Cloud IX

Breaking the Silence to Transform Campus Safety

When Isabella R. Kulstad began her studies in neuroscience and mathematics, she never imagined she would one day be leading a fast-growing technology venture. But her direct exposure to the devastating realities of sexual violence shifted her course. That lived experience sparked the idea for Cloud IX, now one of the most advanced sexual violence response platforms in higher education.

“Cloud IX is the most intelligent sexual violence response platform,” Isabella explains. “Our mission is to support survivors, provide them autonomy, and make them feel comfortable reporting, ultimately increasing retention and creating safer, more supportive campuses and communities.”

The statistics she cites are sobering: one in four college students experiences sexual violence, and in one in three cases, survivors leave school entirely. The costs are staggering, both personal and institutional. For Isabella, the challenge was not simply building technology, but creating something trauma-informed, empathetic, and scalable.

From the beginning, Cloud IX has pushed into uncharted territory. The compliance journey, Isabella notes, was complex but rewarding. Just as vital has been the creative freedom she holds as founder and CEO: shaping how the app functions, how students engage with it, and how its voice and tone resonate.

Her vision stretches far beyond college campuses. While Cloud IX’s immediate focus is U.S. higher education, interest has already come from the military, corporate workplaces, secondary schools, and even industries like cruise lines and music festivals. At its heart, the platform addresses power imbalances wherever they appear, offering survivors a way to regain autonomy and connect with resources.

When asked what advice she would give to other entrepreneurs, Isabella is candid about her unconventional path: “Being an entrepreneur doesn’t have to look one certain way. All of the things that make me a good founder come from who I am outside of business knowledge — as a dancer, neuroscientist, and mathematician. If I had disqualified myself because I didn’t have that traditional background, we wouldn’t be impacting the people we are today.”

With Cloud IX, Isabella is proving that a deeply personal mission, combined with scientific rigor and creative vision, can fuel systemic change. Her hope is clear: campuses — and communities everywhere — that lead with prevention, care, and respect.