FAQ
What are the dates for the Tumml program?
The Tumml Winter program starts late January and runs for 14 weeks.
Are we required to move?
We provide free office space for all your co-founders, and we prefer that all of them participate in the program in San Francisco. That being said, we can be flexible.
What are my chances of being accepted?
We aim to accept between 5-10 startups in each cohort. Our admission process is competitive, and typically fewer than 5% of applicants are accepted.
What do you look for in applications?
We are looking for startups that are making a significant impact in urban communities. Furthermore, we’re looking for talented teams that have the potential to scale their vision to cities across the country.
What is the Tumml curriculum?
Our program covers three broad themes: business models, product development, and fundraising. Every week we bring in leading experts from government, tech, investing, or the social impact community. Past speakers have included: Chris Lambert (Lyft), Marco Zappacosta (Thumbtack), Angela Kingyens (Version One Ventures), Kim-Mai Cutler (TechCrunch), Matt Brezina (Xobni), Lisa Gansky (Mesh), Laurel Barsotti (SF Gov), among others. The curriculum also includes office hours with leading service providers (including pro bono legal office hours, web/ hosting, banking, UI/ UX, etc) and investor panels from leading names in for-good and for-profit funding (Omidyar Network, SV Angel, Better Ventures, etc).
What is a typical day like in the Tumml program?
A typical day with Tumml is probably not unlike a typical day for your startup right now. We provide latitude for you and your teams to work, and only require you to attend about three hours of program sessions per week. We provide numerous, optional opportunities to connect with legal counsel, investors, and other experts in the SF area.
Does our product have to be operating in SF to participate?
No, although we often help startups expand into the SF Bay Area.
Do we have to be US citizens?
No. We welcome applications from urban entrepreneurs across the world!
Our company is not a social enterprise or a Public Benefit Corporation, can we still apply?
Yes. Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to solve urban problems – we welcome innovative models for achieving impact.
Do you fund nonprofits?
Tumml makes equity investments in our companies. As such, we fund for-profit social enterprises, Public Benefit Corporations, and hybrid organizations.
What does "Tumml" mean?
Tumml is a Yiddish word meaning 'shake-up' (and we see our entrepreneurs are shaking up city living!).