THE JUMP
A social platform built around communities, not algorithms. We raised $7M to build a place where brands earn attention and communities find a home without the "dark patterns" of traditional social media.
Groups Created
Countries
D30 Retention
Global Pandemic
The Vision
Communities, Not Algorithms
Most social platforms make money by stealing your time and attention. They optimize for time-on-platform, which means optimizing for addiction, outrage, and infinite scroll. We built The Jump on a different premise: what if a platform had to earn your time by being genuinely useful?
The Jump was designed as a home for authentic connection—a digital sanctuary where communities like sports teams, theater groups, and nonprofits could thrive without external manipulation. In our ecosystem, we partnered with brands to earn attention through quality content and genuine utility, replacing algorithms with value.
Case Study
THE CULTURE HOUSE
A Blueprint for Authentic Engagement
The Culture House served as the definitive model for how The Jump could unify a complex organization. With thousands of students and dozens of specialized programs across dance, theater, and music, they needed more than a feed—they needed a "Single Source of Truth."
On The Jump, The Culture House was able to:
CENTRALIZE COMMUNICATION
Move parent and student updates out of fractured email threads and into organized, searchable groups.
BUILD HIGH-AFFINITY HUBS
Create dedicated spaces for specific productions where members shared rehearsal videos and schedules.
DIRECT-TO-COMMUNITY ACCESS
Ensure 100% of their community saw important updates in real-time without fighting an algorithm.
The Jump
What Made It Different
The Revenue Model
Most platforms make money by exploiting users. We profited from creating value.
Brands as Partners, Not Advertisers
Instead of pay-to-play ads or boosted posts, brands invested in original content and genuine community engagement.
Valuable at 20 Users
Unlike giant networks that require millions of users, The Jump was valuable to a team of 20 people sharing a common interest.
Your Feed, Your Rules
No ads in your feed. Ever. You controlled exactly what you saw.
The Sports Powerhouse
From Olathe to the Alps
When Every Message Matters
While creator communities provided the content, sports teams provided the "stress test" for our group communication architecture. The Jump became the essential operating system for programs where information isn't just "content"—it's a requirement.
OLATHE NORTHWEST FOOTBALL
Kansas
Managed a massive high school program, coordinating hundreds of players and parents through practice changes, game-day logistics, and video sharing.
TEAM GILBOA
Minnesota
For this elite Alpine ski racing team, The Jump provided synchronized communication for athletes traveling globally, ensuring schedules and rosters remained accurate across time zones.
THE EVOLUTION TO TEAM SCOUT
The success of these programs proved that youth sports is the most underserved community in technology. We took the group communication DNA of The Jump and built it specifically for the modern coach.
Featured Communities
100+ Creator Communities
Where Interests Found a Home
We hosted over 100 dedicated Creator Communities—high-affinity groups where creators like JHS Pedals, Peter Draws, and Alexander Studios interacted directly with their most loyal fans.
PEN PALS
A global illustration community where artists from 70+ countries shared their work and connected over their love of drawing and visual storytelling.
JHS PEDALS
Guitar effects enthusiasts in Kansas City, led by founder Josh Scott and featuring collaborations with YouTube guitarist Rhett Shull.
BRICK FANDOM
The premier space for LEGO builders and fans, anchored by Alexander Folkertsma of Alexander Studios—whose stop-motion videos regularly reach 40-50 million views.
BEHIND THE CON
True crime enthusiasts discussing cases and investigations, featuring live interviews with industry figures including Bruce Campbell of Burn Notice fame.
Production Arm
From Platform to Production
The Jump wasn't just a tech platform—it was a content engine that led to the production of Gutted, a five-day reality TV show and festival bringing together DIY vanlife creators and the communities that love them.
It was the ultimate proof of concept for our model: brands like HART Tools and Aventon didn't buy ads—they joined the competition as essential partners in a story people actually wanted to watch. This production capability set the foundation for Creatorspace.
View Gutted ProjectGUTTED BY THE NUMBERS
Seasons
Creators
Brand Partners
Day Event
Legacy
What I Learned Building The Jump
ALIGNED INCENTIVES = BETTER PRODUCT
When revenue doesn't come from stealing attention, you can build purely for users. No filtering their needs through "how do I keep them hooked?"—just "how do I make this amazing?"
AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS DRIVE VALUE
Quality product → genuine community → healthier online interactions that naturally extend into real life. That's the virtuous cycle.
FIRST-PARTY DATA THROUGH VALUE
Brands invested in quality content and customized communities, not boosted posts. Users chose to engage, opting in because they wanted to be there.