What Project Include does

Project Include is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2016 by Ellen Pao, the former interim CEO of Reddit, with co-founder and founding advisor Tracy Chou and founding team member Y-Vonne Hutchinson. The organization is headquartered in Oakland, California, and operates with a 1–10 person team. Its stated mission is to use data and advocacy to accelerate meaningful, enduring diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, anchored on three values: Inclusion, Comprehensiveness, and Accountability.

The organization's core product is a set of 14 structured recommendations spanning the full employee lifecycle — defining and implementing culture, codes of conduct, hiring, onboarding, compensation, feedback, training, sponsorships, conflict resolution, measuring progress, and a dedicated recommendation for venture capitalists. These are supplemented by published research reports (including AI at Work, DEI Now, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Inclusion, and a Remote Work report), documented case studies, and a Google Forms-based startup diversity assessment survey that tailors recommendations by company size. Project Include does not operate a software platform, SaaS product, or proprietary technology stack; its deliverables are content artifacts and a self-serve survey tool.

The business model is community-led non-profit: all resources are freely accessible via projectinclude.org, and the organization is funded through donations, grants, and a CEO community that supports peer accountability. GTM is content marketing (website, newsletter, social) and earned media (The Atlantic, The Verge, New York Times). The served audience is tech companies of all sizes, CEOs and executive leaders, and — via Recommendation #14 — venture capitalists and their portfolio companies.

Name

Project Include

Legal name

Project Include

Website

https://projectinclude.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Include is a non-profit founded in 2016 by Ellen Pao that publishes research, 14 structured DEI recommendations, case studies, and a startup diversity assessment survey to help tech companies, CEOs, and VCs implement data-driven diversity and inclusion initiatives, funded through donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advocacy and Research

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights, Social Inclusion & Disability Inclusion (BPAGABAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Diversity inclusion advocacy
• DEI research reports
• Tech workplace equity
• Nonprofit DEI resources
• DEI recommendations framework

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a non-profit organization, Project Include is funded through donations and grants. The organization invites supporters to donate and join their CEO community as ways to contribute.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Project Include is a non-profit advocacy organization that publishes 14 structured diversity, equity, and inclusion recommendations covering the full employee lifecycle—defining and implementing culture, codes of conduct, hiring, onboarding, compensation, feedback, training, sponsorships, conflict resolution, and progress measurement—along with case studies, research reports (AI at Work, DEI Now, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Inclusion, Remote work since COVID-19), and a startup-size diversity assessment survey. All resources are distributed free of charge to tech companies, CEOs, and venture capitalists through projectinclude.org, with the organization sustained by donations, grants, and a CEO community program.

Product overview

Project Include is a non-profit advocacy organization (not a software product) that provides a portfolio of research-based recommendations, case studies, and surveys focused on accelerating diversity and inclusion in the technology industry. The core offering consists of 14 structured recommendations spanning the employee lifecycle—from defining and implementing culture through hiring, onboarding, compensation, training, and accountability. These are supplemented by published research on DEI topics, documented case studies, and a startup-size-based assessment survey tool. The organization does not offer a technology platform or SaaS product; instead, it provides guidance, frameworks, and advocacy resources for CEOs and company leaders to implement meaningful, enduring diversity and inclusion solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DEI Recommendations and Guidance
• Case Studies
• Research Publications
• Startup Diversity Assessment Survey

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• All Raise: Nonprofit working to accelerate diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech industry — particularly venture capital and founders — using community-building, advocacy, and accountability mechanisms. Closely comparable to Project Include in mission (tech-sector DEI), nonprofit funding model, and reliance on a CEO/community flywheel.
• Code2040: Nonprofit that partners with tech companies to increase representation of Black and Latinx technologists in the industry through programs, fellowships, and employer engagement. Directly comparable to Project Include on tech-sector DEI focus, nonprofit structure, and corporate-facing accountability frameworks.
• https://projectinclude.org/dev/color: Nonprofit dedicated to increasing the number of Black leaders in technology through community, advocacy, and research. Comparable to Project Include in tech-specific DEI scope, nonprofit/community-led model, and emphasis on data-driven accountability.
• Paradigm: DEI strategy and consulting firm purpose-built for tech companies, offering research, frameworks, and advisory services to engineering and product leaders. Comparable to Project Include on tech-sector DEI focus and the delivery of structured recommendations and frameworks, though operating as a venture-backed consultancy rather than a nonprofit.
• NCWIT (National Center for Women & Information Technology): Nonprofit coalition working to increase women's meaningful participation in tech through research, programs, and employer engagement. Directly comparable on tech-sector DEI mission, nonprofit funding model, and emphasis on research-driven accountability and recommendations for employers.
• Black Girls in Tech: Global nonprofit building a community and pipeline for Black women in technology through programs, advocacy, and corporate engagement. Comparable to Project Include on tech-sector DEI mission, community-led GTM, and emphasis on employer-facing frameworks.
• Hidden Genius Project: Nonprofit that connects Black male youth with technology skills, mentors, and pathways into the tech industry. Comparable in tech-DEI focus and nonprofit operating model, though concentrated on a specific demographic and youth-program delivery rather than employer-facing frameworks.

Broad incumbents

• AnitaB.org: Established global nonprofit focused on advancing women in computing, with programs, research, and convenings for the tech industry. Comparable on tech-sector DEI and research/publication outputs, but operates at much larger scale and broader scope than Project Include's tight, CEO-driven model.
• Catalyst: Long-standing nonprofit research and advisory organization focused on workplace inclusion for women and other underrepresented groups, producing influential annual reports and CEO-accountability tools. Comparable on research-driven DEI frameworks and CEO-level accountability, but at significantly larger scale and broader (non-tech-specific) scope.

Emerging players

• Equal Opportunity Schools: Nonprofit working with school systems to close equity gaps and expand access to advanced coursework and tech pathways for underrepresented students. Comparable as a DEI-focused nonprofit that partners with institutions and publishes research-driven recommendations, but focused on education pipelines rather than employer D&I.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/projectinclude
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectinclude
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-include

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Include