Tech Matters Spins Off Two Social Enterprises; Focuses Efforts on Data Stewardship in the Social Sector and Expanding the Tech-for-Good Field

Tech Matters Spins Off Two Social Enterprises; Focuses Efforts on Data Stewardship in the Social Sector and Expanding the Tech-for-Good Field

(PALO ALTO, Calif., August 10) – Tech Matters, a tech-for-good nonprofit founded by serial tech and social entrepreneur Jim Fruchterman, is spinning off two of its successful social enterprises. The organization will focus on building best practices for data stewardship in the social sector and furthering the tech-for-good field. Spinning off from Tech Matters are Aselo®, the open source platform that supports crisis intervention helplines across 19 countries around the world, which will operate as part of Crisis Text Line; and Terraso™, a nonprofit project that creates digital tools for a more sustainable world, which will be fiscally sponsored by Inquiring Systems Inc. Nick Hurlburt will continue to lead Aselo as the Executive Director; and Steve Francis will continue as the Project Director of Terraso. A joint announcement on Aselo joining Crisis Text Line was released today.

“Tech Matters developed Aselo and Terraso to address technology needs in the crisis response and sustainability fields, and today, both have strong teams and successful products that are ready for the next phase of growth,” said Fruchterman, the CEO of Tech Matters. “When philanthropic and government funding declined significantly in 2025, we needed to shift gears. Thanks to major funding from the Skoll Pivot Fund and the INNW Fund, we were able to explore new options for sustainability for all of our activities, enabling us to spin out Aselo and Terraso each with six to twelve months of funding. The scale and impact of both projects grew substantially over the last year in spite of funding cuts, and the new homes offer a chance to accelerate that growth. In this funding environment, being able to spin off two social enterprises to advance their missions is exactly what you want to achieve as a tech-for-good social entrepreneur.” Fruchterman will continue to support both these enterprises in an advisory role.

Moving forward, Tech Matters will continue its field leadership by growing two other areas of work: 1) the Better Deal for Data, a new data and AI governance standard for the nonprofit sector; and 2) support for the tech-for-good field, championing the use of software and data to meet the needs of, and better represent, the 90% of humanity neglected by big tech companies.

The Better Deal for Data (BD4D.org) comprises a set of seven commitments designed to safeguard the data of the people and communities served by the nonprofit sector. Inspired by the Creative Commons and Open Source models – but for private data, BD4D outlines standards for data stewardship and use, which is especially important in the age of AI and surveillance capitalism. Funders supporting the development of BD4D include the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Okta for Good, OpenTeam with support from USDA, Schmidt Futures, The Skoll Foundation, and Splunk.

“Jim and Tech Matters have led the field in applying tech for good, both to solve longstanding social issues and as a means for fellow social entrepreneurs to scale their innovations,” said Marla Blow, President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation. “Tech Matters’ move to adopt more diverse and resilient models is exactly the kind of evolution our sector needs to sustain long-term impact. Jim’s commitment to the ethical use of data is also especially important as AI reshapes our sector. We need to ensure the social impact community has strong safeguards in place while still expanding access to technology that enhances impact.”

Fruchterman and Tech Matters will also continue to focus on expanding the tech for good field – through books, podcasts, keynotes, and other forms of advocacy. In the Tech Matters podcast, Fruchterman interviews social impact leaders who are using technology to drive positive social change. The podcast, now going into its fourth season, has almost 200,000 downloads. Fruchterman is a guest lecturer in the graduate program at the Marshall Institute at London School of Economics and Political Science, and a regular speaker at conferences for nonprofit, tech, and funder organizations. He will be a keynote speaker for the 2026 Technology Association of Grantmakers conference in November.

Fruchterman’s book, Technology for Good: How Nonprofit Leaders Are Using Software and Data to Solve Our Most Pressing Social Problems, published by The MIT Press, won the 2026 Axiom Business Book Awards Silver Medal in the Philanthropy/Nonprofit/Sustainability category. The book has also been selected as the 2026-2027 title for the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice “One Book, One SP2” program, a school-wide reading initiative designed to strengthen community and foster dialogue among students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

“As a longtime serial social entrepreneur, I love to see the social enterprises I help create outgrow my leadership – and make room for what’s next,” said Fruchterman. “I am excited to be doing much more to support the thousands of tech-for-good nonprofits around the world, and to help create the next wave of responsible AI and tech innovation that are actually focused on helping people instead of making a few people richer!”