JUSTICE TECH:
[ juh·stuhs tek ] noun.
Technology-enabled innovation that supports people and communities affected by the US criminal and civil justice system*.
Read our original report mapping the Justice Tech ecosystem in the US, or download our new Justice Lens Investing Framework.
Justice Tech Investor Framework
As part of our work to build the Justice Tech sector, Village Capital and the AmFam Institute have created this Justice Lens Investing framework to help investors maximize the probability that a Justice Tech investment has a positive impact on justice-involved individuals.
The Frameworks
Team:
Are justice-impacted individuals at the core of the business at all levels, from team leadership to employment policies to product design?
Business Model:
How does the desire to make a positive impact reconcile with the reality of the profit motive?
Product:
How does the desire to make a positive impact reconcile with the reality of the profit motive?
Community Engagement:
Is the startup keeping the user community at the heart of its business and mission?
Download our new Investor Framework to help inform your approach to making ethical Justice Tech investments.
The Verticals
Justice Tech Startup Ecosystem
We’ve mapped out a snapshot of the Justice Tech startup ecosystem, organized by their tech verticals and the stage of the justice system on which they focus, including Arrest, Incarceration, and Re-Entry. As the Justice Tech space continues to grow, we also encourage you to check out our growing database of startups and nonprofits in the Justice Tech ecosystem. If you have any additional companies to add to this list, please fill out this form.
Justice Tech Investor Network
Village Capital and American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact have created a community of investors to mobilize investment capital towards Justice Tech.
The Justice Tech Investor Framework was informed and inspired by three Investor Convenings, as well as more than 30 hours of research and interviews with Investor Network members.
Thank you to the Investor Network for their time and insight.
Supporting the Justice Tech Ecosystem
Justice Tech Advisory Board
Our initial Justice Tech market assessment was informed and inspired by our summit, as well as more than 150 hours of additional interviews and meetings with Advisory Board members and entrepreneurs. Thank you to the Advisory Board and leaders for their time and perspectives.
Get In Touch
If you are an entrepreneur, investor, impact-management leader, mentor, subject matter expert, ESO leader, or another stakeholder interested in supporting our Justice Tech work in 2023, please email elizabeth.nguyen@vilcap.com or get in touch here. We also invite you to join the Justice Tech Association to stay connected with the Justice Tech ecosystem.
*It is important for us to recognize that Justice Tech is a larger domain of entrepreneurship that can encompass racial, environmental, LGBTQIA+, and economic justice among others. The area we will be exploring with this partnership is the ways in which Justice Tech intersects with the US criminal and civil justice system. We would like to echo calls from intersectional leaders that it is important to not narrow the conversation of justice solely to criminal and civil justice to the detriment of a holistic perspective including other systems.