Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)

“Established in 2004, the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) pioneered an innovative program that united the nation’s top executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs with aspiring convicted felons. Our character-first, entrepreneurship boot camp and practical re-entry programs are proven solutions for preventing recidivism, maximizing self-sufficiency, and transforming broken lives. Some of our ground-breaking outcomes are: 8% average 3-yr recidivism rate, 100% employment within 90 days, 600 businesses launched by second chance entrepreneurs, well over 1000 jobs created, and recognition as the nation’s leading re-entry program.            

With all our success, PEP has realized that our greatest examples of transformation have resulted from positive collisions between our participants and our executive volunteers. When those two groups collide, ideas and opportunities result. So, we wanted to do more. In looking around Houston, we found a similar culture in the East End Maker Hub (EEMH). The EEMH’s industrial makerspace and manufacturing center is home to Houston’s top fabricators, manufacturers, crafters, and innovators. We recognized a kindred spirit and quickly realized that we needed help designing a revolutionary space within the Hub where people and ideas could collide—the PEP Collider. PEP’s Collider will take our impact to a whole new level. Thank you, THR3E Design. “

-Bryan Kelley, CEO