JFF Ventures Fund I
July 21, 2020
Our Opportunity
Millions of adults struggle to succeed in the American labor market.
For these individuals—many of whom are women, people of color, and/or immigrants—barriers to skills development and employment opportunities inhibit their economic security and mobility.
JFF Ventures Fund I, formerly the Employment Technology Fund (ETF@JFFLabs), supports promising entrepreneurs who are developing technology to train and upskill low-income and low- and middle-skill adults and connect them to employment opportunities.
JFF Ventures is committed to reimagining a more inclusive future of work—a future where technology is used to increase access to learning, employment, and economic mobility for all adults. We work closely with the companies in which we invest to offer them flexible capital tailored to their business models and objectives.
JFF Ventures is committed to reimagining a more inclusive future of work—a future where technology is used to increase access to learning, employment, and economic mobility for all adults. We work closely with the companies in which we invest to offer them flexible capital tailored to their business models and objectives.
Team
Our team has decades of experience in impact investing, entrepreneurship, and education and workforce technologies.
We are pleased to have been recognized as an emerging fund manager by ImpactAssets for three years in a row.
Yigal Kerszenbaum
Managing PartnerYigal Kerszenbaum is the founding managing partner of JFFVentures. He oversees JFF’s finance and investment strategy and supports entrepreneurs who develop technology for training and upskilling workers in low-wage jobs. His skills and areas of…
Sabari Raja
Managing PartnerSabari Raja is a managing partner of JFFVentures. She plays a key role in shaping the strategy of the fund, honing JFFVentures’ investment thesis, leading investments, and supporting the growth of the portfolio companies. Her…
Priscilla Luu
Senior AssociatePriscilla Luu is a senior associate at JFFVentures, Jobs for the Future’s impact investing arm. As a core member of the Ventures team, she supports founders who are developing and scaling solutions designed to expand…
Progress
$11,000,000
Invested or granted
48%
Investment and grants made to companies founded or led by women
62%
Investment and grants made to companies founded or led by people of color
15,000,000
Workers reached
ETF [JFF Ventures] is seeding investments in companies that have the potential to tackle this challenge head-on, in ways that can help close persistent skill and talent gaps. They’ve found a great strategic partner in the team at JFF.
Ryan Craig, managing director at University Ventures
Portfolio
180 Skills*
Online career and technical education company focused on “building the next-generation manufacturing workforce”
@180skills
Anthill
Mobile-based talent platform for the reskilling and development of the more than 80% of the global workforce that doesn’t work at a desk or computer
Beam
College financial and emergency aid platform for students
Care Academy*
Company offering smartphone-based training to upskill and certify individuals for in-demand careers in home health
@careacademyco
ChargerHelp
On-demand repair application for electric vehicle charging stations with a focus on job creation
@Chargerhelp
Climb Credit
Lender that seeks to ensure that students’ education is life-changing
@ClimbCredit
Clusiv
Helping companies provide flexible perks and rewards for their employees
@ClusivInc
Craft
Company collects, analyzes, and acts on data to fill teacher vacancies and end the teacher shortage
@CraftEduSys
CreatorUp
Media production company that offers training and jobs designed to meet the needs of creative professionals
@creatorup
Embodied Labs
VR training for health care professionals
@embodiedLabs
FactoryFix
Online recruitment and hiring platform for the manufacturing sector
@factoryfix
Forage
Online mentoring platform that partners with corporations to design free virtual work experience programs for job seekers
@theforage_
Hireguide
A toolkit that lets hiring managers become expert interviewers in minutes
Honest Jobs
National job marketplace for people affected by the criminal justice system
@Honestjobsco
Korbit Technologies
Personalized AI trainng for learning data science and AI
@Korbit_tech
Level
Provider of flexible credit to help gig workers to build microbusinesses
@LevelGoals
Major League Hacking
Operates global student hackathons and project-based technology fellowship programs
@MLHHacks
MentorWorks
Non-loan financing (ISAs) for college & non-traditional students with career support
@MentorWorksISA
NewCampus
Education platform delivering business and leadership training
@newcampushq
NextStep*
A mobile, tuition-free training and job placement platform for certified nursing assistants (CNAs)
@NextStepTweets
Nucamp
Bringing the best of online and in-person learning together
Onramp
Workforce solutions company, offering custom-built talent pipelines to increase tech candidates from non-traditional and diverse backgrounds
Owners
Providing training, tools, and mentorship to entrepreneurs
@JoinOwners
PAIRIN
Using data to break down soft skill barriers to employment
@PairinInc
Pallet
Company addressing the homeless crisis with rapid-response shelter villages
@PalletShelter
Pathful Connect
A platform for bringing industry professionals into classrooms, virtually
@Pathfulinc
Pursuit
Empower adults learners to become software developers and launch careers in tech
@joinpursuit
Ramped Careers
Job skilling platform for early career professionals
REDF
Investment fund providing loans with flexible terms to nonprofit and for-profit employment social enterprises
@REDFworks
SHARE Mobility
Technology platform helping organizations solve complex transportation problems
@ridewithshare
Signal Vine*
Provider of an intelligent, two-way text messaging platform that is proven to deliver high student engagement
@SignalVine
SkillSmart
Using skills to create pathways to employment
@SkillSmartUS
Sparkwise
Provider of multiplayer learning platform aimed at developing world-class teams and leaders
@BeSparkwise
Stride Funding
Stride Funding offers students flexible ways to fund their education with Income Share Agreements (ISAs)
@StrideFunding
Transcend Network
A fellowship for early-stage founders working in the field of education and the future of work
@transcendnet
WorkTorch
A career discovery platform for the service economy workforce
@worktorch_
* These companies have exited our portfolio.
Meet Our Advisors
Alison Ascher Webber
EdTech Center at World Education
Patti Constantakis
Walmart.org
Andrea Mainelli
Tyton Partners
Jess Hinkle
Strada Education Network
Jess Haselton
ECMC Foundation
Smitha Das
World Education Services
Jill Barkin
Beacon Fund
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