Jim Fruchterman’s
Resume
Education
California Institute of Technology (Distinguished Alumni Award, 2013)
B.S. Engineering, 1976-80
M.S. Applied Physics, 1978-80
Stanford University
Ph.D. Studies in Electrical Engineering, 1980-81
Professional Experience
2018-present
Founder and CEO, Tech Matters, Palo Alto, CA
Founded Tech Matters to leverage the power of technology to support field-level, large-scale positive social change. Working with social change leaders to understand what technology can and cannot do, and building the tech solutions behind solving a social problem.
1989-2018
Founder and CEO, Benetech, Palo Alto, CA
Founded and operated one of the first technology for social good nonprofit organizations focused on delivering large-scale change in education, disability, human rights, and the environment. Created the Bookshare online library for people with disabilities currently serving more than 600,000 students and adults worldwide, the Martus secure system for documenting human rights violations, the Human Rights Data Analysis Group and Miradi, project management software for the environmental and conservation movements. Was originally the largest maker of reading systems for people with blindness, vision impairment and learning disabilities.
1989-2017
Co-founder and Director of RAF Technology, Inc.
Co-founded one of the nation’s leading companies in optical character recognition technology for processing forms in postal and medical applications. RAF’s software is used to route the United States mail. Served as RAF’s President & CEO, 1989-96; Vice President Finance, CFO, 1989-2004.
1982-1989
Co-founder, Calera Recognition Systems, Inc., Santa Clara, CA
Co-founded the first company to develop omnifont optical character recognition that works without user training. Served as Vice President, Marketing, 1987-89; Vice President, Finance, 1982-88.
Prior engineering positions with
- Phoenix Engineering, Inc.
- G.C.H., Inc.
- IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
- General Motors Company
- NASA — Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Selected Publications
Glorious RAGs : A Safer Path to Using AI in the Social Sector
Jim Fruchterman, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Social Business Hub, April 28, 2025
Exit to Open
Jim Fruchterman & Steve Francis, Stanford Social Innovation Review, April 24, 2025
Gather, Share, Build
Nithya Ramanathan and Jim Fruchterman, Stanford Social Innovation Review, February 19, 2025
4 Ways to Reduce the High Cost of Artificial Intelligence Errors
ICTworks, June 13, 2024
Refocus tech talent to help people rather than maximize profits
Opinion, San Jose Mercury News, March 20, 2024
Decolonize Data
Nithya Ramanathan, Jim Fruchterman, Amy Fowler & Gabriele Carotti-Sha, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2022
Why Don’t Nonprofits Have the Tech They Need?
Techonomy, September 9, 2020
We need a software revolution for the greater social good
Recode, March 2017
Using Data for Action and For Impact
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer 2016
Technology Serving Humanity (chapter)
Schultz, R. (editor), Creating Good Work, Palgrave Macmillan, February 2013
For Love or Lucre
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2011
Developing Information Technology to Meet Social Needs
Innovations, MIT Press, 2008
Everyone Deserves Access to Technology
Op-ed by Jim Fruchterman and Gregg Vanderheiden, The Sacramento Bee, June 17, 2007
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained, Addressing the Critical Gaps in Risk-Taking Capital for Social Enterprise
Jed Emerson, Tim Freundlich and Jim Fruchterman, Skoll Center for Social Entrepreneurship Working Paper, Oxford Said Business School, 2006
Build Great Companies, Then Help Build a Great World
Op-ed, San Jose Mercury News, November 13, 2006
Technology Benefiting Humanity
in Ubiquity, March 2004
Selected Invited Talks
- “Open Source and AI Collaboration,” Data on Purpose, Stanford, CA, May, 2025
- “A Better Deal for Data,” Good Tech Fest, Sundance, UT, May, 2024
- “Cutting Through AI Hype: Practical tools for development,” Devex World 2024, Washington D.C. (workshop)
- “Taking ownership: Recognizing and dismantling data colonialism,” Devex World 2022, Washington D.C., with Nithya Ramanathan
- “From Possibilities to Responsibilities: Software for Good,” Data on Purpose – Do Good Data Conference, Stanford, CA, February, 2017
- “How to Create a Data Driven Organization,” Keynote Speech, Data on Purpose Conference, Stanford, CA, February, 2015
- “Innovation in America: The Role of Technology,” Testimony before U.S. House of Representatives, Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, August 1, 2013
- “Social Change at Scale – That’s Innovation!” TEDxSanJose, San Jose, CA, May 2012
- “The Power of Failure, People and Karma Banking,” Commencement speech, St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA, May 20, 2012, reprinted in Huffington Post, May 29, 2015
Awards and Public Service
(Partial List)
- Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa), Northern Illinois University, December 2016
- Head of Delegation, Diplomatic Conference to Conclude a Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities, World Intellectual Property Organization, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2013
- Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award, 2013
- Duke University, CASE Award for Enterprising Social Innovation, 2011
- Migel Medal, American Foundation for the Blind, 2013
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, 2006
- Technical Advisory Committee Member, National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard, U.S. Department of Education, 2005-2008
- Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, 2006
- Schwab Foundation Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of 2003 Award