$100,000 in sales per week … 80% profit margin … 90% repeat business … At a startup demo day in Silicon Valley, this company would have generated significant buzz in the venture capital community — had the core product not been cocaine. In communities where legal business opportunities are scarce or educational and economic inequalities disadvantage those from underprivileged backgrounds, many would-be entrepreneurs end up as gang leaders or drug dealers — and ultimately as ... Leia mais
$100,000 in sales per week … 80% profit margin … 90% repeat business … At a startup demo day in Silicon Valley, this company would have generated significant buzz in the venture capital community — had the core product not been cocaine. In communities where legal business opportunities are scarce or educational and economic inequalities disadvantage those from underprivileged backgrounds, many would-be entrepreneurs end up as gang leaders or drug dealers — and ultimately as prisoners.
Defy Ventures “transforms the hustle” of currently and formerly incarcerated men, women, and youth (whom Defy calls “Entrepreneurs-in-Training,” or “EITs”). At enrollment, 90% are minorities or women, nearly all live below the poverty line, their average age is 34, and their average time served in prison is 10 years. They all suffer the stigma of being known for the worst thing they’ve done, instead of who they are today.
Defy’s programs harness the innate entrepreneurial talents of people with criminal histories and redirect them toward the creation of legal businesses and careers. Defy has demonstrated the effectiveness of an “inside-out” solution to the problems of recidivism and mass incarceration that allows Defy to journey with incarcerated EITs from serving their prison sentence to economic independence. Defy provides rigorous employment readiness, character development, and entrepreneurship training inside prisons, a “warm hug” back to society that eases the reentry process, and robust post-release services including job placement, executive mentorship, startup incubation, and “Shark Tank” style pitch competitions with prizes of up to $15,000 in startup capital per business. Think of Defy as Khan Academy meets Techstars for people with criminal histories. Leveraging a blended learning model, Defy combines the scalability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of video-based training with life-transforming opportunities for growth through in-person coaching and mentoring. The result: EITs “defy the odds” and break generational legacies of poverty and incarceration.
Defy has proven its ability to generate transformative change through affiliates in New York City, Northern California, Southern California, Nebraska, and Colorado.
- 354 formerly incarcerated EITs enrolled since January 2012
- 3,503 currently incarcerated EITs enrolled since July 2015
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