Cohort cadence
Every 2 monthsSix companies. Two months in San Francisco. Recurring 2026 cohorts.
A focused San Francisco residency for founders with traction.
Founder's Dojo brings six early-stage companies with real traction or impact to San Francisco for two focused months. Together we map exactly what each company needs to become a full-fledged, fast-growing business—mission, talent, and capital—and start building it, with a relationship that continues dojo-style after the residency. New cohorts begin every two months in 2026.
Cohort size
6 companiesIn residence
2 months, then ongoingLocation
San FranciscoEconomics
2% + potential syndicationWhy the Dojo
Founder momentum grows when the right people work close together.
The Dojo began in South Park in 2008, kept capable founders close to one another, and grew through practical help shared across companies, projects, and initiatives. The residency brings that working style into a focused two-month format.
Founder's Dojo began as a collaborative startup studio in San Francisco's South Park neighborhood in 2008.
The residency carries that spirit forward by bringing practical capital connections, experienced people, and operating judgment around founders who already have something working and a clear next challenge to solve.
From the community
“It's a collaborative startup community and home to superstars who do amazing things.”
Ryan Hoover, founder of Product Hunt
Meet Kintsu, the Dojo spirit
Bring the hard problem.
Kintsu's gold seam is a reminder that strong companies are shaped through honest feedback, fast learning, and the willingness to rebuild what is not working. The residency is designed for exactly that kind of focused progress.
The residency
We design and start building the rocket with you.
A small cohort, the essentials covered, and a comprehensive plan for the whole company—started in two concentrated months in San Francisco and continued dojo-style after.
Included
Housing, workspace, and a stipend
The residency covers core living and workspace needs so founders can spend the two months building, learning, and working closely with the cohort.
Mentorship
Experienced operators, founders, VCs, and angels
The program is built around practical feedback and introductions from people who have built, exited, invested in, and helped companies grow.
Alignment
Simple economics and a continuing relationship
The studio takes 2 percent, designs and builds alongside each company during the residency, and keeps working with strong companies dojo-style—through syndication and the network—after the program.
Community outcomes
Built around people who have done the work.
A selection of companies and projects connected to the wider Dojo community.
DTC exit
Native Co
Native Co is part of the Dojo company story. Its direct-to-consumer personal-care business later sold to Procter & Gamble in a $100M outcome.
(opens in a new tab)Decentralized infrastructure
Akash
Akash is part of the Dojo's decentralized infrastructure work and helped establish a decentralized cloud-computing category.
(opens in a new tab)Developer tooling
Scout Monitoring
Scout Monitoring built a distributed application-monitoring platform and later sold to SolarWinds.
(opens in a new tab)Global consumer brand
Linjer
Linjer grew into a global consumer brand with a significant direct-to-consumer presence across the Pacific Rim.
(opens in a new tab)Media exit
The Hustle
The Hustle built a business and technology media brand that later sold to HubSpot.
(opens in a new tab)Web3 security
Quantstamp
Quantstamp brings blockchain-security experience to the Dojo's long-running work around decentralized infrastructure.
(opens in a new tab)Find your path
Start with the question that matters most to you.
Review the program, meet the community, or get a feel for the places where the work happens.
Residency
See the program structure, founder fit, economics, and what founders receive during the two-month residency.
Community
Meet companies, builders, and community members connected to the Dojo's South Park history and present-day residency.
Locations
Explore the San Francisco residency base and the Tahoe-area and Las Vegas settings used by the wider network.
Managing partners
Operator support from people who stay close to the work.
David Grossblatt and Rishi Sachdev work directly with founders on the decisions, introductions, and execution challenges that matter most.
Managing partner
David Grossblatt
Grossblatt built the original South Park Dojo and the culture behind it: keep talented founders close, remove unnecessary friction, and make collaboration part of the daily work.
He brings that community-building experience to the residency, helping founders use the Dojo's network, spaces, and operating relationships with purpose.
Original base
South Park, 2008Operating edge
Founder community and networkPublic profile
The Hustle featureManaging partner
Rishi Sachdev
Sachdev brings operator, engineering, and healthcare-infrastructure experience across TalkDoc, Rooster, technical leadership, and a staffing platform tied to $100M in gross revenue, $20M after clinician payments, and care access for hundreds of thousands of incarcerated patients.
He works directly with residency founders on product, engineering, growth, capital, hiring, and the operating decisions behind the next stage of the company.
TalkDoc
$1.8M peak ARRRooster
Technical co-founderHealthcare platform
$100M gross / $20M after clinician payLife at the Dojo
Real rooms, real people, and plenty of work in progress.
A small look at the places and moments behind the community.
Ready for focused work?
Have traction and a clear next inflection point?
The residency is for founders with something real working and a specific challenge that focused time, experienced help, and the right network can unlock.
