Jim Fruchterman
Encyclopedia
Jim Fruchterman is a leading social entrepreneur
. He is a former rocket scientist and technology entrepreneur who creates social technology
enterprises that target under-served communities.
Fruchterman was a co-founder of Calera Recognition Systems in 1982. The company developed optical character recognition
(OCR) technology that allows computers to read virtually all printed text. In 1989, Fruchterman founded Arkenstone, a nonprofit social enterprise that produced reading machines for people with visual disabilities based on the Calera technology. In 1989, Fruchterman also cofounded RAF Technology, Inc., a postal OCR technology company.
Arkenstone’s business assets and name were sold to for-profit Freedom Scientific
in April of 2000 and the nonprofit changed its name to Benetech
, which is now based in Palo Alto, California. Fruchterman has been President and CEO of Benetech since its founding.
Benetech
is a non-profit organization that develops technology for the disabled, human rights, and environmental conservation communities. Benetech's programs include:
Fruchterman served on two U.S. federal government advisory committees for disability issues: the Section 255 Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee and the Section 508 Electronic Information and Technology Access Advisory Committee. He is a founding director and current board chair (2008-2010) of the Social Enterprise Alliance, the only member organization in North America to bring together the diverse field of social enterprise, defined as any organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods. Fruchterman also serves on the board of directors at ZeroDivide
, a nonprofit venture philanthropy foundation.
. He received the Robert F. Bray Award in 2003 from the American Council of the Blind
in recognition of his efforts to make published works accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. In 2003, Fruchterman received the Francis Joseph Campbell award from the American Library Association
for outstanding contribution to the advancement of library service for the blind and physically handicapped. He also received the Access Award from the American Foundation for the Blind
.
.
The company also received the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in 2008 from the National Federation of the Blind
and the 2008 AT&T
Technology Innovation Award which recognizes a technology company that has created a lasting impact through the development of assistive technologies.
Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...
. He is a former rocket scientist and technology entrepreneur who creates social technology
Social technology
The term Social Technology was first used at the University of Chicago by Albion Woodbury Small and Charles Richmond Henderson around the end of the 19th century. Small and Henderson were close colleagues, and it is hard to tell who used the term first...
enterprises that target under-served communities.
Fruchterman was a co-founder of Calera Recognition Systems in 1982. The company developed optical character recognition
Optical character recognition
Optical character recognition, usually abbreviated to OCR, is the mechanical or electronic translation of scanned images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text into machine-encoded text. It is widely used to convert books and documents into electronic files, to computerize a record-keeping...
(OCR) technology that allows computers to read virtually all printed text. In 1989, Fruchterman founded Arkenstone, a nonprofit social enterprise that produced reading machines for people with visual disabilities based on the Calera technology. In 1989, Fruchterman also cofounded RAF Technology, Inc., a postal OCR technology company.
Arkenstone’s business assets and name were sold to for-profit Freedom Scientific
Freedom Scientific
Freedom Scientific is a corporation which researches, creates, and sells technology intended for people who are blind or have low vision and those with learning disabilities. The company's Blind and Low Vision Group's products include software and hardware to help people with low vision work with...
in April of 2000 and the nonprofit changed its name to Benetech
Benetech
Benetech was founded in 1989 by high technology entrepreneur Jim Fruchterman in Palo Alto, California. Benetech is a not-for-profit social enterprise organization: it creates technology social ventures, such as Bookshare , the Route 66 Literacy Project, the Miradi environmental project management...
, which is now based in Palo Alto, California. Fruchterman has been President and CEO of Benetech since its founding.
Benetech
Benetech
Benetech was founded in 1989 by high technology entrepreneur Jim Fruchterman in Palo Alto, California. Benetech is a not-for-profit social enterprise organization: it creates technology social ventures, such as Bookshare , the Route 66 Literacy Project, the Miradi environmental project management...
is a non-profit organization that develops technology for the disabled, human rights, and environmental conservation communities. Benetech's programs include:
- BookshareBookshareBookshare is an online accessible digital library for print disabled readers. In 2007, it received an award of $32 million from the US Government's Office of Special Education Programs to make the service available for free to all print disabled students in the US...
, the world’s largest accessible online library for people with print disabilities, offers more than 46,000 books and 150 periodicals in accessible formats including Braille, large print, and synthetic speech. - Human Rights Data Analysis GroupHuman Rights Data Analysis GroupThe Human Rights Data Analysis Group is an organization of researchers who apply statistical analysis to questions of fact relevant to human rights, usually estimates of the number of people killed in civil conflicts...
conducts statistical analysis for human rights investigations and builds scientifically defensible arguments based on rigorous evidence. - Martus is freeFree softwareFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
secure information management software that lets users create and search encrypted databases, and back this data up remotely to their choice of publicly available servers. - Miradi is freeFree softwareFree software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
adaptive management software that allows nature conservation practitioners to design, manage, monitor, and learn from their projects to more effectively meet their conservation goals.
Fruchterman served on two U.S. federal government advisory committees for disability issues: the Section 255 Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee and the Section 508 Electronic Information and Technology Access Advisory Committee. He is a founding director and current board chair (2008-2010) of the Social Enterprise Alliance, the only member organization in North America to bring together the diverse field of social enterprise, defined as any organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods. Fruchterman also serves on the board of directors at ZeroDivide
ZeroDivide
ZeroDivide is a nonprofit, engaged/venture philanthropy foundation based in San Francisco, California. ZeroDivide invests in community enterprises that use technology to create earned-income businesses, policy change movements, and high impact programs within nonprofit community-based...
, a nonprofit venture philanthropy foundation.
Personal awards
Fruchterman received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2006 and the Outstanding Social Entrepreneur award in 2003 from the Schwab Foundation for Social EntrepreneurshipSchwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides platforms at the country, regional and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship.- History :...
. He received the Robert F. Bray Award in 2003 from the American Council of the Blind
American Council of the Blind
The American Council of the Blind is a nationwide organization in the United States. It is an organization mainly made up of blind and visually impaired people who want to achieve independence and equality .-History:The American Council of the Blind was formed out of the dissolution of the...
in recognition of his efforts to make published works accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. In 2003, Fruchterman received the Francis Joseph Campbell award from the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
for outstanding contribution to the advancement of library service for the blind and physically handicapped. He also received the Access Award from the American Foundation for the Blind
American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind is an American non-profit organization that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. AFB's priorities include broadening access to technology; elevating the quality of information and tools for the professionals who serve people with vision loss; and...
.
Benetech awards under Fruchterman's leadership
In 2004 and 2006, Benetech received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the Skoll FoundationSkoll Foundation
The Skoll Foundation is a social entrepreneurship foundation based in Silicon Valley, California, with a mission to drive large-scale change by investing in, connecting, and celebrating social entrepreneurs and other innovators dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing problems...
.
The company also received the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award in 2008 from the National Federation of the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind is an organization of blind people in the United States. It is the oldest and largest organization led by blind people in the United States...
and the 2008 AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
Technology Innovation Award which recognizes a technology company that has created a lasting impact through the development of assistive technologies.
Works
- Fruchterman, Jim, “Accessing Books and Documents,” in Assistive Technology for Vision-Impaired and Blind People, Springer Verlag. (pdf) (2008)
- Fruchterman, Jim and Lisa Friendly, “Bookshare.org for Education (B4E) Presentation to OSEP,” (2007)
- Fruchterman, Jim and Gregg Vanderheiden, “Everyone Deserves Access to Technology,” The Sacramento Bee, (2007)
- Fruchterman, Jim, Jed Emerson and Tim Freundlich, “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained: Addressing the Critical Gaps in Risk-Taking Capital for Social Enterprise,” (2007) (pdf)
- Fruchterman, Jim, “Build Great Companies, Then Help Build A Great World,” San Jose Mercury News (2006)
- Fruchterman, Jim, “High Tech Approaches for Building Social Enterprise: Jim Fruchterman on Leveraging Intellectual Property-Based Social Ventures.” (2006) Social Enterprise Reporter
- Fruchterman, Jim, “Comments on Accessibility of Google Print and Google's Library Project (2005) (pdf)
- Fruchterman, Jim, “Technology Benefiting Humanity,” in Association for Computing Machines Ubiquity (2004)
- Fruchterman, Jim, “The Power of Technology Social Enterprises,” N-TEN forecast series. (2004)
- Fruchterman, Jim, “In the Palm of Your Hand: A Vision of the Future of Technology for People with Visual Impairments,” in American Foundation for the Blind’s Journal of Vision Impairment and Blindness. (2003)
- Fruchterman, Jim and Alison Lingane, “The Chafee Amendment: Improving Access to Information,” in Information Technology and Disabilities. (2003)
- Fruchterman, Jim, and George Kerscher, “The Soundproof Book: Exploration of Rights Conflict and Access to Commercial EBooks for People with Disabilities,” in First Monday. (2002)