At Eagle, we don’t measure progress by headlines, we measure it by execution.

As 2026 gets underway, one thing is clear: Freedom Tech is moving from thesis to infrastructure. The ecosystem is maturing, founders are deploying real solutions, and capital is increasingly aligning with technologies built to confront exploitation at scale.

 Here’s where things stand-and what’s ahead.

Eagle Freedom Fund II: Scaling What Works

With Eagle Freedom Fund II, our focus remains clear: support companies capable of delivering durable impact alongside competitive returns.

Investor engagement entering 2026 reflects a broader shift we’re seeing across markets-capital increasingly seeking alignment between moral clarity and commercial rigor.

A Personal Perspective on Impact Investing & Freedom Tech

By Wes Lyons

 Impact investing is often misunderstood.

 It’s not philanthropy with a balance sheet, and it’s not “normal investing” dressed up as virtue. At its best, impact investing is disciplined capital applied to problems that traditional markets have failed to solve, because those problems are complex and uncomfortable.

 Human trafficking sits squarely in that category.

 The Freedom Tech Industry is how we respond.

 When we talk about Freedom Tech at Eagle, we’re talking about technologies that do the hard work, operating inside systems where exploitation hides: financial networks, digital platforms, supply chains, healthcare environments, and public institutions.

 These are not simple products. They require founders who understand regulation, data, enforcement, and adoption. They require patience. And they require capital that is willing to engage the problem seriously, not symbolically.

 The reason we believe Freedom Tech is investable is the same reason cybersecurity became investable two decades ago: The risk is real, the cost of inaction is rising, and institutions are being forced to respond.

 Regulation is tightening. Litigation is accelerating. Public scrutiny is increasing. And organizations are realizing that ignoring exploitation is a liability.

That’s where Freedom Tech earns its place.

 At Eagle, we don’t invest in awareness. We invest in solutions that work in the real world, and can scale.

 That’s what impact investing looks like when it’s done with rigor.

 Follow Wes Lyons on LinkedIn to stay up to date on Freedom Tech, impact investing, and how disciplined capital can help dismantle exploitation at scale.

Our 2nd annual Freedom Tech Pitch Competition is officially underway, and interest from founders continues to grow.

This competition exists to surface Pre-seed, Seed, and Series A ventures building technologies that actively disrupt exploitation across sectors like finance, healthcare, digital platforms, supply chains, and public safety.

Winner receives $100,000* investment from Eagle Freedom Fund II
📅 Applications close February 12, 2026

👉 Apply Now: Link to Application Form

If you’re building Freedom Tech-or know someone who is-this is the moment to engage.

Backing the Bold continues to grow as a window into the founders and investors building companies that make freedom scalable.

Hosted by Vip Vipperman, the podcast brings clarity to who the bold founders Eagle is backing and what’s happening inside our portfolio companies.

In 2026, new episodes drop every Friday—our “Freedom Fridays”—sharing weekly stories that connect conviction to execution and execution to measurable impact.

🎧 Listen & follow Backing the Bold on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Want deeper context on why Eagle exists?

In this Faith Driven Entrepreneur podcast, Justin Forman sat down with Tim Tebow and Wes Lyons, to unpack the moment that sparked Tim’s anti-trafficking work, and why the for-profit sector is no longer sitting on the sidelines.

A new generation of entrepreneurs is building a counter-trafficking industry projected to reach $5B by 2030: from training healthcare workers who encounter the majority of trafficking victims, to developing digital safety tools that protect children before harm occurs.

These ventures prove that mission-driven businesses can deliver real impact and real returns.

What’s Next?

The 2026 Freedom Tech Pitch Competition will culminate with a live winner selection during the Eagle Freedom Fund Dinner in Austin on March 11th, held alongside SXSW.

Following that, our focus will be on:

• Supporting founders as they move from validation to scale
• Sharing deeper insights from real-world Freedom Tech deployments
• Continuing to connect capital with companies capable of systemic change

If you’re building, investing, or advising at this intersection, we’re glad you’re here.

Because the future of impact won’t be driven by awareness alone. It will be built – intentionally, strategically, and at scale.

We’re honored to be building that future with you.