Unlike startups striving to be the next Uber or Amazon, there is no multi-billion dollar pay-off for the slug involved with creating an innovative model of justice delivery.
Odd, since the demand for justice solutions worldwide exceeds that for Uber rides. Data on human needs show that justice systems still have a long way to go to deliver on SDG16.3 (equal access to justice for all).
Systemic change takes a very long time, whereas hands-on investing in justice innovation can realise results faster.
Giving justice innovations the edge
We have written previously on the immense struggle of surviving as a justice entrepreneur.
HiiL’s acceleration program gives justice innovations the edge.
The idea is not to prop them up with financial support. We aim to give the startups ‘runway’; the tools they need to get to the next stage: sustainability and accelerated growth.
Regional Finals, held this year in Kampala, Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg, is the kick-off of a meaningful engagement between HiiL and the promising innovations.
Role model access to justice solution
Barefoot Law is one of the organisations that we have supported over the past 3 years.
Michael Kwizera, Director of Strategy at Uganda-based, Barefoot Law said:
“HiiL understood what BarefootLaw as an organisation needed to do – which was to move towards scale. Our three-year relationship meant HiiL understood our organisation and our deeply felt vision. We had learned from HiiL that structuring for scale was vital if we were going to achieve impact.”
Impact translates to preventing or solving justice problems for millions of people.
The evidence of market demand for services like those offered by Barefoot Law means there is real social value in their operations.
This case study reveals just that.
The hidden impact investment sector
Impact investing strives to make pragmatic investments that address the route causes of problems to yield social returns. Justice innovations fit that bill.
HiiL is working on building the business case for this model of investment.
We will be putting the spotlight on impact investors, public and private, at the Innovating Justice Forum in February 2020.
