Justice entrepreneurs collaborate at STVL retreat

Coming out of a recent retreat that marked the midway point of the Unbundle Policing Accelerator, the 11 Teams chosen by Stand Together Ventures Lab (STVL) are prepared to take the next step toward making their justice solutions a reality. The retreat allowed the justice entrepreneurs to collaborate, share knowledge, and dive deeper into topics such as strategic fundraising and storytelling that will be essential in their efforts to scale their justice solutions.These teams, which were selected from the more than 250 justice entrepreneurs who applied to the Unbundle Policing Challenge are united by a desire to decrease unnecessary and adverse law enforcement encounters in the United States in order to promote community health and individual well-being. Find out more about the groups here.Cynthia Padilla Pearson with Standing with Survivors, a community-based, multi-disciplinary, mobile crisis response team for survivors of intimate partner abuse, said the weekend was “transformational” and “filled with rich conversation” that will allow her to elevate Standing with Survivors in her home community of Atlanta.The Accelerator teams heard from justice and law enforcement stakeholders from the San Antonio and Austin communities as well as seasoned funders in the justice space. Not only were these individuals on hand to provide on-the-spot coaching and consulting, they established connections with several of the Accelerator teams that eventually could lead to future collaborations and pilot programs. Accelerator teams also held meetings with the Austin Deputy Chief of Police and the Bexar County Sheriff’s office.The eleven teams also had ample time for discussion and connection with each other and with the STVL team. These sessions allowed the social entrepreneurs to discuss how they might collaborate to bundle their innovations into a cohesive solution that will improve community health and safety in neighborhoods across the United States.Gabby Wong of accesSOS, a free mobile app for individuals who cannot call 911 because of physical or other impairments, said her team is “fired up and excited for the next half of the accelerator.”The 11 Accelerator teams are now back at work, refining plans for how to pilot and scale their projects to transform public safety and policing in the United States. They will be back together for the Unbundle Policing Accelerator Demo Day on August 19, 2022. At that event, which will be open to potential funders and other partners, the teams will preview the solutions they have developed to protect people, preserve public safety, and ensure equal justice.Email unbundlepolicing@stventureslab.com if you would like to attend.