Subscribe
Report/Research
ETF@JFFLabs 2019 Impact Report
Investing in technology solutions that create opportunities for economic advancement for all.
Contributor
Meeting Unprecedented Need
At the end of 2019, the U.S. economy was booming. The country was at full employment with a stock market that had reached record highs throughout the year. We inhabit a very different reality today.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the economy to a historic standstill, and nearly 45 million U.S. workers have filed for unemployment insurance in a 12-week period. COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on the health and economic well-being of low-income and minority communities—and the compounding impact of systemic racism and violence against Black Americans—has revealed our collective failure to acknowledge and address the structural problems that have consistently left millions behind.
ETF@JFFLabs was founded specifically to address these structural challenges, and we feel greater responsibility than ever to execute against our founding strategy: to invest in technology solutions that create opportunities for economic advancement for all.
Through eight portfolio companies, all of which offer scalable technology solutions intentionally designed to benefit low-wage and low- and middle-skill workers, we help people prepare for, find, secure, and succeed in jobs that lead to economic mobility.
Read the Full Report
Our Portfolio
At the end of 2019, our portfolio included eight investments in scalable technology solutions that have the potential to meaningfully improve the lives and livelihoods of underserved workers.
Care Academy
Mobile Learning to Upskill and Certify Adults for In-Demand Careers in Home Health
Care Academy
Mobile Learning to Upskill and Certify Adults for In-Demand Careers in Home Health
CareAcademy provides an online education platform that home care agencies can use to train domestic caregivers to fill in-demand home health roles. The company’s track record proves that mobile (and blended) learning can increase access to employment opportunities in one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. economy—health care.
Cell-Ed
Literacy, Language, and Job Upskilling in the Palm of the Hand
Cell-Ed
Literacy, Language, and Job Upskilling in the Palm of the Hand
Cell-Ed proves that mobile learning is an effective means of giving people access to instructional materials. The company offers a tool that allows users to listen to lessons on a flip phone anywhere and at any time, giving millions of adults an opportunity to learn new skills even if they aren’t able to participate in traditional classes.
Climb Credit
Responsible Lending Increasing Access to High-Impact Training Programs
Climb Credit
Responsible Lending Increasing Access to High-Impact Training Programs
Climb Credit is a technology-driven lender expanding access to high-quality, career-focused education by providing responsible loans for training programs with high return on investment for students. By improving access to financing for high-impact training, licensing, and credentialing programs, Climb Credit opens pathways to stable, high-wage, meaningful work.
Nepris
Virtually Building Connections Between Students and Careers
Nepris
Virtually Building Connections Between Students and Careers
A web-based platform that connects educators and learners with a network of professionals who can offer real-world advice and insights, Nepris helps users stay up to date on the latest trends in the labor market, providing them with access to firsthand information about what types of jobs are available and what skills are in demand.
Northstar Digital Literacy
Accessible Credentials for Employment in a Digital World
Northstar Digital Literacy
Accessible Credentials for Employment in a Digital World
A program of the Minnesota Literacy Council, Northstar offers an online digital literacy assessment tool and provides learners with a credential that can lead to increased employment opportunities.
PAIRIN
Using Data to Break Down Soft Skill Barriers to Employment
PAIRIN
Using Data to Break Down Soft Skill Barriers to Employment
PAIRIN offers a suite of online tools that people who face barriers to employment can use to assess and develop their soft skills. The company’s track record proves that soft skills and mindsets can be objectively validated, measured, and developed.
Signal Vine
Texting to Nudge Adults Toward Opportunity
Signal Vine
Texting to Nudge Adults Toward Opportunity
Signal Vine offers a two-way text messaging platform powered by artificial intelligence that educational institutions can use to engage students, staff, and employees. The system has proved to be an especially powerful tool when it is used to encourage—or “nudge”—adults with low skills to take action or pursue opportunities. Signal Vine helps increase the impact of workforce development teams.
Skill Smart
Using Skills to Create Pathways to Employment
Skill Smart
Using Skills to Create Pathways to Employment
SkillSmart offers a skills-matching platform that can increase equity in hiring by helping adults find jobs or training opportunities based on all of the skills they’ve developed in life.
