community votes will be reviewed by a panel of judges and three (3) winners will be selected. Winners will be recognized at Accelerate 2023 in Phoenix, AZ. 


Every day, first responders go above and beyond the call of duty to protect and uplift their community. RISE Award Winners demonstrate the awe-inspiring bravery and heroism displayed by so many public safety professionals.

The 2023 RISE Awards Presented by Axon

BLOG: The 2023 RISE Awards Presented by Axon

Axon assemble!

Sales Kickoff (SKO) 2022 was our first large-scale, in-person company meeting since 2020, so we had to make sure it was a “super” event. The theme of this year’s SKO was superheroes, and Axon employees from across the globe descended on the Westin hotel in Kierland Commons dressed in superhero formal for three days of sales strategy and meetings.

Sales meetings where everyone wears a costume may seem like an unusual idea to outside observers. It may seem like a downright waste of time. I disagree. I’m big on camaraderie. Sales, I like to say, is a team sport. And nothing brings people together like truly getting out of your comfort zone to give a talk in a Buzz Lightyear onesie.

At SKO, we provide opportunities for employees to push themselves to better understand our products and business, while connecting in a fun way with the peers they can lean on for support and guidance throughout the year.

From live exposures with our TASER 7 energy weapons, to an all-sales “rock, paper, TASER” tournament, to a chance to get a tattoo, SKO gives the team a chance to both learn and bond.

Of course, at the end of the day, SKO is about our end users. We spend the week learning how to work and grow most effectively so we can empower the real superheroes, public safety, to continue to protect life. How do we do this?

Block out the noise - Trust the process, trust the team, trust yourself

Keep that same energy - Encourage competition, leverage doubt as a motivator 

Execute like hell - If you see it you own it

Right is never wrong - Win with integrity

Check out episode 7 of “The Ride” below. And if you like what you see, apply to join Axon---and you could be at next year’s SKO!

THE RIDE: Inside Axon, Episode 7

Aim Far,
-Josh Isner

Catch up on previous episodes of The Ride:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6


Sales Kickoff (SKO) 2022 was our first large-scale, in-person company meeting since 2020, so we had to make sure it was a “super” event.

The Ride Episode 7

ARTICLE: The Ride Episode 7

Rick Smith is the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprise, formerly TASER International. Rick graduated from Harvard University in May 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Just 7 months later, two of his childhood friends, Todd Bogers and Cory Holmes, were shot and killed by a civilian in a road rage incident in Scottsdale, AZ. This event changed the course of Rick’s career, and the course of public safety.

Intent on creating a less-lethal weapon for conflict resolution, Rick earned an MBA in finance from the UChicago Booth School of Business and an MBA in International Finance from Belgium’s University of Leuven. On September 7, 1993, 29 years ago today, Rick founded AIR TASER, Inc, which would become Axon, in a garage. The flagship product? The TASER energy weapon.

Watch Rick talk about how to make weapons safer on Freethink.

In the nearly three decades that have followed the founding of Axon, product offerings have expanded beyond TASER energy weapons to a full ecosystem of hardware and software. But the impetus for each of these offerings remained the same as the original TASER energy weapon: each project that Axon works on directly ties back to Rick’s mission to protect life.

Through each phase of Axon’s history, Rick has remained at the helm, ready and available to guide the company in our work and ensure that work is guided by the company’s overarching mission. Just as importantly, Rick has identified and advocated for key leaders who he believes embody the spirit of a founder, ensuring the company remains strong and capable throughout its growth. A truly strong founder is more than their early days. A great founder knows that it is their duty to not just have a vision, but to put the building blocks in place for that vision to be fulfilled beyond their time at a company. Rick Smith is a great founder. We are thankful for all he continues to do for Axon, and for the building blocks he continues to put in place for the future.

Happy Founder’s Day, Rick.

Today, Axon maintains six core values that guide us in our work and ensure we are connected to Rick’s vision and our core mission to Protect Life:

For more information or to find a career at Axon, please visit axon.com/careers

29 years ago, Rick Smith founded AIR TASER, which would become Axon Enterprise — the company behind the less-than-lethal TASER energy weapon designed to #protectlife

Celebrating Rick Smith and Axon’s 29th Founder’s Day – Sept. 7, 2022

BLOG: On this day in history: Celebrating Rick Smith and Axon’s 29th Founder’s Day.

On this day in history: Celebrating Rick Smith and Axon’s 29th Founder’s Day

Today, Axon, the global leader in connected public safety technologies, has announced the appointment ofJosh Isner to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this newly created role to expand the office of the CEO, Isner will oversee Axon's operational functions including business operations and execution, policies and employees.

"Josh has had a tremendous positive impact on Axon, including most recently during his tenure as chief revenue officer," says Axon CEO and founder, Rick Smith. "Given his passion for our mission and ability to execute, I am eager to continue working with Josh in his expanded role, as our entire company builds the public safety ecosystem of the future."

"I love Axon and our mission. I'm humbled by the trust our team, customers, and shareholders have placed in me," says Isner, Axon's new COO. "We're going to work our hardest every day to create and deliver value for each of those populations. And most of all, we will pursue our goal of protecting life with relentless vigor."

As Chief Revenue Officer, Isner was responsible for Axon's global growth, customer service, professional services, and sales operations. He helped to build Axon's revenue stream to support our 2022 guidance above $1 billion, driving historical annual growth rates exceeding 25%. He joined Axon as a member of the Leadership Development Program, and after rotating through several departments in the company, he eventually helmed and led the domestic video and cloud sales team to a record year in 2014. Josh previously held the roles of Director of Leadership Development, Northeast Regional Sales Executive, and VP of Video and Cloud Sales at TASER. He holds a BS in Government & Political Science from Harvard University.

Isner's expanded role was first disclosed in an 8-K filing last week.


Seasoned executive to help drive Axon's next phase of growth

Axon Appoints Josh Isner as Chief Operating Officer

ARTICLE: Axon Appoints Josh Isner as Chief Operating Officer

After serving two tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer, I know and understand the difficult situations our service members face every single day. They are trained and equipped for anything, but that does not mean there aren't tools and pathways that can better protect and prepare them for the tough, and sometimes deadly, situations they face. It is my service in uniform that drives me to guide Axon towards developing advanced technologies to protect our troops and save more lives. I am proud Axon has taken on this challenge and continues to work towards the goal of protecting life at home and abroad with better government and military.

Currently, we send heavily-armed U.S. forces into complex and crowded situations filled with threats and civilians. We expect soldiers to act with restraint and prioritize the lives of civilians by not utilizing lethal weapons unless absolutely necessary, even if that means sacrificing their own life. However, with new, less-lethal weapon technology, such as military-grade TASER energy weapons, we can empower our troops by providing them with effective tools to de-escalate conflicts and accomplish missions while protecting both civilians and themselves. Unmanned drones armed with non-lethal weapons provided a particularly intriguing solution to military safety by allowing forces to de-escalate situations without deadly force from afar. Through less-lethal military technology like TASER energy weapons and unmanned drones, Axon sees a future with less civilian and service member casualties.

Axon’s smart weapons, such as the TASER 7, are changing the game for our military in the field. Axon’s effective smart weapons allow service members to accomplish their missions in the safest and most humane way possible. Revolutionary cameras, like the Axon Body 3 camera and Axon Air drone, are also making a difference in the military by providing transparency and accountability while increasing data documentation for review, improvement and training. In addition to smart weapons and advanced imagery options, revolutionary virtual reality training could be utilized by our military to increase combat readiness and decrease situational surprises.

Modern Day Marine is a premier military equipment, systems, services and technology exposition. As Modern Day Marine 2022 comes and goes, it is important to examine the modern challenges and threats our military faces. The range of threats affecting America's service members is ever-changing. Thus, the technologies and tools we provide them should be as well. At Axon, we believe we can better equip our service members with the tools they need to accomplish complex missions while ensuring their, and our country's, safety and security.

Our modern-day military deserves to have the most advanced technologies possible at their disposable while protecting the United States from domestic and foreign threats. That is why Axon is working hard with all branches of the federal government and military to ensure this becomes a reality with advanced technologies. 

We are on a mission to save lives, including the lives of service members who put themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe.  

Modern Day Marine is a service mark of the US Marine Corps.


After serving two tours in Iraq as a Marine Corps infantry officer, I know and understand the difficult situations our service members face every single day. They are trained and equipped for anything, but that does not mean there aren't tools and pathways that can better protect and prepare them for the tough, and sometimes deadly, situations they face. It is my service in uniform that drives me to guide Axon towards developing advanced technologies to protect our troops and save more lives. I am proud Axon has taken on this challenge and continues to work towards the goal of protecting life at home and abroad with better government and military.

Modern Day Marine

ARTICLE: Modern Day Service Members Deserve Modern Day Tech and Tools

Modern Day Service Members Deserve Modern Day Tech and Tools

There’s a certain kind of magic at in-person events. Something about being able to laugh alongside customers, get hands-on with technology and watch Uri Halioua get demolished in a VR video game just puts you in a good mood. 

2020 and 2021 were tough years for our public safety partners and our nation as a whole, and having to stay physically distanced from one another didn’t exactly help morale. That’s why Axon Accelerate 2021 was so special. Having the chance to reconnect with our partners and teammates and simply say “thanks for all you do“ put a smile on everyone’s face.

Accelerate was a blast. We gathered with members of all facets of public safety, and some of the top technology thought leaders, to explore the future of public safety technology. We networked, heard an inspiring and hilarious keynote/standup special from George W. Bush and explored some of Axon’s most unique conference experiences to date, like our full-service ice cream parlor Freeze!, our VR Train experience, and our TASER vs. Zombies VR game.

Check it all out on The Ride: Episode 6...

THE RIDE: Inside Axon, Episode 6

Overall, it meant a lot to me and the entire Axon team to have the chance to come together with our public safety partners in the pursuit of a safer future. Check out episode 6 of “The Ride” below. And if you like what you see, Axon Accelerate 2022 is coming up May 23-25, 2022 in Phoenix, AZ. I’d love to see you there.

–Josh Isner


Catch up on previous episodes of The Ride:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look as we were able to reconnect and gather with members of all facets of public safety for Axon Accelerate 2021!

The Ride Episode 6

ARTICLE: The Ride Episode 6

Today, Axon announced an exciting partnership with Battery Solutions, the leader in end-to-end battery recycling management in North America, to enhance Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) efforts in the United States. This partnership will create a first-of-its-kind program that will give all U.S.-based Axon customers a recycling kit at no cost, which will facilitate sustainable disposal of product batteries and deployed TASER cartridges.

Axon sells over 3 million TASER cartridges and over 300,000 batteries each year. This program ensures the majority of these cartridges and batteries can be disposed of responsibly. Along with deployed TASER cartridges and product batteries, all other types of batteries (AA, cell phone, iPod, 9V, etc.) can also be recycled using the same container.

“Axon remains committed to furthering our sustainability initiatives, and we are excited to partner with industry leaders like Battery Solutions who understand the significance of taking a thoughtful and measured approach to ESG efforts,” says Angel Ambrosio, Axon's Director of Investor Relations & ESG. “We are excited to bring this program to customers as we work to incorporate greener solutions.”

Battery Solutions will support the collection, sorting and processing of all collected lithium-ion batteries. This fully traceable program will provide industry-leading compliance and safety and ensure that batteries are recycled efficiently so valuable metals can re-enter the supply chain. Battery Solutions’ battery recycling programs support many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and expand Axon’s existing ESG plans.

“This program marks a key milestone in the expanding support that battery recycling is receiving in the United States,” says Thomas Bjarnemark, CEO of Battery Solutions. “Working with the Axon team has been amazing and their commitment to safety and sustainability is a true demonstration of their market leadership.”

These recycling kits will be offered through Axon’s customer portal, https://my.axon.com/s/recycling, which is a central resource for all of Axon’s customers.






BLOG: Axon announcing a new sustainability partnership to further ESG initiatives

Axon announcing a new sustainability partnership to further ESG initiatives

At Axon, we are strong believers that drones have tremendous potential to do good - look no further than our Axon Air offering for proof. At the same time, we know that for the drone economy to reach its full potential, there must be an effective way of detecting and mitigating the threats posed by careless, clueless or malicious drone operators. As the global leader in connected public safety technologies, we saw this as yet another opportunity to strengthen the capacity of our ecosystem to address our customers’ needs, which is why today we are announcing our investment in and partnership with Dedrone, the market leader in smart airspace security.

The Problem
Traditionally, public safety agencies and corporate security providers have been focused on perimeter control, and have assumed any intrusion or violation will happen by land. However, with the proliferation of drones, this is no longer the case. Just last month, it became known that a drone that crashed near a Pennsylvania power substation in 2020 was likely meant to damage or disrupt the electric equipment. It’s not just critical infrastructure at risk of being a target, other industries are also monitoring for drones. Including:

Airports, to protect their runways (with the incident at Gatwick being the most disruptive to date)

Prisons, to catch contraband (two brothers got caught doing so in Georgia last July)

Corporations, to prevent corporate espionage (selected papers published on the topic)

Stadiums, to keep their audiences safe (NFL Super Bowl LV in Tampa instituted a “No Drone Zone“)

These are just a few examples and by no means fully inclusive. For a more detailed list documented drone incidents, read here.

The Solution
After extensive research into the up-and-coming counter-drone market, we are excited about Dedrone’s technology and achievements. Dedrone’s platform employs a “sensor fusion” approach that combines radio frequency (RF) sensors, radar, and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. This has a clear impact on drone detection as it is incredibly reliable given that one sensor identifies and the other can verify. Dedrone’s RF sensors detect drone position via triangulation and identify the make and model of the drone via RF signature matching, without ever having to decode the RF signal. This ensures Dedrone remains compliant even in countries with more stringent RF regulations, such as the US. If a drone is autonomous and therefore has no RF signature, radar can still detect it, and in all cases, PTZ cameras equipped with artificial intelligence can lock onto a drone using Dedrone’s proprietary database containing millions of drone images for identification and verification. All-in-all, we believe this approach is a powerful solution to detect potential threats with minimal false positives.

While currently only four federal agencies have the legal authority to mitigate drones in the US(Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and Department of Energy), we expect to see regulations evolve as the need to secure domestic airspace increases. In preparation for that eventuality, Dedrone already has RF and GNSS jamming capabilities that deliver effective mitigation electronically, and continues to invest in enhancing them. In the meantime, even with no direct mitigation authority, state and local public safety agencies benefit from detecting drones and locating drone pilots in order to mandate compliance against unauthorized flights. For more insight into the case for state and local law enforcement to be granted drone mitigation authority, read here.

The Partnership
As the nascent counter-drone market grows and matures, we believe that our partnership with Dedrone will position Axon to best serve our customers and to keep delivering on our mission to protect life, capture truth and accelerate justice.

Through this partnership with Dedrone, we continue to strengthen the value proposition of our Axon Evidence platform. Dedrone Sensors and integrated external video cameras record forensic evidence of drone intrusions. A combination of forensic data is automatically captured by the Dedrone Tracker software, including drone manufacturer, model, flight path with timestamps, and video verification. In the future, it will be possible to ingest this type of evidence seamlessly into Axon Evidence.

We also expect to integrate Dedrone’s data feed into our Axon Respond real-time operations platform to provide enhanced situational awareness for public safety agencies, allowing officers to see where they are in relation to a drone and its controller while engaging in a counter operation to mitigate a threat. We will also enable agencies to distinguish between “whitelisted” drones (e.g., Axon Air managed drones) and unknown/unauthorized drones.

About Maximiliano Grass Araya:
Maximiliano is Axon’s Director of Corporate Strategy. With prior experience including corporate strategy at Fiserv and management consulting at both McKinsey & Company and Matrix Consulting, Maximiliano has worked for 7+ years the field of strategy. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an Industrial Engineering Degree from the University of Chile.

Dedrone is a trademark of Dedrone Holdings, Inc. and Super Bowl is a trademark of the National Football League.




Counter-Drone: Taking Public Safety from Land to Air

Author: Maximiliano Grass Araya

The career and life paths traveled by Dr. Richard Carmona, former U.S. Surgeon General, Medical Expert and Board Member for Axon and several other prominent organizations, were unexpected, not only for where life took him, but also the incredible success he has achieved. Dr. Carmona's determination and drive were fueled by his community and heritage, and have helped him rise to where he is today.

Dr. Carmona’s family hailed from Puerto Rico when it was still part of the Spanish Empire. His parents and abuelita (grandmother) moved to New York seeking opportunity, and he was the first of his family born in the United States. He grew up in Harlem in a time when most kids in that area played kickball in front of project housing, learned to swim in the Harlem River and experienced hardships as young children that many Americans don’t experience in a lifetime. Dr. Carmona's childhood included periods of homelessness, inadequate health care and frequent gaps in access to food, yet he didn’t see his family as having less than others. As Dr. Carmona recalls, “We didn't look at ourselves as poor because that's how it was for everyone on the block, and we were all just happy kids.”

At 17, Dr. Carmona dropped out of high school and joined the Army during the peak of the Vietnam War. He began his service as an infantryman, then focused on getting his GED in order to move into Special Forces. He succeeded, and became a decorated medic and weapons specialist during his deployment.

Though he didn’t realize it at the time, Dr. Carmona's experiences prepared him for success later in life and gave him insight into how the social determinants of health — issues that are inextricably tied to each life's trajectory, like race and poverty — contribute to the challenges people of color continue to face. 

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Dr. Carmona shared with our employees reflections on the lessons that have guided him throughout his life. 


“She took on this role, more than just my grandmother, to be more like a social worker or elder for the community. She may have been 5 feet tall and only 90 pounds, but she might as well been 7 feet tall. People listened to her, because she was always there for them.”

Contribute to Those Around You: Dr. Carmona's abuelita was integral to his formative years. She taught him to understand the obligation one has to those around them and their community. 

As Dr. Carmona grew, he began to notice those who fulfilled that obligation — his community who helped him in school, sent him letters in Vietnam and helped him further his education after the war. Through his family and community, Dr. Carmona learned to be a true healer and caregiver. He’s carried this lesson with him throughout his career. “We need to take it personally, as leaders, to help the next generation.”

Believe in Yourself: Dr. Carmona’s mother struggled throughout his childhood, working multiple jobs to give her children the best life possible. While she didn’t have higher education, she taught herself five languages and was well-versed in politics and the arts. Dr. Carmona's mother taught him one always has a choice in how they want to live their life. She encouraged him to always be learning, have integrity and remain true to himself, with a cheer that remained in the back of his head, chanting, “Go for it!”

He took these lessons to heart and focused on his strengths while recognizing areas for improvement. This mindset helped his career trajectory that eventually led him to become the U.S. Surgeon General for George W. Bush and later a valued Axon Board member.

Be Proud of Your History: Growing up in Harlem, Dr. Carmona remembers desperately trying to fit in with his peers by never speaking Spanish in public. His abuelita, on the other hand, took immense pride in her country. She wouldn’t accept his refusal to speak Spanish. Dr. Carmona recalled, “She made me speak Spanish. It was from her that I learned to be proud of my heritage.” She taught him about Hispanic explorers, language, traditions and cooking. As he moved through life, embracing his heritage helped him understand the needs of others who don’t look or sound like him.

Find the Focus to Complete Your Mission: The thought of higher education had always intimidated Dr. Carmona. “I was much more afraid of college than combat. I didn’t feel like I had the academic abilities to compete with ‘smart kids,’” he shared. 

But when he returned from combat, Dr. Carmona’s former high school counselors — who had kept in touch with him throughout his time in Vietnam — stepped in to guide him on his higher education path. They connected him with a former teacher who was now Dean of a college with a veteran program. Dr. Carmona enrolled and relied on the discipline and focus he learned in combat to excel in school. By the end, he realized being smart wasn’t what would make him successful, recounting, “I was never the smartest, but I was the most focused and most disciplined. I knew how to complete my mission.”

To pay for his tuition, Dr. Carmona held positions as a paramedic, registered nurse and even police officer. Each of these roles strengthened his resolve that serving others was his calling. So he applied to medical school and was accepted to the University of California San Francisco. 

And unlike the beginning of his undergraduate studies, he felt prepared: “This wasn’t stressful. Combat was stressful. Being shot at not knowing if you’ll live. This is a mere inconvenience. I had perspective that my peers didn’t.” That perspective and discipline paid off when he graduated top of his class a year early. 

Dr. Carmona’s life-long commitment to do public good eventually led him to join Axon’s board, a position he still considers to be one of his greatest privileges. He has seen how Axon’s powerful team moved the company from unknown with a single product to a global powerhouse Protecting Life across the world, with endless potential to do more good as the company continues to grow and innovate. “We’re fortunate to all be part of this great company that has no limits to the opportunities within it.”

Dr. Richard Carmona’s life is extraordinary by any measure. He overcame immense challenges and disadvantages to become a respected and admired leader in public health and safety. Dr. Carmona credits his success in part to those who lent a helping hand throughout his journey, and who helped him realize that when you accept where you come from, it can help you get where you're going.

BLOG: Completing the Mission: Lessons Learned from a Life of Service and Heritage

Completing the Mission: Lessons Learned from a Life of Service and Heritage

At Axon, we recognize that supporting our employees' whole selves is critical to our continued sustainable success. We go beyond PTO, prioritizing emotional and mental wellness that meets employees' needs wherever they are in the world. This isn’t a this-or-that solution, it’s a yes-and solution.

With the impact of COVID-19 on our mental and emotional wellbeing, this is more important now than ever. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported 4 in 10 adults in our country have reported anxiety or depression symptoms during the pandemic, up from 1 in 10 in 2019. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline network received 2.4 million calls in 2020 — the highest in its history. And so in honor of Depression and Mental Health Awareness Month, we'd like to share our efforts to keep mental health issues in the foreground of conversations and focus on how we can help each other every day.

We’re In This Together
If there has been any silver lining to the pandemic, it is the growing acceptance of open conversations about mental health at home and in the workplace.

Dr. Richard Carmona, former Surgeon General under George W. Bush and a member of Axon’s Board of Directors, recently spoke about mental health during the pandemic, and he explained that we are still in the mitigation phase and we need to recognize it’s not just a physical health issue but also a mental health one. COVID fatigue is very real, and as we gain more control over physical health issues, we all need to focus on mental health — no one is exempt.

With our company-wide focus on employee mental health, we're in a better position to support our employees, communicating early and often to ensure they can thrive. We desire to be transparent and authentic with our employee resources, and continue to proactively look for opportunities to expand our offerings. We have added access to Weldon’s expert-led parent webinars and Empower Health's wellness incentive program as part of our updated healthcare benefits. We also offer access for employees and their entire families to an award-winning mental health mobile app, Ginger, which provides on-demand personal care in an app.


“There have been a number of events over this past year that have been emotionally, mentally charging. Our employees are trying to solve some of society's biggest challenges around safety and justice and that can be mentally wearing. We continue to evolve our mental health resources to best benefit our employees- including following up with what's working and what's not. Accountability at the top really matters. We encourage all employees to take a mental health day and label it a mental health day.”

 — Elizabeth Hart, VP People Ops

Ensuring Access to Mental Health Care
Recognizing and acknowledging that we all need help sometimes is the key to de-stigmatizing mental health.

Our motivation for partnering with Ginger has a lot to do with accessibility and availability, as we know a lot of our employees who are interested in support often can’t access on-site mental health care. With the Ginger app, they can instantly find support. Through real-time chats or video calls, our employees can get advice on how to maintain resilience, counseling on work life and therapeutic support for mental health, including stress, anxiety and depression.

Aimee Bevel, an Axon Quality System Specialist, used the Ginger app after her mother passed away in December of 2020. "My therapist with Ginger has helped me a lot. It works with a busy work schedule and provides reminders and a lot of helpful tools."

Other employees use the app for progress check-ins and utilize the chat function when they need a quick talk through particular anxieties.

"I was intimidated at first and didn't have any clear goals around what I wanted to accomplish, but she walked me through the process and created a very relaxed environment," a corporate recruiter with Axon explained. "Each week, we do progress check-ins and she keeps me on track with meeting my new goals. In addition, the text-based chat function is convenient and easy to fit into my schedule."

"So far in my time with Ginger, I've had help from their coaches on setting personal goals and tips on how to stick to them," one employee said. "For more serious concerns, the therapists are readily available to tackle any issues I want to discuss, whether it's work-related or otherwise. Having that kind of access through the app is reassuring, and I wish more companies offered this service to employees."

We Recognize Global Teams and Support Accordingly
All employees, regardless of location, have access to Ginger’s texting mental health professional function, online events and mental health resources. Axon locations span the globe, with offices in North America, Vietnam, the EU and Australia. As we’ve grown our teams, it’s always been important that our culture transcends borders. When COVID-19 shut our office doors around the world, the leadership team was determined to make every Axon location feel supported even when we could no longer be physically present together, including remote options, care packages and more. We know this sometimes means something different in various regions.

Ginger is a trademark of Ginger.IO, Inc.


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