Innovating Workforce Development and Reentry Solutions to Open Employment Pathways for Justice-Impacted Individuals

Video recap from the 2024 Hackathon in DC. 

Plano, TX  –  April 16, 2025  – Aventiv Technologies, a leading technology provider dedicated to empowering incarcerated individuals through connection, education, and reentry resources, is reaffirming its partnership with Mission: Launch to support the Bank on 100 Million Houston Hackathon. This pivotal two-day event will drive the development of scalable solutions that bridge the employment gap for justice-impacted individuals, fostering sustainable pathways to economic mobility.

The Bank on 100 Million Houston Hackathon, taking place on April 23-24, 2025, at the East End Maker Hub in Houston, Texas, convenes justice-impacted leaders, forward-thinking employers, influential policymakers, and dedicated community organizations. In a dynamic innovation lab setting, hosted by Mission: Launch in collaboration with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) and TXRX Labs, participants will collaborate to define and remove employment barriers and create access to living-wage jobs for returning citizens.

Workforce Development in Texas

  • Annually, approximately 40,000 Texans re-enter society from state prisons, facing significant employment hurdles.
  • Studies show that individuals who obtain employment post-release are significantly less likely to recidivate, reducing costs to the state and strengthening communities.
  • Texas industries, particularly in energy, public utilities, and manufacturing, are experiencing acute labor shortages. Shifting to a skills-first hiring model can unlock a vast talent pool of justice-impacted individuals.
  • Access to industry-specific education and training, facilitated by tools like Aventiv’s tablet technology, can bridge skill gaps and create pathways to high-demand careers.

“We are gathering in Houston – the energy capital of the world – with a clear commitment to understanding the needs of employers in high-demand sectors so that we can train, certify and place workers with records who are ready to work and build thriving careers, not just in Texas but across the nation,” said Teresa Hodge, Founder of Mission: Launch and Chair of the Aventiv Advisory Board. “By leveraging the collective expertise of cross-sector leaders, we will gather for 12 hours to build shared best practices that solve real business challenges and improve public safety.”

Hackathon Focus Areas

Participants will address real-world challenges, including:

  • Integrating technology-driven skills training into reentry programs.
  • Developing digital career readiness platforms to connect returning citizens with job opportunities.
  • Building cross-sector partnerships to promote skills-based hiring.
  • Creating employer frameworks for evaluating qualifications beyond background checks.
  • Identifying high demand job roles that fit the skills of returning citizens.
  • Using technology to create digital portfolios.

Aventiv Technologies is committed to equipping incarcerated individuals with the tools they need to succeed post-release. Through its tablet technology, Aventiv enables correctional facilities to deliver impactful workforce development programs, facilitating the acquisition of marketable skills and industry-recognized certifications.

“We are calling on local employers to join this critical conversation,” said Dave Abel, CEO, Aventiv Technologies. “By ensuring returning citizens have access to build the skills and qualifications necessary to succeed, we are not only supporting individual success but also strengthening our communities, addressing critical workforce needs, and contributing to economic stability and growth.”

For more information or to register for the event, click here.

About Aventiv Technologies
Aventiv Technologies, headquartered in Plano, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative, secure technology solutions that transform connectivity for correctional facilities, law enforcement agencies, incarcerated individuals, and their loved ones. Through its trusted brands—Securus Technologies®, Securus Monitoring®, and JPay®— Aventiv delivers over 80 cost-effective, safety-enhancing products that drive operational efficiency and create meaningful connections that strengthen community outcomes. Serving over 1,800 agencies nationwide, Aventiv is part of the Platinum Equity portfolio. Learn more at www.Aventiv.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

About Mission: Launch
Headquartered in Columbia, MD, Mission: Launch (M:L) supports individuals living with arrest or conviction records and uplifts the voices of families impacted by mass incarceration. Its mission is to shorten the time it takes justice-impacted individuals to achieve economic stability through pathways to family-sustaining wages. For over a decade, Mission: Launch has led the country in building cross-sector bridges through convenings, coalition building, and innovation cohorts. Signature initiatives include the Bank on 100 Million Coalition, the hackathon convening platform, and LaunchPad Career Pathways, a 12-month career exposure program for justice-impacted workers to drive American growth in high-demand sectors.