Mission
New Rising Ventures is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of New Media Ventures. New Rising Ventures supports early-stage, nonpartisan entrepreneurs and activists transforming our democracy through innovation and bridges a critical gap not fulfilled by traditional grantmakers or venture capital. Our signature four activities include investments and grantmaking, portfolio support, field building, and convenings.
What We Do
New Rising Ventures finds, funds, and supports social impact entrepreneurs who are growing new organizations that serve the public interest. Social entrepreneurs working on mission-oriented projects face unique barriers to funding and scaling their organizations: access to capital, introductions and networking opportunities, experienced advice, and peer-to-peer relationships that serve as a critical layer of support. Likewise, many funders lack the reach and deep industry expertise to find and evaluate great mission-oriented startup opportunities. New Rising Ventures brings founders and funders together and provides charitable and educational support to increase the scalability of companies providing opportunities to better lives for Americans.
Democracy is more than casting a vote—it is the daily engagement with the structures that impact the majority. To build a truly equitable democracy, we must create social power in places where political interventions fall short. This means addressing the day-to-day realities that people face, like climate, education, women’s healthcare, the economy, incarceration, and cultural change—issues that remain critical regardless of electoral outcomes.
By investing to build social power through innovation, we can create more avenues for people to have agency in their lives. As such, New Rising Ventures proudly supports brilliant, experienced individuals thinking of and building new ways to make life easier for the most marginalized across all demographics.
Our Investment Cycle
Stay tuned and follow our social media channels for updates on when this cycle will open! Deadline: TBD
Who We Invest In
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Data Nutrition Project
Empowering data scientists and policymakers with practical tools to improve AI outcomes. -
Chorus AI
Centralizing data for nonprofits and campaigns to streamline access to critical news, social media, and documents, enabling quick content creation and efficient sharing with stakeholders. -
Kinfolk Tech Foundation
Harnessing emerging technologies to empower stories of Black, Brown, and Queer communities in public spaces through imagination and play. -
AI4Abolition
Striving to build community power with and around artificial intelligence while working toward just alternatives to carceral (AI) systems. -
Reliabl
Annotating data and building AI models for customers to make better informed, less biased business decisions. -
Legitimate
Building innovative technology that will enable journalists to thrive. -
Politicking
Galvanizing voters by providing information about politics on a local, state and federal level. -
Black Miami-Dade
Resisting the erasure of Miami’s Black past by making that history visible through archives, storytelling, informative spaces and more. -
Triad City Beat
Chronicling the Triad cities as low-cost incubators of innovation, sustainability and creativity. -
OutSmart Foundation for Community Media
Promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion in media by providing financial assistance to community media. -
Protect the Sacred
Strengthening Indigenous sovereignty and protecting Indigenous elders, languages, and medicine ways. -
Trucha
Building a collective infrastructure to proudly share the stories of our gente. -
Canopy Atlanta
Equipping residents to access information about their communities, and to tell and share their stories. -
Refugee Community Partnership
Creating systems that connect people to the resources they need, and mobilize institutions to eliminate barriers to access. -
Backbone Digital Leaders
Spearheading a revolution at the ballot box and beyond through digital marketing and organizing led by Black women. -
The Austin Common
Using art and social media to bring a new generation of Austinites into our local democratic system. -
Conecta Arizona
Creating dialogue between Spanish-speaking communities in the border region with accurate, engaging, and accessible news from a bicultural and bilingual perspective. -
Nuestro Stories
Reversing stereotypical narratives about Latinos through compelling storytelling that showcases their histories, traditions, icons, and contributions to the US. -
Good Call Technologies
Empowering marginalized communities and creating systemic transformation by providing effective and immediate access to legal support. -
INTRVL
Using innovative technology to identify how progressive persuasion & mobilization efforts can be optimized. -
New Disabled South
Building strong disability rights and disability justice frameworks in the South through policy, advocacy, and organizing. -
Frame
Publishing stories that help younger generations more deeply understand social justice issues through uniquely engaging and immersive formats on social media. -
Center for New Data
Building data-driven solutions for our democracy’s entrenched problems. -
Iconik
Building cutting edge technology to empower shareholders to have a stronger voice in the companies they're invested in -
Represent Justice
Turning stories into action to change the justice system, while building the capacity of system-impacted communities. -
Stylebot
Empowering writers and editors to produce accurate, ethical, and inclusive work by creating the next generation of reference material -
¿Qué Pasa, Midwest?
Creating a sense of community through bilingual podcasting for Midwestern Latinx who are missing an essential piece of their cultural identity -
Accelerate Impact
Combining policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and digital media strategies to advance long-term systemic change -
kweliTV
Amplifying global black stories and black storytellers through curated and critically acclaimed indie films, documentaries, animation, web series, children’s shows, audio stories & live experiences -
Liberation Ventures
Fueling the Black-led movement for racial repair in the U.S. and building a public will for a comprehensive, federal financial and non-financial reparations program -
Men4Choice
Supporting the women and impacted individuals leading the movement for reproductive freedom by activating, educating, and mobilizing male allies -
SomeFriends
Creating a podcasting platform for underrepresented voices to tell their stories and share original and immersive fiction and non-fiction storytelling -
Undocumented Filmmakers Collective
Tackling the systemic inequities that undocumented immigrants face in the field of filmmaking, by centering them not only as sources of stories but more importantly as creators, artists, and primary audiences -
Get Free
Repairing past harms, removing ongoing barriers to equality, and realizing a future where freedom is for all.
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Momentum
Training and seeding a wave of movements capable of setting a political agenda equal to the challenges we’re facing -
Rapid Response
Helping nonprofits and grassroots groups quickly create hotlines and texting services to provide information and support to communities in need through one integrated platform -
SmokeSygnals
Developing museum and event attractions that explore history from the perspectives and voices of minority populations -
The Juggernaut
Centering South Asian stories and reporting with depth, nuance, and context -
TILAStudios
Increasing representation of black women artists in museum and gallery spaces by building a powerful network, connecting artists to resources, providing accessible studio space, and creating cutting-edge exhibitions -
Algorithmic Justice League
Leading a cultural movement towards equitable and accountable AI -
Indiegraf
Contributing to a healthier and more equitable democracy by ensuring that everyone has access to quality local news -
Sunrise Movement
Building a movement of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. -
CommunityConnect Labs
Providing mobile messaging tools for local government agencies and service providers to count low-income and hard-to-reach communities in the Census -
CTCL & Vote.org
Partnering to help connect Americans with the information they need to make decisions about who represents their communities, even in “off” years -
Fathom
Unlocks the ability to understand and act on open-ended text for leaders who value customer, employee and public opinion.
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Gather Voices
Making it easy for organizations to increase their video production by empowering members, constituents, and staff to make compelling videos using their phones -
New/Mode
Empowering real people and communities to participate in decisions that impact their lives through a multi-channel advocacy and engagement platform -
PeoplesHub
Creating a hub for progressive trainers offering participatory online content -
Prism
Centering the voices of people from diverse communities, elevating their stories, ideas, and solutions, and creating a more reflective democracy -
Pulso
Uplifting and empowering Latinxs by celebrating everyday heroes and sheroes and recognizing the contributions often left out of history -
Savi
Helping student loan borrowers better navigate their path to student loan freedom -
Survey 160
Creating text messaging tools to improve the quality and availability of data used by analytics groups, researchers, and pollsters -
The M4BL App for Black Lives
Politically mobilizing millions, building the leadership of thousands, and moving folks from online activism to organizing safely in their communities -
Upsolve
Helping low-income families in financial distress file for bankruptcy for free, using an online web app -
Luz Media
Disrupting false and inaccurate media narratives about Latinas through high quality digital content -
BallotReady
Helping voters know what they're voting for all the way down the ballot -
Equality Labs
Providing digital security curriculum and trainings to help campaigns and advocacy groups reduce risk -
Jolt
Building the power of Texas Latinos through issue organizing, storytelling, and voter registration and mobilization -
MRelief
Restoring dignity by transforming access to social services -
Pay Your Tuition
Helping families access capital for higher education costs so students obtain their degrees -
SaverLife
Using technology to improve the financial health of people living on low-to-moderate incomes.
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Swayable
Predicting how content changes people's minds -
The Movement Cooperative
Providing the best available data, technology, and resources to the progressive community -
Weird Enough Productions
Using superheroes and comic books to teach middle and high school students how to combat fake news -
Illumis
Monitoring for transparency and accountability
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Hustle
Peer-to-peer texting tool for campaigns and advocacy
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Indivisible
Organizing a progressive grassroots network of local groups to resist the Trump Agenda -
Online SOS
Providing free confidential, professional support to individuals experiencing online harassment -
Ragtag
Connecting high-quality tech experts with high-impact progressive volunteer opportunities -
Amplify
Helping groups work together on effective political action and encouraging others to do the same -
DreamRider Productions
Engaging, inspiring, and empowering kids to become agents of change in their families and communities -
Mobil-Eyes Us, project of WITNESS
Harnessing the power of live video and task-routing tools to help frontline activists tap into networks of supporters -
MPower Change
Mobilizing diverse Muslim communities throughout the US to build social, spiritual, racial and economic justice for all people -
OUR Walmart
Working to ensure that every associate, regardless of title, age, race, or sex, is respected at Walmart -
Buycott
Making it easier to vote with your wallet by tracking how manufacturers match up against your principles -
Center for Technology and Civic Life
Using technology to improve the way local governments and communities interact -
18 Million Rising
Growing Asian American political power by educating, mobilizing, and organizing Asian Americans
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PushBlack
Using the power of mobile organizing to keep Black Americans informed about key issues and help them take action -
Contratados.org / Centro de los Derechos del Migrante
Providing a crowdsourcing and labor-organizing platform for migrant workers -
Frakture
Automating data dirty work to free up time to focus on more important stuff -
Hearken
Helping local newsrooms meaningfully engage the public from pitch through publication -
ParentsTogether
Providing resources, connections and community that help all kids and parents thrive -
To|Someone
Data and analytics for email campaigners and marketers -
Blavity
Helping exceptional multi-cultural creators and influencers reach a wider audience, amplify their message, and fund their hustles -
Coworker.org
Helping workers start, run, and win campaigns to change their workplace -
Groundswell, project of Auburn Seminary
Organizing people who believe faith can be a force for good in the world
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Right To Be
Working to end harassment in all its forms.
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Vote.org
Reach a large, digitally savvy audience eager to participate in collective action -
Daily Kos
Providing a progressive hub for news, community and activism -
Ultraviolet
Holding decision makers accountable, creating a cost for sexism, and shining a light on the people and policies that are improving all women's lives -
Story of Stuff
Creating a movement to look critically at consumption-crazed culture -
TurboVote
Letting you know when elections are happening, and making sure you have the information you need to vote with confidence
Team
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Jessica Salinas,
Co-President
Jessica serves as Co-President of NRV. Prior, Jessica led the investment team of NRV for four years, where she was responsible for the cultivation of early-stage deal flow and portfolio management, building mission-driven partnerships, and leading the growth and direction of the investment team.
Previously, she was a Partner at an impact fund moving the world towards zero poverty, zero disease and zero pollution. Jessica was also the founding Social Impact Lead at Headspace and the founding Director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Scaling Program.
Jessica serves on the Board of Words Uncaged, Plug in South LA, and StreetCode Academy. Jessica received her BA in Communication from Stanford and her MS in Social Entrepreneurship from USC Marshall School of Business.
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Phillip Sanders,
Co-President
Phil serves as Co-President of NRV. Previously, Phil was Partner at NRV where he was responsible for expanding our partnerships, our portfolio of funders, and our investment capacity as well as spearheading new initiatives to support early-stage startups working to expand and scale progressive infrastructure.
Phil served in a variety of roles at Ernst & Young and Rockwood Capital, managing financial duties for clients across technology, real estate, and venture capital. Before joining us, Phil was a Fellow at Kapor Capital and an Investment Accounting Manager at the Kapor Center, where he managed various aspects of investing and financial processes at the fund. Previous to becoming Partner, Phil was an Investment Principal at NMV.
Phil leverages his experience to advise early stage startups and serves as Board Chair at the Ella Baker Center in Oakland. This work allows Phil to bring together thought leaders, innovators, supporters, and investors to design communities and startups for good. Phil is from Chicago, Illinois and holds a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Bethune-Cookman University. When not at work , he enjoys his lifelong pursuit of the best cup of cappuccino and refining his cooking and salsa skills.
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Abi Leung,
Investment Associate
As Investment Associate at New Rising Ventures, Abi is responsible for sourcing investments and leading early stages of the due diligence process. She also works with our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to create programming and resources for our portfolio.
Abi joined from a small tech consulting group, where she managed project teams and helped develop client relationships. She studied public policy, with a focus on nonprofits, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy at the University of Southern California. Most notably during her time at USC, Abi founded Trojan Shelter, a shelter run by USC students for college students experiencing houselessness in the Los Angeles area.
When not at work, Abi enjoys trying new restaurants in Los Angeles, browsing TikTok, perfecting matcha drinks and reading.
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Inbar Soffer Sharon,
Fundraising Associate
As Fundraising Associate, Inbar is responsible for supporting all aspects of fundraising strategy and operations. She works with everyone on the team to ensure that NRV can achieve its fundraising priorities.
Prior to joining NRV, Inbar held a variety of roles in fundraising and events, working across health services organizations, the arts, and tech. She holds as MA in Design Systems from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and is passionate about applying design thinking to solve complex problems and tell compelling stories. Outside of work, Inbar enjoys taking excessive photos and video of her wife and twin toddlers.
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Carlos Salinas,
Investment Associate
Carlos Salinas is an Investment Associate at NRV. He supports the Investment Team with intake and diligence reviews of potential portfolio organizations in the non-profit and for-profit sectors.
Prior to joining NRV, Carlos assisted the Houston Methodist Hospital’s neurosurgery department and University of Houston’s architecture/engineering departments in research and development of disability innovations. He was the co-founder of University of Houston’s first adaptive athletic wheelchair tennis team and served as President of the Adaptive Athletics organization. He has 10+ years of experience in the Supply Chain & Logistics sector.
Carlos is an advocate for disabilities rights and is passionate about ideas and actions that move communities forward. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, handcycling, karaoke, wheelchair tennis, traveling, and attending live music shows.
Board
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Mel Ochoa,
COO & General Partner at Landmark Ventures
Mel Ochoa is Chief Operating Officer and General Partner at Landmark Ventures, a strategic and financial advisory firm that offers a unique combination of venture development and global investment banking services (the firm also organizes the Social Innovation Summit).
He recently launched Landmark's SIS Omni practice and ARC Fund, born out of the Social Innovation Summit to drive transformation across impact initiatives within CSR, ESG, DEI, and more. With a diverse background balanced between the social sector and private sector, he has developed deep perspective in his career within entrepreneurship, international workforce development, staffing industry technology, K-12 education reform, early childhood education, consumer packaged goods, enterprise software, criminal justice reform, government, and more. Mel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University, where he was a Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship.
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Haywood L. Perry III,
Investor at Mark Cuban Companies
Haywood L. Perry III is an investor at Mark Cuban Companies, where he also co-leads MCC Network— a digital broadcast platform democratizing access to the insights of industry titans, c-suite execs, professional athletes, and entrepreneurs.
He began his career in venture as an Investment Partner for First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, then Kapor Capital, before supporting SoftBank in launching their $100M Opportunity Fund, focused on Black, Latinx, and Native American founders. Haywood is a fifth generation Washingtonian, pledged Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and has been recognized as an Emerging Black LGBT Leader by the Obama Administration.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Whitman-Walker Health Clinic and The Black Tech Collective. Haywood earned his Master’s degree from the divinity school at Yale University, his B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a Certificate in Venture Capital from UC Berkeley’s Law School.
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Daniel Forkkio,
CEO of Represent Justice
Daniel Forkkio is the CEO of Represent Justice, a national nonprofit that builds the narrative power of communities using film and supports storytelling campaigns to engage new audiences across the country that inspire empathy, human dignity, and public action for legal system reform.
Over the past 5 years, Represent Justice has used the power of storytelling to reach millions of people with firsthand stories about the legal system, generating hundreds of thousands of advocacy actions, building out an engaged audience of over 200,000 supporters, and building up the visibility and influence of dozens of system-impacted movement leaders and organizations. Daniel has over a decade of nonprofit leadership experience, is a Maryland native but resides in NYC and loves basketball and comedy.
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Aaron Mitchell,
CEO of Aaron Craig Mitchell Enterprises
Aaron Craig Mitchell is an LA based HR Leader, Investor, Advisor, Coach, Changemaker, and Entrepreneur with nearly 20 years experience across various industries.
He is the former Director of HR for Netflix Animation, where he led HR for one of the largest and fastest growing animation studios in history. An experienced business leader with a demonstrated history of executing change, Aaron has become globally recognized for his historic work pioneering Netflix’s 2% Cash Holdings Pledge of $100 Million into Black Owned Banks. An initiative that not only led to critical acclaim, but also anchored a movement for financial equity & inclusion and opened doors for marginalized communities to flourish. His work has led to features in The New York Times, CNBC, and Wired.
Aaron currently serves on the boards of UNICEF, The Atlanta Music Project and The People Concern, as well as an Advisor for Struct Club and People Tech Advisors. Born in New Haven, CT, he earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, and BBA from Temple University in Pennsylvania. He resides in Los Angeles, CA with his wife and two daughters.
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Carlissia Graham
Carlissia previously served as President of New Rising Ventures, drawing from over 15 years of experience in politics and social advocacy as well as firsthand experience as a serial entrepreneur. As an investor and strategist working at the intersections of media, tech, and democracy, she is a fierce advocate for impactful innovation that serves the public.
Her work centers on getting capital to people who are reimagining and building a greater future as evidenced by a thriving democracy, responsible tech ecosystem, and equal capital opportunities for underinvested communities.
Carlissia previously held multiple senior-level positions in the U.S. government democratizing access to publicly-funded technology, creating pathways to public service for underrepresented communities, and directing billions in capital investments in public-tech infrastructure.
Alongside her work at New Media Ventures, she sits on several investment committees and actively counsels founders as they navigate the startup journey. She is a native of Memphis, TN, and is deeply invested in pro-democracy efforts in the US South.
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Jessica Salinas,
Co-President
Jessica serves as Co-President of NRV. Prior, Jessica led the investment team of NRV for four years, where she was responsible for the cultivation of early-stage deal flow and portfolio management, building mission-driven partnerships, and leading the growth and direction of the investment team.
Previously, she was a Partner at an impact fund moving the world towards zero poverty, zero disease and zero pollution. Jessica was also the founding Social Impact Lead at Headspace and the founding Director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Scaling Program.
Jessica serves on the Board of Words Uncaged, Plug in South LA, and StreetCode Academy. Jessica received her BA in Communication from Stanford and her MS in Social Entrepreneurship from USC Marshall School of Business.