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New members add leadership spanning venture capital, emerging technology, and economic opportunity to fund backing tech-powered, personalized tools for American families to regain economic mobility
NextLadder Ventures, a new fund investing in breakthrough technologies that help households navigate life’s critical moments, today announced the appointment of John Lilly and Swati Mylavarapu to its Board of Directors. Backed by over $1 billion in capital, NextLadder is working to empower millions of Americans to achieve greater economic mobility by supporting Navigation Technology (NavTech) solutions – tools that help families understand their options, connect to information and resources, and take action to recover from a setback or take advantage of an opportunity.
Lilly brings decades of experience in venture and scaling technology companies to this role, and Mylavarapu has spent her career moving philanthropic and market capital to back new ideas that expand access to opportunity. They will serve on NextLadder’s Board alongside Sara Allan, President of the Valhalla Foundation; Kevin Bromer, Executive Director of Data & Technology Strategy at the Ballmer Group; Allan Golston, President of the US Program at the Gates Foundation; and Derek Johnson, Executive Director of Stand Together Trust. With flexible capital and a long-term mandate, the organization combines a 501(c)(4) and LLC structure, enabling it to invest across stages and check sizes through a mix of grants, equity, and revenue-based financing for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, while also building an in-house team to support its work. The board will help shape the organization's long term vision, while the organization retains independent decision-making authority.
“We’re thrilled to welcome John and Swati to our Board of Directors,” said Ryan Rippel, Co-Founder and CEO of NextLadder Ventures. “At NextLadder, we have a relentless focus on solutions that have a tangible impact on daily lives, and we’re moving quickly to grow the number of Navigation Technology tools that put more dollars in pockets and help individuals and families navigate life’s most challenging moments. With their collective leadership backing breakout organizations at their earliest stages and designing useful technology that millions of people rely on, John and Swati will sharpen our perspective and be invaluable partners as we shape this new market.”
Lilly is an advising partner at Gigascale Capital and was previously a Venture Partner at Greylock, where he backed early-stage companies in consumer and enterprise software. His career has centered on technology built in service of people: he was CEO of Mozilla and an investor in Instagram and Dropbox. He currently serves on the boards of Figma, Duolingo, Nuro, and VotingWorks, and teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Across three decades, John has been drawn to organizations that widen access — to the open web, education, and trustworthy civic infrastructure.
“Designed with care, AI and modern tools can help millions of Americans navigate life's hardest moments and reclaim a path to prosperity,” said Lilly. “With their unique approach, NextLadder is at the forefront of making sure the AI transformation empowers families with new opportunities, and I’m excited to support their important work.”
Mylavarapu is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Incite.org, where she supports early-stage entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, and leaders who are tackling the world’s biggest challenges with bold new ideas. To date, Incite has backed over 100 ventures across climate, economic opportunity, and health — with particular depth in breakthrough climate solutions and initiatives that expand access and mobility for underserved Americans. Earlier in her career, Swati was a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and held roles at Square and Google.org, where she scaled innovative teams at the intersection of technology and impact. She holds an AB from Harvard and an MPhil from Oxford, and is a Truman and Rhodes Scholar.
“The best solutions come from the people closest to the problem, and the best technology expands what people can do for themselves,” said Mylavarapu. “NextLadder is making a bold bet that Navigation Technology, built with and for everyday families, can do exactly that. At a moment when economic opportunity is slipping away from too many, I’m proud to support their efforts to revitalize opportunity in this country.”
Launched in 2025, NextLadder is a time-bound venture and has committed to investing more than $1 billion to create a new market for Navigation Technology (opens in a new tab), an emerging class of digital tools designed to help people overcome their economic barriers and get ahead. The initial companies and nonprofits the fund is backing are leveraging AI to help people build savings (opens in a new tab), access the benefits (opens in a new tab) they’re owed, and find a path to a clean slate (opens in a new tab). NextLadder is also partnering with co-investors to back early-stage founders building the next generation of Navigation Technology tools, seeding a pipeline for solutions to bolster this growing market.
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About NextLadder Ventures
NextLadder Ventures is a time-bound venture with one goal: empower millions of Americans to reach their potential by 2040. Backed by over $1 billion in capital, the organization invests in breakthrough technologies that remove barriers to economic success and put people in control of their futures. NextLadder Ventures is trailblazing a new market for tech-enabled Navigation Technology tools that help people access the resources they need to navigate pivotal moments — offering flexible, risk-tolerant capital to entrepreneurs building these transformative tools today, while creating a pipeline of tech, talent, and capital for the long run.
About Navigation Technology (NavTech)
Navigation Technology (NavTech) is an emerging category of people-centered, tech-enabled solutions that empower families to overcome barriers to economic mobility and reclaim their path to economic security, dignity and empowerment. With these tools, paired with trusted human support, more Americans can navigate the major moments – like career transitions, job loss, and taking on debt – that determine whether they get ahead or fall behind without having to do so all on their own. NavTech tools are designed to help individuals and families understand their options, connect to the right resources, and take action to recover from a setback or seize an opportunity and reclaim a path to the future they want for themselves and those they care for.