A small foundation building a big model.
Pivot Holdings International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation out of Hartford, Connecticut — formed in 2023 to prove that entrepreneurship can be opened up to anyone willing to do the work, and that AI-powered agents plus sound governance can scale that promise far beyond what traditional nonprofits have been able to reach.
Our mission
Entrepreneurial resources should be available to anyone willing to do the work — regardless of where they’re starting from.
We believe the path to building a business shouldn’t depend on who you know, where you went to school, or what your bank account says today. We believe hard work deserves reward, that everyone deserves a shot, and that approaching the future with positive expectation — rather than fear — is how people find opportunities others miss.
What we believe
Three convictions shape every program, every hire, every conversation.
Everyone deserves a shot
Success should be about effort and capability — not background, credentials, or the accident of who your parents knew.
Hard work deserves reward
Building something meaningful is one of the most fulfilling paths there is. We treat entrepreneurship as dignified, valuable work.
Positive expectation
Approach the future with excitement, not fear. Focus on possibility, not limitation. This is strategic clarity, not naive optimism.
The story so far
A deliberately staged build: formed the foundation, laid operational groundwork, and now opening the platform to the people we were built to serve.
Pivot Holdings International is formed as a 501(c)(3) private foundation. Mission set: democratize entrepreneurship. Early focus on curriculum design, governance structure, and the big bet — that AI-powered agents combined with disciplined human oversight can serve entrepreneurs at a scale and cost structure traditional nonprofits can’t.
Governance infrastructure put in place, federal registrations completed, initial program blueprints developed. The year was spent building what most organizations skip: the operating system underneath the work.
A deliberate preparation year. Built the AI agent architecture — Phoenix, Dispatch, Ember, Compass, and the rest of the supervising and specialist agents that now run our back-office operations. Tested, refined, and set the stage for public launch.
Board undergoing a major rebirth with exceptional new members coming in. Champions initiative live on pivotintl.org — mentors, advisors, and domain experts can now find a role, apply, and get plugged in. World-class AI-powered enrollment system operational at enroll.pivotintl.org. 40+ programs organized into five families. Active partnerships being built in Hartford’s workforce ecosystem.
We’re proving the model in the Hartford area first — real participants, real outcomes, real workforce-board reporting. From that proof of concept, the plan is a national model, followed by an international one. AI agents plus sound governance are the multiplier that makes it possible.
The AI + governance bet
Most small nonprofits face the same ceiling: lean teams, rising costs, thin infrastructure. Growth means hiring — and hiring means fundraising forever to keep payroll current.
We’ve taken a different path. A supervising AI agent (“Phoenix”) coordinates a team of specialist AI agents — email, content, mentorship matching, research, fundraising, finance, and compliance — each running under strict boundaries and human oversight.
The result: an organization that can serve thousands of entrepreneurs with the operating footprint of a handful of humans. That’s not a replacement for people. It’s what lets the people we have focus on the work humans uniquely do — judgment, relationships, strategy, care.
Sound governance is the non-negotiable partner to this approach. Board oversight, clear escalation rules, audit trails, and human-in-the-loop on every external commitment. The AI extends our reach; the humans keep us honest.
Proof points — what’s live right now
You can touch the work, not just read about it.
Champions Initiative
A public-facing platform where mentors, advisors, curriculum reviewers, and domain experts can find open roles across our program families, apply, and get matched with work where they’ll actually move the needle.
Visit ChampionsEnrollment Platform
A world-class AI-powered intake experience at enroll.pivotintl.org. Adaptive conversation, multilingual, outcome tracking, partner dashboards, and WIOA-style reporting for workforce-board partners. Built in-house.
Try the Intake40+ Programs
Five program families — Launch, Biz, Money, Life, and Connect — spanning entrepreneurship training, growth support, financial empowerment, wellness, and mentor matching. All accessible from our program hub.
Browse ProgramsBoard of Directors
Our board is undergoing a major rebirth. These founders set the foundation; new members are being added through a focused recruitment campaign.
Robert M. DeLisa
Founder & Board SecretaryFounder of Pivot Holdings International. Entrepreneur, technologist, and longtime Connecticut business builder with a vision for democratizing entrepreneurship through AI and community.
Joseph Rogers
Board DirectorBoard member helping guide governance and strategic direction through Pivot’s platform launch and national scaling plan.
Royston G. King
Board DirectorBoard member bringing perspective and counsel to Pivot’s mission of broadening the entrepreneurial path and building sound operational foundations.
Interested in board service? We are actively recruiting exceptional directors — particularly leaders with nonprofit governance, workforce development, financial stewardship, or AI-industry backgrounds. Get in touch.
Where we are. Where we’re going.
Hartford first. Then the country. Then the world.
- Today: Hartford-area pilots, workforce-board partnerships, and our first wave of participants moving through LaunchPad and Second Chance
- Near term: Expanded champion network, additional regional partnerships, proven outcome data for workforce reporting
- National model: Replicate the Hartford pattern in additional U.S. metros — same programs, same platform, local partners and champions
- International model: Open the platform to international champions and participants where our language and governance structures support it responsibly
Join the work
Participate. Mentor. Partner. Fund. There’s a role sized for what you have to give — whether that’s an hour a month or the keys to a program.
Or reach us directly: he***@*******tl.org