In response to growing concerns over student distraction, mental health, and safety, a rising number of states and school districts are banning student cellphone use during school hours. At least 34 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted laws or policies to restrict or ban phones in schools. Yondr, a company founded in 2014 by Graham Dugoni, conceived a simple solution to a very complex problem by creating the Yondr pouch. The unique, lockable pouch means students keep their phones, but can’t access them during the school day. Teachers no longer have to be the phone police, and pupils get a much needed 6-8 hour break from digital distractions. The pouches sell for around $30, which makes it very profitable. Yondr’s revenue as of 2025 is $59.6 million, most which came from the phone-locking pouches. The Yondr pouch isn’t exclusively for schools. It also creates phone-fee spaces for artists, organizations and individuals who want to be fully engaged in what they’re doing and not be distracted by their phones.
