Promise Pay, a technology platform that aims to reform the criminal justice system, has raised $20 million in Series A funding from Kapor Capital and XYZ Venture Capital, bringing their total funding amount to $48.1 million.
Website: https://www.promise-pay.com/
Founded in 2017 by Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins and Diana Frappier, Promise provides an end-to-end solution for pretrial justice that includes a mobile app for defendants to check in with court officers and reminders of court dates, as well as a web portal for court officers to monitor defendants’ compliance with court orders.
The platform’s goal is to reduce the number of people who are incarcerated before trial due to inability to pay bail, which disproportionately affects low-income individuals and people of color. Instead, Promise provides an alternative to cash bail that focuses on community support and individualized monitoring.
The new funding will be used to expand the company’s services beyond California, where it is currently operating, and to develop new features, such as digital document management and virtual court appearances.
In a statement, Ellis-Lamkins said, “We are excited to partner with Kapor Capital and XYZ Venture Capital to continue to build technology that increases justice, equity and opportunity for communities that have been harmed by the criminal justice system.”
Promise’s mission is aligned with a growing movement to reform the criminal justice system and reduce mass incarceration in the United States. The company’s innovative approach to pretrial justice has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities affected by the current system.