Founded on the belief that everyone deserves a second chance, Liberatus bridges the gap between criminal conviction and meaningful employment. We exist to break the cycle of reoffending by creating structured pathways into work – reducing risk for employers, building futures for candidates, and delivering measurable value for society.
Every year, around 70,000 people leave prison in England and Wales. Yet fewer than 1 in 5 are in work six months later. That is not because they lack talent or motivation. It is because the system is not set up to connect them with the right opportunities.
The consequences are serious. Reoffending costs the UK £18 billion every year and places further strain on already overcrowded prisons. Yet the solution is clear. Employment is one of the strongest protections against reoffending. By opening the door to work, we can reduce crime, lower costs, and create safer communities.
Liberatus exists to make this change possible. We provide employers with a safe and straightforward way to access a motivated but overlooked talent pool. At the same time, we carry out risk assessments before placement and coordinate with those who know candidates and the criminal justice system best, so that every placement is appropriate and set up to succeed.
Liberatus was founded by Sushovan Hussain, former Chief Financial Officer of Autonomy plc and founding partner of Invoke Capital.
During a period of federal custody in the United States, he saw first-hand how purposeful work drives successful reintegration.
On release, he committed his second career to building labour-market infrastructure in which a conviction is treated not as an indelible stigma but as a starting point for rehabilitation.
We sit between employer and candidates, absorbing the administrative and compliance burden that often deters second-chance hiring.
After twelve weeks in post, Agency Regulations grant parity of pay and conditions, making permanent hiring straightforward and affordable. A temporary placement also acts as an extended interview, giving employers the chance to see how someone performs on the job before making a long-term commitment. This reduces uncertainty and allows candidates to prove their value in a real work environment.
Our AI-assisted system aligns skills, qualifications, location, and risk assessments to ensure the right candidate for the right role.
With 12.3 million people in England and Wales holding a criminal record, the talent pool is large, varied, and untapped. Liberatus unlocks this potential.
Led by experienced professionals committed to social impact and systemic change.
Founder
Sushovan was the Chief Financial Officer of Autonomy plc for 11 years. Together with the late Mike Lynch, and the former Autonomy management, he was a founding member of Invoke Capital, a technology focussed investment company that, in 2003, founded Darktrace plc. Darktrace was floated on the London Stock Exchange in May 2021 and was recently sold for £4.4 billion. Invoke also founded Luminance Limited and invested in start-ups such as Sophia Genetics and Featurespace. Based on his experiences as a finance chief, an entrepreneur and from the time he spent in prison, his second life is to start a social impact company, Liberatus Corporation, dedicated to investing in new and existing businesses that employ ex-offenders in meaningful numbers.
Business Development Manager
Elaine is a seasoned business development manager with over 20 years of experience in driving strategy, and delivering results across large corporates and smaller start-ups. Her career began in the recruitment arena in 1998, placing temporary and permanent staff into hospitality, industrial and commercial companies across Cambridge before moving into the software industry. In 2010 Elaine joined the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Team for i2 Group in Cambridge, and then IBM in London. Elaine's entrepreneurial mindset shines through both in corporate settings and independent ventures. She approaches challenges with creativity, resilience, and a people-first perspective. Elaine is passionate about building a social impact enterprise to support ex-offenders through employment and reintegration. Her mission is to create meaningful second chances and foster inclusive growth through employment.
Dedicated professionals working together to create meaningful change.
James
Sophie
Monty
Tracie
Nick
Before scaling nationally, Liberatus is launching a controlled pilot headquartered in Cambridge. The pilot will validate both the commercial viability and the criminological efficacy of agency-led, temporary employment for people with convictions.