The Social Innovation Lab (SIL) at Johns Hopkins University concluded its 2024-2025 cohort, which was announced in November 2024, and took place throughout the spring semester. The showcase event celebrated innovation, resilience, and community-driven impact. From reimagining parole re-entry to empowering young women through dance, the evening spotlighted the diverse ventures that emerged from this year’s 15-member cohort.
PREPARE, a venture founded by formerly incarcerated individuals, took top honors as it was named the winner of the 2024-2025 SIL Showcase. Focused on parole re-entry, PREPARE has demonstrated great success. Out of 102 participants in its program, only two have returned to prison. The initiative not only transforms lives but also saves the state money, offering more effective use of taxpayer dollars.
“As someone with experience in the prison system, I have a different perspective on the problem,” said Anne Bocchini Pack, Co-Founder and Director of Advocacy of PREPARE. “I did the work for years without worrying about funding, so by the time I approached funders, I already had results. Funders in this space understand the importance of lifting the voices and solutions of impacted people. My approach has been to share my lived experience, which has been very helpful in connecting with funders and the community.”
Second place went to FreeMoneyMeister, a scholarship application platform designed to help high school students access funding for higher education, based on the founder’s experience as a college student living in Baltimore.
Kiara Scott, CEO of FreeMoneyMeister, shared how the accelerator program helped her understand her audience better and shape the platform. “I met regularly with a spring cohort of Baltimore students and families and used their feedback to refine the platform in real time. In response, we revamped our sign-up process, tightened the matching algorithm, and streamlined the user interface so students in Baltimore can quickly act on the most promising opportunities.”
The Audience Choice Award was split between two ventures: Coach G Academy, which uses STEP (a form of percussive dance) to develop leadership and confidence in young women, and SMTS Labs, which tackles community violence through social media content moderation.
Beyond the awards, the 2024-2025 SIL cohort was defined by its deep sense of collaboration. As Interim Social Innovation Lab Director Anthony Watters noted, “The secret sauce of SIL is the community.”
That spirit was evident in the work of Larry Davis, founder of Green Mechanics. The company is harvesting algae from the Chesapeake Bay and turning it into sustainable products. He and his team used the community around them, working with business students and meeting with the university’s Director of Sustainability
“Green Mechanics was inspired by young students interested in nature-based solutions and experienced mentors who lacked a vehicle to maximize their impact,” said Larry Davis, Founder of Green Mechanics. “The Social Innovation Lab helped us refine our vision and storytelling, and most importantly, it connected us with collaborators who share our mission.”
The ripple effects of SIL’s community model are already being felt. Kiara Scott of FreeMoneyMeister put a cohort of Coach G Academy students through her scholarship program, demonstrating how ventures can amplify each other’s missions.
“Being part of such an inspiring cohort and learning directly from weekly guest experts pushed us to evolve our approach,” said Mei-Li Hey, Founder of Atwero, a company working to provide better access to improved sanitation facilities for people with disabilities across developing countries. “SIL helped us see beyond the technical aspects of our devices and better understand how they align with broader health priorities through a social entrepreneurship lens.”
As these ventures continue to grow and evolve, ongoing support and visibility will be key to amplifying their impact and fostering sustainable solutions across Baltimore and beyond.
2024-2025 SIL Cohort Ventures
- Atwero: Provides assistive devices for a marginalized population in rural Uganda. The aim is to provide better access to improved sanitation facilities for people with disabilities across developing countries.
- B’More Designful: A design studio that bootstraps UX research and design efforts for early-stage startups led by underrepresented founders.
- Coach G Academy: Prepare young girls for post-graduate success with increased self-discipline and leadership through step dance.
- Crayons & Culture: Education solution for underserved youth with a culturally relevant curriculum model and community buy-in.
- CusQuest: A platform that connects skilled tradespeople with customers seeking reliable local services in the Baltimore area.
- Deepnosis: Leverages AI to personalize medication management by predicting adverse drug reactions (ADRs) based on individual health profiles, improving patient safety and outcomes.
- Eloquia: A digital technology that provides effective speech therapy for individuals with speech impediments with real-time, personalized feedback on speech progress.
- Evolving Minds: Workplace mental health solution that creates a culture for healthy and sustainable workforces.
- Financial Joy School: A virtual platform and game company that empowers players to build generational wealth through diverse financial education and investment tools.
- FreeMoneyMeister: Personalized scholarship coaching to help students win external scholarships to minimize student loan debt.
- Green Mechanics Benefit: Ecology-based technology that improves water pollution and other environmental challenges disproportionately impacting underserved communities.
- Jay’s Watermelonade: Beverage start-up on a mission to promote healthy hydration and prevent heart disease in Baltimore through preventative education and nutritious product offerings.
- Nan-e: A wearable that immediately soothes baby’s cries hands-free.
- PREPARE: On a mission to ensure returning citizens have a successful parole experience with holistic reentry plans.
- SMTS Labs: Enhance social media trust and safety by utilizing Gen Z data to detect and prevent the widespread sharing of violent crimes.