Part of our civic engagement work in San Francisco centers around driving economic development and uncovering opportunities for San Francisco’s residents. Over the past year I’ve worked closely with Tumml, an urban ventures accelerator based here in San Francisco. The organization looks at everyday urban problems and attempts to bring innovative technology solutions to enrich the quality of life of residents. Microsoft proudly supports Tumml’s vision and we look forward to checking out Tumml’s Winter 2015 Cohort Demo Day coming up on April 6th
– Scott Mauvais, Director, Technology & Civic Innovation
Do you want your lunch purchase to support the empowerment of local, urban youth? Looking for a way to engage in politics from the convenience of your phone or computer? Startups at Tumml, an urban ventures accelerator, are tackling a wide range of urban challenges while creating local impact in the Bay Area and cities across the nation.
Both Tumml and Microsoft believe that innovators should be at the helm of solving civic challenges. This is why Tumml and Microsoft have formed a partnership to support the next generation of urban entrepreneurs. Together, we are building and supporting a pipeline of companies to lead innovation in cities.
Let us introduce you to some of the startups at the forefront of this urban innovation movement.
Our first company combines local youth training with the quickly growing food space. The Town Kitchen employs and empowers low-income youth, while delivering chef-crafted, boxed lunches to corporate clients in the Bay Area. The Town Kitchen believes that food technology can be a long-term solution to the many problems that plague low-income youth. Through fair-wage jobs, entrepreneurial training, and college course credit, The Town Kitchen is a stepping stone to financial independence for 16-24 year olds in urban cities. Since their launch in mid-January 2015, they’ve delivered over 1000 meals to Bay Area companies including Pandora, Indiegogo, and Gap. Their work has also been recognized by Van Jones and Michael Pollan.
But it’s not all food for this new wave of urban innovators. Tumml startups also use technology to
make political participation and engagement easier than ever before. Simpolfy asks users to indicate where they stand on an issue, then they take care of the rest. For local issues, Simpolfy will notify the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors, and remind them every time there is legislation that touches on the issue. Right before an election, users can access a personalized ballot which grades all of the candidates based on the issues that are important to them. Simpolfy just launched their new beta – check it out and let them know what you think!
Tumml supports these innovators to foster their growth and scale their impact and Microsoft provides the technical expertise and relationship building skills that are crucial for early stage startups. Through resources, advice and connections, we are helping to build the next generation of innovation in our cities.
Do you have an urban challenge you’re looking to solve? Apply for Tumml’s next cohort – we want to hear your next big idea to change our cities for the better!
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Julie Lein is co-founder and Yana Morgulis is Resident Consultant at Tumml, an urban ventures accelerator. A nonprofit, Tumml’s mission is to empower entrepreneurs to solve urban problems. From homelessness to economic development, Tumml’s entrepreneurs are tackling a range of challenges, and Tumml supports these urban innovators by providing mentorship, an education curriculum, free office space, and seed funding. Learn more at www.tumml.org or follow us on Twitter @Tumml.
