What Priso Entrepreneurship Program does

Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that delivers a vertically integrated reentry system for incarcerated men, organized in three phases: in-prison formation and education, reentry stabilization, and post-release enterprise. Inside Texas Department of Criminal Justice units, PEP runs the Core Program, a Baylor University-recognized mini-MBA combined with Toastmasters certification and a Shark Tank-style Business Plan Competition judged by executive volunteers; the Online / Leadership Academy, a digital character-formation curriculum delivered through the Edovo closed-circuit tablet platform to all 134,000+ inmates across 102 prisons; and the Incentivized Housing Program, peer-accountable residential communities. Reentry support is provided by Life Caddie case managers with lived experience, achieving 100% job placement within 90 days of release, and includes transitional housing in Houston and Dallas plus family restoration services.

The post-release enterprise layer is anchored by Entre Capital, a wholly-owned Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 2019 that is the only U.S. CDFI exclusively serving returning citizens, offering $2,500-$200,000 loans paired with mandatory coaching and performance benchmarks. PEP's GTM motion is community-led: 1,000+ executive volunteers annually (94% return rate) deliver in-prison teaching, mentorship, and competition judging, then continue as post-release mentors, employers, and donors. As a nonprofit, PEP does not charge participants; revenue is generated through five-tier individual donations ($35-$1,000), corporate sponsorships with employer matching, planned giving, foundation grants (including MacKenzie Scott / Yield Giving and Greater Houston Community Foundation), and modest loan-repayment income from Entre Capital. Since 2004, the program has served 3,900+ men, launched 742+ alumni businesses, and sustained a 3-year recidivism rate below 10% versus a 28% national average, with 0% recidivism among Entre Capital borrowers.

Name

Priso Entrepreneurship Program

Legal name

Prison Entrepreneurship Program

Website

https://pep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prison Entrepreneurship Program is a Texas 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating inside TDCJ prisons to deliver entrepreneurship education, character formation, and post-release reentry support to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men. It funds operations through donations, corporate sponsorships, grants, and its wholly-owned CDFI subsidiary Entre Capital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prison Reentry & Entrepreneurship Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

Keywords

• In-prison entrepreneurship training
• Reentry support services
• Character development programs
• Transitional housing services
• Community development lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: PEP operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded primarily through individual donations at various impact levels ($35 Friend to $1,000 Transforming Leader). The organization states 1.9x return per dollar invested based on independent economic analysis.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Matching: Corporate partners formalize relationships with PEP, gaining recognition, reporting, and coordinated volunteer access. Many employers match employee donations dollar-for-dollar.
3. Planned Giving: Legacy giving program allowing donors to include PEP in their estate plans for long-term sustainability support.
4. Entre Capital Loans: PEP's CDFI subsidiary provides microloans ($2,500-$200,000) and milestone grants to alumni entrepreneurs. While not a primary revenue stream, these loans generate modest returns supporting program sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PEP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers in-prison entrepreneurship education, character formation, and post-release reentry support to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men in Texas. Its vertically integrated system combines a Baylor-recognized mini-MBA curriculum with Toastmasters training inside TDCJ facilities, peer-accountable Incentivized Housing pods, Life Caddie case management and Transitional Housing after release, Family Restoration services, and growth capital through its wholly-owned Entre Capital CDFI.

Product overview

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides a vertically integrated reentry system for formerly incarcerated individuals in Texas, operating in three phases: Formation + Education (inside prison walls), Stabilization (the bridge at release), and Enterprise (life on the outside). The portfolio includes the Core Program (Baylor-recognized business education with Business Plan Competition), Online/eSchool (digital character formation via Edovo tablets reaching 134,000+ inmates), Incentivized Housing (peer-accountable residential communities), Reentry Services (Life Caddie support and 100% employment placement), Transitional Housing (structured residences in Houston and Dallas), Family Restoration (family reunification support), Entre Capital (a wholly-owned CDFI providing $2.5K-$200K loans with coaching), Post-Release Entrepreneurship (community hubs for ongoing support), and Clubhouse (leadership and life skills sessions). The organization has served 3,900+ men since 2004 with a sustained recidivism rate under 10%.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Recidivism rate reduced to <10% vs 28% national average (sustained 15+ years)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Baylor UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEP's Core Program utilizes a Baylor University-recognized mini-MBA curriculum, providing academic credibility to the entrepreneurship education offered inside prisons.
• Kinder Institute at Rice UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEP entered an agreement with the Kinder Institute in Houston to include its work in research on economic mobility, exploring why Texas has a lower recidivism rate than other states.
• EdovocoreTechnology or IntegrationEdovo provides the closed-circuit tablet platform through which PEP delivers its Leadership Academy Online digital character formation curriculum to all 134,000+ men and women in TDCJ.
• Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEP operates continuously inside TDCJ units through formal agreements, reaching inmates across 102 Texas prisons. TDCJ provides access to facilities and the tablet platform for digital programming.
• Entre CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2019 as the only CDFI exclusively serving returning citizens, Entre Capital provides $2.5K-$200K loans paired with mandatory coaching. A wholly-owned PEP subsidiary that compounds the organization's impact post-release.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Safer Foundation: Safer Foundation provides reentry employment, training, and support services for formerly incarcerated individuals in Illinois—directly comparable to PEP's reentry and workforce reintegration outcomes with similar target population and service model.
• The Last Mile: The Last Mile provides in-prison technology training, reentry support, and post-release employment to incarcerated individuals across multiple state systems—directly comparable to PEP's Core Program and Online curriculum delivered inside prisons.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): CEO is a leading national reentry employment nonprofit serving formerly incarcerated individuals with job placement and retention support, comparable to PEP's Life Caddie reentry services and 100% job placement outcome focus.
• Defy Ventures: Defy Ventures is the closest direct peer—its "CEO of Your New Life" program delivers in-prison entrepreneurship training, executive mentorship, and post-release support to incarcerated individuals, mirroring PEP's vertically integrated model with similar volunteer-driven GTM and business plan competitions.
• Roca: Roca operates an evidence-based behavioral health and workforce development model for young people involved in the justice system, with intensive mentoring and employment placement—comparable to PEP's character formation plus employment outcomes model.
• The Fortune Society: The Fortune Society delivers comprehensive reentry services including in-prison programs, housing, employment, and family support—closely aligned with PEP's three-phase formation-to-enterprise continuum, though based in New York.

Regional players

• Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR): OAR of Richmond provides reentry services including employment placement, housing assistance, and case management in Virginia—comparable to PEP's reentry and family restoration services but operating in a different state geography.

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: Per Scholas provides tuition-free tech workforce training to underserved adults including those affected by the justice system, sharing PEP's mission of economic mobility through skills training, though focused on tech rather than entrepreneurship.
• Dave's Killer Bread Foundation: The Dave's Killer Bread Foundation advocates for second-chance employment and runs the "Second Chance Employment Coalition," addressing a similar mission area to PEP but with an employer-facing advocacy model rather than direct service delivery.

Others

• Edovo: Edovo is the closed-circuit tablet platform PEP uses to deliver digital content to 134,000+ TDCJ inmates—an enabling technology partner rather than direct competitor, but increasingly relevant as multiple nonprofits leverage its platform for in-prison education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/peptweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PepOrgTX
• Facebookfacebook.com/prisonentrepreneurship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prison-entrepreneurship-program
• Instagraminstagram.com/prisonentrepreneurshipprogram

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Priso Entrepreneurship Program