Former USF Beach Volleyball Player Is Building Jewelry That Could Help Detect Drink Spiking

A former USF beach volleyball player is taking on one of the most uncomfortable realities of nightlife, college parties, and crowded bars: the fear that someone could tamper with a drink before anyone notices.

Addison Bounds, a USF master’s student and former Division I beach volleyball player, is the co-founder and CEO of Elora, a startup developing jewelry with built-in drink-spiking detection technology. The concept is simple on the surface but ambitious behind the scenes. Instead of asking people to carry separate testing strips, coasters, or bulky safety products, Elora is working to place chemical sensors inside jewelry that can discreetly test a drink before someone takes a sip.

It is the kind of idea that hits harder because the problem is already familiar to too many people. Anyone who has gone out in a busy downtown, watched over a friend’s drink, or had that uneasy feeling in a crowded bar knows this conversation is long overdue. Elora is not trying to turn a night out into a security checklist. It is trying to make safety feel more natural, more wearable, and harder to ignore.

A Tampa Bay Athlete Taking On A Nightlife Safety Problem

Bounds helped launch USF’s beach volleyball program and has carried that competitive mindset into the startup world. After her time on the sand, she shifted her focus toward building a company around women’s safety and drink-spiking prevention.

Elora was co-founded by Bounds and Kiara Robichaud, a former Cal Poly teammate with a biomedical engineering background. The partnership brings together Bounds’ business and customer-focused approach with Robichaud’s technical expertise, which is central to turning the idea from a concept into an actual working product.

The startup is developing miniature chemical sensors that can be embedded into jewelry, including bracelets and pendants. A user would place a small drop of their drink onto the detection area using a finger or straw. From there, the technology is designed to detect certain drink-spiking substances and send an alert through the Elora app if something concerning is found.

The company’s goal is to detect several major drugs associated with drink spiking, including Rohypnol, GHB, ketamine, and benzodiazepines. Elora’s system is also being designed so that, if a drink tests positive, trusted contacts could be alerted and location information could be shared through the app.

Jewelry That Does More Than Look Good

The powerful part of Elora’s pitch is that it does not ask users to choose between feeling safe and feeling like themselves. A lot of existing drink-safety products can be easy to forget, awkward to carry, or unlikely to match how people actually go out. That gap is exactly where Bounds and Robichaud saw an opportunity.

By building the sensor into jewelry, Elora is aiming for something discreet enough to wear naturally but functional enough to matter in a serious moment. The first product has been described as a bracelet, with plans for stylish options rather than something that looks overly clinical or obvious.

That matters because safety products only help if people actually use them. A testing strip buried in a purse or a coaster left at home does nothing in the moment. Jewelry, on the other hand, is already part of how people get ready to go out. Elora is trying to meet users where they already are instead of asking them to change everything about how they move through social spaces.

The product is still in development and is not available for purchase yet. Earlier reporting noted the company has been aiming toward a future launch, with the product expected to be positioned as a premium wearable safety device.

The Bigger Conversation Around Bars, Campuses, And Accountability

The uncomfortable part of this story is also the part that needs to be said clearly. Drink spiking is often treated like something individuals have to quietly guard against, but the burden should not fall only on the person holding the cup. Friends look out for friends, but venues, campuses, and nightlife operators also have a role in creating safer environments.

Elora’s founders have spoken about a broader vision that goes beyond one person testing one drink. The company’s app-based approach could eventually help collect location-based safety information, giving users and communities a clearer picture of where drink-spiking concerns are being reported. That kind of transparency could put more pressure on bars, clubs, and event spaces to take complaints seriously and strengthen prevention.

For Tampa Bay, that conversation feels especially relevant. St. Pete, Tampa, and the surrounding college communities have no shortage of nightlife, concerts, markets, sports bars, and late-night events. People should be able to enjoy those spaces without feeling like safety is an afterthought.

Elora is still a startup, and the technology still has to prove itself through testing, validation, and real-world use. But the idea is already striking a nerve because it addresses a problem people have whispered about, warned each other about, and planned around for years.

A Local Story With A Much Bigger Reach

Bounds’ journey from USF athlete to startup founder gives this story a Tampa Bay connection, but the issue reaches far beyond one campus or one city. Drink spiking is not a niche concern. It is part of a larger conversation about women’s safety, nightlife culture, and whether public spaces are doing enough to protect the people who fill them.

Elora’s work is still unfolding, but the startup has already gained momentum through grants, competitions, accelerator programs, and investor conversations. That early traction suggests there is real interest in safety technology that feels practical, discreet, and built for the way people actually live.

The most compelling thing about Elora is not just the jewelry. It is the message behind it. People should not have to choose between going out and feeling safe. They should not have to laugh off discomfort, watch every drink like a full-time job, or accept that prevention is only their responsibility. If this technology develops the way its founders hope, it could become one more tool in a much-needed shift toward safer nights out.

For now, Elora is a startup to watch, especially here in Tampa Bay, where one former USF athlete is turning a deeply personal safety issue into something designed to protect others before harm happens.