About Us
Raising the Bar for Reentry Entrepreneurship
Our founders know first-hand the struggles that formerly incarcerated people face when they reenter society. A lack of access to economic resources and a lack of trust leave many people unable to find stable employment after leaving prison.
This vicious cycle of unemployment contributes to high rates of recidivism in the United States, where nearly two-thirds of formerly incarcerated individuals go back to prison.
At Redemption Ventures, we want to break that cycle.
We bring private sector rigor to reentry, focusing on entrepreneurship as a pathway to long-term security.
By providing formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs with access to business resources, mentorship, and grants, we help them turn ideas into thriving businesses. This encourages formerly incarcerated individuals to go beyond retraining and instead build new ventures, changing their paths from uncertain to successful.
By putting down roots within their local areas, these business owners will generate financial stability for themselves and their families, as well as opportunities within their communities.
We want to see formerly incarcerated people succeed by providing them with the start they need, and the trust they deserve.
At Redemption Ventures, we don’t just provide charity; we provide real, legitimate business opportunities to those who deserve them.
How does it work?
Redemption Ventures supports early-stage entrepreneurs with criminal records through:
Startup grants
Founders can receive grants of $5,000 – $30,000 in non-dilutive capital to launch or strengthen their business. No compromise, no equity taken, just support where it is needed.
These grants are designed to move businesses from ideation to execution, enabling entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality.
Mentorship
Each founder receives one year of mentorship from an experienced entrepreneur or business leader. Mentors will be available to guide their mentees through every step of the Redemption Ventures process. Many of the mentors we match with founders are successful formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs who come from the same justice-impacted backgrounds and have turned their lives around through entrepreneurship.
Membership is not passive; it’s hands-on and outcome-focused, helping founders handle the real challenges of launching a business and overcoming the extra challenges and barriers that they face in society.
Founder network
Participants join a growing community of entrepreneurs from across different industries. This network introduces them to connections that can provide peer support, industry knowledge, and exposure to new opportunities.
For many formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs struggling to enter the business world, this access is just as valuable as capital. Redemption Ventures connects individuals, showing them that they are not building alone.
Providing resources to a generation of new business owners who have been formerly overlooked.
Employment is a huge factor in lowering reentry rates. But we don’t see re-employment as the limit for formerly incarcerated people.
We want to take it a step further and encourage returning citizens to generate capital within their communities, bringing prosperity and stability to a new generation of system-affected individuals.
By combining network access, mentorship, and capital, Redemption Ventures helps founders move from reentry to stability and success.
© Redemption Ventures