This document discusses challenges faced by deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) individuals in employment. It notes that D/HH people experience higher unemployment rates compared to hearing people, due in part to misperceptions about their capabilities. However, entrepreneurship is one pathway around inaccessible workplaces. The document highlights that D/HH individuals are more likely than hearing people to be self-employed or business owners. It discusses how investing in D/HH entrepreneurs can help create jobs, enhance economic power, and uplift the D/HH community while tapping into an $86 billion market. Spotlighting successes of D/HH entrepreneurs and businesses can help shift perceptions and enrich opportunities for the D/HH ecosystem.

1. Deaf Entrepreneurs
Stories That Change Perception

2. There is a misperception that Deaf
and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) people
are less capable and therefore
less valuable workers - which is
detrimental to the employment
rate among the D/HH community.
Implicit Bias
COMMON
MISCONCEPTIONS
Expensive & Timely
Accommodations
Unable to Perform
Certain Tasks
Less Educated than
Hearing Peers
Communication or
Social Difficulties

3. Deaf Unemployment
& Entrepreneurship
46.7% of Deaf people are unemployed or
out of the workforce, compared to 24.2%
of hearing people.
Entrepreneurship is one solution to
inaccessible workplaces. In fact, Deaf
people are more likely than hearing people
to be self employed (11.6% vs 9.8%) or
business owners (4.1% vs 3.8%).

4. Create more jobs for Deaf people
Enhance Deaf economic power
Uplift the Deaf community
Tap into the D/HH market, valued at $86 billion
The increase in Deaf entrepreneurs is creating an
opportunity for change. Intentionally investing in Deaf
entrepreneurs, and spotlighting their successes, sparks a
chain reaction that shifts the perception of the D/HH
community and enriches the Deaf Ecosystem. Investors
who purposefully invest in Deaf-led startups:
Though the benefits are clear, startup funding is often
inaccessible to Deaf entrepreneurs. This is one of many
reasons we founded the CSD Social Venture Fund in 2017.
The Value of Deaf Entrepreneurs

5. 's Current Investment Partners:
Years
Investments
Founders
Countless Success Stories
5
7
12
...
Investment Partners

6. Spotlighting Deaf Success
Over the last year, despite the turmoil, our portfolio of
startups and team have celebrated many successes and were
featured in several notable publications and campaigns.
Mozzeria CSD SVF & CSD
National Deaf Therapy
Bus Door Films
DeafTax
Rachael Ray In Season
TEDx College Park
The Hill
DC Eater
Yahoo Finance
TDI Biennial Awards
Authority Magazine
Bustle
Pop Sugar
Human Actually
Broadway World
Netflix's Deaf U
The Denver Channel
Benzinga

7. CEO of Communication
Service of the Deaf
Division President and CMO
CSD Social Venture Fund
The importance of intentional and original design in
developing a market and business ecosystem you
see and believe in;
Why it's important to actively work to change
society's default perceptions and biases about talent,
ideas, or capabilities;
The positive chain reaction that spotlighting
successes, no matter how large or small, can have
on society.
Rosa Lee Timm and Christopher Soukup will share their
insights into transforming perspectives and creating
impact by sharing successes. The pair will have a
conversation about:
Changing Perceptions
Rosa Lee Timm
Christopher Soukup