The Look Ahead: John Foster, chief operating officer of Fearless

Fearless has grown its work building digital services for the federal government in recent years, but it has proven to be just as invested in creating opportunity in Baltimore.

In an episode of Technical.ly video series The Look Ahead, Fearless Chief Operating Officer John Foster offered insight on how a company balances profitability with social impact, whow companies can make a tangible impact in underserved communities and what motiavtes Fearless’ work to build community and opportunity in Baltimore.

“Baltimore took a chance on Fearless when we first started off,” said Foster. “The more we got to hear from people that were passaionate about what this city is about, the more it grew on us and the more it bled into the ethos of who we are as a company and what we’re trying to accomplish. It took a chance on us and we just appreciate the city for that.”

As its headquarters inside Spark Baltimore has expanded, Fearless over the last year has provided grants to Baltimore nonprofits providing youth tech training. It also sponsored intiatives, including pitch and conference events led by Minority Innovation Weekend, and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore‘s BOOST program for Black-owned businesses moving into Baltimore storefronts. It also started an in-house incubator to create more digital services companies.

As a company that has been active in bridging the digital divide and promoting digital equity since its inception in 2009, it was interesting to hear Foster’s perspective on the changes he’s seen since 2020, when the urgency of digital access in the pandemic created more will from the public sector, private businesses and nonprofits to get involved.

Watch our conversation here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQC2RTRXCz4]

Here’s the audio version: