Richard Bronson, a former Stratton Oakmont partner who served time in federal prison for securities violations, has founded Commissary Club, a startup designed to assist people reentering society after incarceration. Bronson's background includes building a $100 million business and then facing legal consequences that cost him his freedom. His personal experience of facing severe employment challenges after prison spurred him to create a platform that targets ex-convicts, a demographic often overlooked by traditional services.

Commissary Club uses artificial intelligence to help formerly incarcerated individuals find jobs, housing, community support, and even dating opportunities. The platform’s name is inspired by the prison commissary, where inmates purchase necessities. Bronson emphasizes the scarcity of support for people leaving prison, especially those with limited education and work histories, and aims to fill this gap with a social media framework somewhat akin to Facebook, where users can build connections alongside accessing practical resources.

The startup currently consists of Bronson and Roman Kissin, the technical co-founder with experience at eBay, IBM, and LexisNexis. Commissary Club offers a freemium model where users can apply for ten jobs for free, then pay $149 for the next ten applications. While this for-profit approach might raise concerns given the financial struggles of its target users, Bronson argues that it balances mission-driven goals with business sustainability and addresses a massive, underserved market.

Commissary Club was selected for TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield 200, debuting at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October. Bronson views AI not as a threat to employment but as a tool to create opportunities for a marginalized population, working to reintegrate ex-cons into society with dignity and hope. His commitment remains deeply personal, motivated by remorse and a desire to support others facing similar struggles after incarceration.