Venture:
Ladder Benefits
Founders:
Jack Saltzman ’25BUS
Industry:
Benefits tech
Venture Type:
For-profit
What is the social or environmental issue being addressed?
$100B+ in public benefits go unclaimed because people can’t navigate the systems meant to help them. Recent policy changes have added stricter work requirements, new documentation rules, and shorter deadlines, making it even harder for low-income Americans to stay enrolled. Students, gig workers, and the housing insecure are especially at risk of losing food, health, and housing aid — not because they’re ineligible, but because they can’t keep up with the paperwork. Ladder exists to remove this administrative burden, giving people clear, mobile-first support to access and retain the resources they’re entitled to.
Innovation:
Ladder is digital infrastructure that helps low-income Americans access and stay enrolled in public benefits. We simplify eligibility assessments, automate paperwork, guide users in plain language, and manage deadlines, starting with SNAP on CUNY campuses. Our long-term vision is to become the single front door for public benefits, powering higher enrollment, lower churn, and better outcomes across SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and beyond.