Skoll Entrepreneur(s): Jim Fruchterman
Change(s) Addressed: Institutional Responsibility, Peace & Security, Tolerance & Human Rights

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DESCRIPTION:

While in college learning to make smart bombs, Jim Fruchterman thought of using technology for a positive social purpose: applying character recognition to reading. This simple idea became a reality when he founded Arkenstone, a leading nonprofit organization providing adaptive technology for people with disabilities which became the largest maker of reading machines for people with disabilities. The concept of employing technology to address social problems is the basis of Benetech’s work today. In 2000, with proceeds from the sale of Arkenstone, Jim founded Benetech to create a platform for launching new enterprises.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS OF 2010

• In the past year, Benetech’s Bookshare program delivered over 704,000 book downloads to more than 80,000 members with print disabilities from our library of 65,000 titles. Bookshare helps them to succeed in school, employment, civic engagement and beyond.
• We partner with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support their efforts documenting human rights abuses, including in Colombia, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Burma and India. Our Martus database software has been downloaded in over 120 countries, and over 150,000 Martus bulletins documenting human rights violations have been backed up by users to Martus servers. This contributes to new policy debates and helps bring perpetrators to justice.
• Miradi is our project management software tool that helps environmental conservationists design, develop, monitor and learn from their projects to more effectively meet their goals. Miradi is used by over 3,000 people in more than 100 countries to improve the work of large and small conservation projects.