Defy Ventures
Defy Ventures is a national nonprofit with a vision to cut recidivism in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to increase economic opportunity and transform lives. Defy's programs are helping currently and formerly incarcerated people across the country defy the odds by providing pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, and a successful reentry.
Visit this organization’s website to volunteer
Learn about this organization’s budget, leadership and mission
Where the organization works
2 Submitted Ideas
CREATE ·2023 Grants Challenge·🎉 WinnerTransforming Lives: From Incarceration to CEOs
Defy Ventures gives people with criminal histories their best shot at a second chance through entrepreneurship, career readiness, and personal development training programs, both in prison and in community facilities. Defy's program features a Shark-tank style pitch competition judged by volunteers from the business community. Our vision is to cut recidivism (return to prison) rates in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to increase economic opportunity and transform lives, empowering currently and formerly incarcerated people to defy the odds.
- CREATE ·2019 Grants Challenge·🎉 Winner
Defy Ventures
Defy equips program participants (whom we call Entrepreneurs in Training, or EITs) with the skills and tools to become productive and committed employees, business owners, and community members. Defy operates its core program, CEO of Your New Life (CEO YNL) in six SoCal prisons (where nearly 50% of our current EITs will release to LA County), and in two transitional facilities in LA County. After EITs are released, they can enroll in our post-release programs, including a business incubator.