Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending The Fund to Prevent Sexual Assault’s first incubator demo day. Hearing founders create actual, preventative solutions to a devastating, systemic crisis that has been ignored for too long was deeply inspiring. The statistics around sexual assault in the U.S. alone are heavy and bleak, and for too long, traditional philanthropy has massively underfunded prevention. This dearth of funding sparked Jess Ladd and Kristin Hatcher to start The Fund. Their goal to reduce sexual assault by 70% in one generation is the audacious, optimistic energy the world needs right now.

The entire inaugural cohort made up of is this ok? (ito), The Kaisa Project and Teach Us Consent were data-driven, forward-thinking and ready to shake the status quo. These three startups are are rethinking tech, accountability, and community safety by meeting their audience where they are. If you are an investor, an advocate, or just someone who wants a safer world, please go check out The Fund and this cohort and put your support, your network, and your capital behind them.

I also have to take a moment for a major proud friend brag. My brilliant former colleague, client, and friend Kathryn Kosmides (whose name you might recognize as the the absolute force of nature who founded gamechanger Garbo) is at it again. Through this incubator, she’s launched The Kaisa Project, which engages gaming streamers to bring sexual assault awareness and prevention right to their audience. It’s brilliant, it’s strategic, and it meets the next generation exactly where they are building their worldviews.

The Fund to Prevent Sexual Assault and their inaugural cohorts are being the change and leading the change. Now let’s all do our part to back them up.

You can support The Fund to Prevent Sexual Assault by signing up for their newsletter, making a donation and spreading the good word. Their next demo day will be virtual, on July 15, so anyone around the world can watch, learn and be the change in sexual assault prevention.

Written by Katy L.