Key facts
- Richard Bronson, a former partner at Stratton Oakmont, has launched a startup called Commissary Club.
- Bronson previously served time in federal prison after a career in securities law.
- Commissary Club is an employment-focused social media platform for formerly incarcerated individuals.
- The platform uses AI to assist users with finding jobs and housing.
- Users receive 10 free applications before a paid tier of $14.99 per application or $149 for ten.
- Commissary Club was selected for the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200.
Richard Bronson, an entrepreneur with a past that includes a prison sentence, has launched Commissary Club, a startup aimed at assisting formerly incarcerated individuals in their reentry into society. Bronson, who previously worked at the now-defunct Stratton Oakmont brokerage firm, stated that his own struggles finding employment after his release from federal prison inspired the venture.
Commissary Club is described as an employment-focused social media platform that utilizes AI to help users navigate the complex processes of finding jobs and housing. The platform also incorporates a social component to combat the isolation often experienced by individuals after leaving prison, functioning similarly to Facebook by connecting users and offering access to benefits.
Bronson noted the lack of assistance available to those reentering society, particularly for individuals with limited education and job experience. He aims to address this gap with Commissary Club, which he believes serves a significant, underserved market.
The startup, co-founded by Bronson and Roman Kissin, who serves as the technical lead, is initially free for users. After exhausting their free applications, users can purchase bundles of 10 applications for $149 or individual applications for $14.99. Bronson acknowledged that some may question the for-profit model for this demographic but views it as a win-win scenario, creating employment opportunities for a population often overlooked by society.
Commissary Club has been selected for the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200 competition.