# Utopia

> Utopia is an urban venture-building and innovation company that helps entrepreneurs develop startups for fast-growing cities across Asia, Africa and Latin America. Its CITYLAB model combines founder programs, company building and local urban expertise, with documented work in Kathmandu on circular materials and entrepreneurship.

- **Founded:** 2016
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, United States
- **Founders:** Jonathan Hursh (Founding Partner)
- **Products:** CITYLABS, Weekends, 100 Day Cohorts, Venture Launcher, Prototype Zones
- **Notable:** Established a Kathmandu operation in 2018, according to a 2020 interview., Participated in a Nepal bioplastics pilot with documented technical and commercial learning., Kathmandu reported an expanded set of entrepreneurship, design and professional-development activities in its 2024 review.

## Products & services

- **CITYLABS** — Local urban venture studios combining founder support, company building and ecosystem development.
- **Weekends** — Four-Saturday exploration program for urban startup ideas; advertised terms specify no investment and no equity taken.
- **100 Day Cohorts** — Founder cohorts working toward an MVP and a decision about launch.
- **Venture Launcher** — Selected founders co-build with Utopia, with advertised pre-seed support and a target of the first 1,000 customers.
- **Prototype Zones** — Proposed six-month neighborhood testbeds linking startups with cities and corporates, with a climate emphasis.
- **Kathmandu innovation and design services** — Human-centered design, urban research, entrepreneurship support and professional development for institutional partners.

## Achievements

- Established a Kathmandu operation in 2018, according to a 2020 interview.
- Participated in a Nepal bioplastics pilot with documented technical and commercial learning.
- Kathmandu reported an expanded set of entrepreneurship, design and professional-development activities in its 2024 review.

## Latest updates

- **2024-12** — Kathmandu’s year-end review reported Dori Nguyen’s departure and Prabina Shrestha’s appointment as Kathmandu Partner.
- **2025-07** — Frontier Tech Hub lists July 2025 as the end of the Nepal bioplastics pilot timeline; its outcome account describes a move toward dedicated commercial production.

## Links

- Website: https://utopia.so/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/utopiaglobal/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/utopia
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-27