Meet DivInc's Fall 2020 Social Justice Innovation Accelerator!
Welcome to Austin’s First Social Justice Innovation Accelerator for Companies Led by People of Color and Women Entrepreneurs.
We’re proud to announce our 7th cohort, welcoming eight innovative social justice companies this fall! The DivInc Social Justice Innovation program sponsors include Austin leaders like AppSumo, Kendra Scott, adMixt and Wild Basin Investments, with Capital Factory and Notley Ventures continuing their commitment as partners with DivInc.
As shared with the Austin American-Statesman in a June article, this is a new, issue-specific program 100% focused on finding the most innovative companies and organizations across the U.S. that address inequities and disparities caused by institutionalized bias and racism. While participants can be a social enterprise, for-profit, or non-profit organization, they must have a unique social justice innovation approach that effectively targets eradicating racism and bias in criminal justice, healthcare, education, voting, housing, or related areas.
“…With yet another wave of injustice and national anger reaching new heights this year, my team and I are ready to take action again, in the best way we know how,” says Preston James, CEO at DivInc. “We will use our expertise to help entrepreneurs and activists all over the country apply their skills to create systems-level change. By marrying innovation and activism, we can and will create a lasting impact.”
With companies from across the U.S. represented, DivInc’s Social Justice Innovation program is taking on deep rooted problems of bias and racism throughout the nation.
The DivInc fall 2020 cohort welcomes:
Lone Star Justice Alliance
(non-profit, Austin, TX)
A legal organization improving the lives of youth and emerging adults in the justice system.
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Civic Links
(for-profit, San Francisco, CA)
Helping those in need navigate and access relevant government benefits and support.
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Break The Box
(for-profit, Austin, TX)
An Opportunity Zone fund with a thesis of closing the racial wealth gap by exponentially increasing the number African American home owners across the nation.
Thawra Network
(for-profit, Dearborn, MI)
Revolutionizing the lived experiences of Arabs and Muslims in America through identity affirming and groundbreaking media production
Amplify RJ
(for-profit, Los Angeles, CA)
Teaching the public the origins, philosophy, practices, and values of Restorative Justice through modern, digital platforms.
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SayLambda
(for-profit, Washington, D.C.)
Providing renters, first-time home buyers, and housing counselors with real-time data on the latest assistance programs, grants, and home ownership incentives tailored to an individual’s profile, to increase access to affordable housing.
Vngle
(for-profit, Atlanta, GA)
Covering the stories you don’t hear about and the perspectives you don’t get, we give you “various angles” on news for communities, by communities.
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Melanoid Exchange
(for-profit, Houston, TX)
Building more Black millionaires by guiding minority business owners through the world of eCommerce and giving the world a place to shop from them.
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Why DivInc:
If doing the right thing and equity for all is not enough of a ‘why’ for DivInc to exist, consider the economic and social impact on our nation. With projections of the U.S. becoming a “minority majority” nation by 2045(1), and the clarity that we are becoming more diverse each year(2), we must come together to eradicate the inequities and disparities in our society driven by institutional bias and racist beliefs. We must come together to remove barriers and create equitable outcomes within our criminal justice, housing, healthcare, education, employment and voting systems. It is only then that the US can realize its true potential as a global leader.
DivInc is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to bridge the gap between underrepresented founders and the resources they need to build high-growth, profitable companies and even the playing field in the tech startup ecosystem to bolster the future of the U.S. social and economic well-being.
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Sources
1. “The US will become ‘minority white’ in 2045, Census projects” by William H. Frey, Brookings Institution, March 2018,
2. “Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060” by Lauren Medina, U.S. Census Bureau, October 2019, https://www2.census.gov/news/press-kits/2019/so-demographers-assoc-meeting/presentations/demographic-turning-points-for-the-us-population-projections.pdf