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# Matter is building a more informed and connected society. Here's why I think you should join them.
- URL: https://werd.io/driven-to-build-a-more-informed-and-connected-society-try/
- Published: 2016-02-21T17:46:58.000Z
- Updated: 2016-02-21T17:46:58.000Z
- Author: Ben Werdmuller
- Tags: #Import 2025-06-13 09:25

![](http://old.werd.io/file/5414ee60bed7de265933d34e/thumb.jpg)

Real talk: Known should list [Matter](http://matter.vc) as a [cofounder](https://withknown.com/team/).

Erin and I brought [Known, Inc](https://withknown.com/) to [Matter's third class](http://matter.vc/matter-three-demo-day/) in May, 2014\. Over the next 19 weeks, we honed the fundamental story of our business, learning new techniques to validate assumptions and determine concrete needs along the way. They gave us [$50,000 and a new way of thinking about startups](http://matter.vc/program/).

Matter is a [values-based accelerator](http://matter.vc/mission/) that funds "ventures that have the potential to make society more informed, connected, and empowered". It's the only accelerator that I would have considered bringing Known to, and I think its mission makes it unique in Silicon Valley.

It funds *ventures*, not *projects*. That means you have to be driven - as I am - to create *businesses* based on these values. It's not good enough to build an interesting software platform; it has to be something that will attract investment or be able to grow through real revenue.

![](http://old.werd.io/file/565deef9bed7de0629625993/igaT4Yj5.jpg)

If that's what you have, Matter doesn't end at Demo Day. This last Friday, [Corey Ford](https://twitter.com/coreyford) and I took a walking meeting around South Park. This isn't something that happens every few months: he and the Matter team have been there for us when we've needed help and advice every single time. When we began, I couldn't imagine the support we'd still be receiving almost two years later. (When we joined, Matter was a two-person startup in itself; Corey and [Lara Ortiz-Luis](https://twitter.com/laraortizluis) have now [grown into a much larger team](https://werd.io/content/all/matter.vc/community/).)

What's not immediately obvious when you read about [Matter](http://matter.vc) is [the community](http://matter.vc/community/). I've picked up the phone and called founders who went through the program years ago, and they've been happy to share their time and expertise with me, no questions asked. I could ask a question right now and four founders would give me advice before I've finished my coffee. More importantly: I consider them all friends, and the community persists even for the founders who have exited or closed their companies.

Here's another reflection on why Matter is different: half of Matter Three and Matter Five's CEOs were women. Two thirds of Matter Four's CEOs were women. Two thirds of the Matter team itself are women. I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere, but given the current Silicon Valley climate, that is certainly worth highlighting.

The partners are also awesome. We've enjoyed a close relationship with [PRX](http://www.prx.org/) and [KQED](http://www.kqed.org/) in particular. Since we joined the community, Google News Lab, the Associated Press, Belo, Tribune Publishing, CNHI and McClatchy have all joined - and the [Knight Foundation](http://www.knightfoundation.org/), one of the most important forces in American journalism, is a founding partner. They've joined because they see media changing, and they want to be a part of the future. These aren't small opportunities.

I wasn't asked to write this post. If I'm effusive, it's because I'm grateful. As a values-based entrepreneur - I've dedicated most of my career to building open platforms for media and education - I appreciate that Matter even *exists*. This is a firm that counts [Wael Ghonim](https://www.ted.com/talks/wael%5Fghonim%5Finside%5Fthe%5Fegyptian%5Frevolution) among its portfolio founders. It's not just an accelerator, and while that $50K seed might be a carrot, it's the least of its value.

So I'm writing this post because of that. I know lots of people who follow me are working on mission-driven ventures. You might be looking for partners, but need to find the right kind of community to protect the value of what you're building. All I'm saying is: [Matter Six is open for applications, and it's worth your time](http://matter.vc/apply/).

![](http://old.werd.io/file/53ea8ae2bed7dea453c9b434/thumb.jpg)