WatchTowers x Upgrowth: How a Small Team Delivered Big for Public Safety

Standing up a new bushfire detection and management system that will be trusted by those on the frontline isn’t for the faint-hearted. For a small team like ours at WatchTowers Networks, it probably would have been impossible - if we hadn’t found the right partner to help carry the load.

We’re a NSW-born company on a mission to protect lives and land through smarter fire detection and situational awareness. When we set out on our mission back in early 2020, we had a big challenge in front of us: deliver not one, but two platforms - WatchTowers Command and CentralWatch - for agencies like NSW and ACT Rural Fire Services. Fast.

We knew we had to build a system that would perform under pressure for the people who need it on the ground. It also needed to meet government standards - no mean feat, when you consider the level of scrutiny and reliability required to deploy a system in live agency operations.

Enter Upgrowth: a Sydney-based digital studio that helps turn ideas for digital innovation to commercial reality, and also the partner who helped us bring our vision to life. 

Neighbours with a shared purpose

We already knew Upgrowth could deliver. Our founder and CEO Matthew Connolly had worked with them in past lives, watching them build complex digital products for big players like BIG W and Suncorp. When we crossed paths with the Upgrowth team again, this time as neighbours in Tank Stream Labs inside the Sydney Startup Hub, we realised we could help each other out.

We needed a team who could focus our thinking and guide every decision with purpose. Upgrowth did just that. They brought a sharp mix of user insight, product discipline and delivery know-how. And somehow, they made it all feel effortless. 

As Matt says: “Upgrowth didn’t just build our platforms - they became part of the WatchTowers crew, sharing our vision to empower Australia’s first responders.”

Don’t assume, always listen

For six months, we sat down with ACT and NSW fire agencies to understand what was really needed. Upgrowth led the charge, spending time with the people who would rely on our platforms when it mattered most. In keeping with our ethos of co-development, we listened and we observed. We also threw out anything that didn’t align with how frontline teams actually work.

Critically, we didn’t build anything until we knew exactly what needed to be built, why it mattered and who it was for. That discipline was crucial, and it showed in the outcome.

Focused and field-tested

The next phase was where the magic happened. Over another six months, we worked side-by-side with fire agencies to co-develop WatchTowers Command - our command-and-control platform that’s built for the real world. The result was a live interface that delivers AI-powered smoke detection, real-time camera feeds and precise situational awareness. It’s already in use in ACT RFS operations - and it's now supporting agencies across southern NSW, where it's helping teams respond faster and work more closely together. 

Then came CentralWatch: our community-facing platform, designed to bring that same level of real-time insight to the people who need it most in our communities. Built with input from Australian and U.S. agencies, CentralWatch gives the public a live view of fire incidents as they unfold.

Building with purpose

At the end of the day, we built WatchTowers for one reason: to serve emergency responders and communities. We couldn’t have done it without a partner who shared that urgency and that sense of responsibility.

Upgrowth brought soul as well as skill. They challenged us when it mattered, and moved quickly when we needed to. They also showed that world-class delivery doesn’t have to come from the big end of town - it can come from right here in the Sydney Startup Hub.

We’re proud of what we’ve built together - not only of the systems, but also of our partnership. Anything is possible when local innovation comes together with a shared mission.

If you want to find out more about the collaboration between WatchTowers and Upgrowth, check out the full case study. Or, if you’re thinking about building bold for public safety or community impact, let’s talk.