Tumml

Tumml operated as a nonprofit accelerator and seed-stage venture fund. It provided capital, office space, and mentorship to early-stage companies while facilitating pilot programs with municipal governments. The goal was to help cities adopt innovative technology faster by supporting startups that could solve urban infrastructure and service problems.

Tumml focused on urban technology, including startups in transportation, energy, civic engagement, public safety, and housing. The firm sought companies with the potential to sell into city governments or improve the delivery of municipal services through enterprise software and hardware solutions.

As of its last public communication in 2018, Tumml announced its final cohort of startups. The firm’s website and public filings indicate a dormant operational state, suggesting the entity has ceased actively deploying new capital and is no longer onboarding new portfolio companies.

Tumml sourced deals through a combination of open applications and referrals from its network of city government partners, urbanists, and the broader San Francisco Bay Area startup ecosystem. The firm’s unique access to municipal decision-makers allowed it to attract founders specifically building regulated city solutions.

Tumml utilized a hybrid structure. As a nonprofit, it could accept philanthropic grants to fund operations and provide subsidized resources to startups. In exchange for its accelerator program and seed funding, Tumml typically took equity stakes in the portfolio companies, aligning its long-term financial sustainability with portfolio success.