Jonathan Kumar

Founder & Head of Outcomes, Samaritan · 1 appearance on the record.

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Jonathan Kumar is the founder of Samaritan, a digital platform connecting unhoused individuals with financial support, social capital, and healthcare resources. Prior to Samaritan, he created FoodCircles to support food banks and produced the documentary Talim.

11statements → 7claims → 1claims resolved → 3.82/5average certainty → 2.18/5average debate potential → 3said about them ↓

0 supported 0 partly supported 1 contradicted 6 not checkable as stated how the 7 claims stand · each chip opens the sources

2 predictions · 5 assertions · 1 opinion · 1 insight · 2 disclosures · every statement was checked. The predictions and assertions are the 7 claims: statements the public record can support or contradict. 1 is resolved, and 6 name no date, number or outcome precise enough to check. Everything else (opinions, insights, what ifs, disclosures) can never be settled by the record, so it carries no assessment.

The record, in short

What the tape says about how Jonathan argues and how the claims held up. Everything they said, and everything said about them, is in the tabs below.

Their most notable contradicted claim

Prediction Didn’t hold up

Samaritan aims to expand its platform to 99 additional cities by 2023

“Our ultimate vision is to help people without a home in 99 more cities by twenty-twenty-three.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 11:52 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

What they said11 What others said3 Episodes1

Everything Jonathan Kumar said on the Pitch that made the record, most notable first. Filter by type, assessment or year in the ledger →

Opinion

Jonathan Kumar says enriching VCs is acceptable if it speeds homelessness relief

“Like I am glad about getting to people in five years instead of 10, if we were doing banquet fundraisers and passing the hat for donations, it's all about how can we help people across the country experiencing homelessness the fastest. And if we need to make s…”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 24:10 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Prediction Not checkable as stated

Jonathan Kumar projects Samaritan capping out as a $25M annual business

“I think when we win, this is a 15 to twenty-five million dollar a year business, so it's not in a stratosphere in terms of VCs and Facebook-type valuations, so we definitely believe there are returns to be had.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 10:16 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Disclosure

Jonathan Kumar says Samaritan is not targeting an acquisition or IPO

“We're not targeting an exit right now. We're focusing on, on building an incredible business that helps nonprofits and cities better understand, reduce, and ultimately prevent situations of homelessness.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:46 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Samaritan's Seattle pilot helps 28 leave streets and generates $100K revenue

“We've launched a 500 beacon pilot in Seattle, and we've seen and helped over 28 beacon holders leave the street, saving our city half a million dollars per year and earning our first 100,000 dollars in licensing revenue.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 3:51 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Samaritan active users receive $40-$50 monthly and show 30-40% program retention

“We see right now about 40 to 50 dollars per active beacon holder per month, which is so low, but what's amazing about that number is even with an amount as low as 40 to 50 dollars, we're seeing 30 to 40% of beacon holders keep their beacon and go through the p…”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 5:32 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Samaritan users completing monthly check-ins are likely to exit to housing

“We see that beacon holders who complete those one-on-ones are likely to exit to housing, employment.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 6:10 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Prediction Didn’t hold up

Samaritan aims to expand its platform to 99 additional cities by 2023

“Our ultimate vision is to help people without a home in 99 more cities by twenty-twenty-three.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 11:52 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Disclosure

Jonathan Kumar says Samaritan will pivot to non-profit if VC path fails

“And if we fail, but we're, it's still worth keeping Samaritan around, then we'll do the donor route.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 26:39 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Insight

Jonathan Kumar notes pitching failure contingencies undermines VC confidence in founders

“I think that they want to see that the business is going to work, and if I'm already talking about what we're going to do if we fail, that's not going to instill confidence in an entrepreneur that they've just met five minutes ago.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 26:58 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Samaritan charges $175K annually per mid-sized city with $100K execution cost

“Our average license for a Portland-sized city or a Madison, Wisconsin would be about a 175 K a year annually, and it costs us about a hundred K to execute.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 8:55 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Samaritan has only one customer at the time of the pitch

“We have one customer.”

Jonathan Kumar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 9:33 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

The other half of the tape: Jonathan Kumar's own voice is left out of every number here. 3 statements on the record name them. every mention, with the transcript →

Statements about Jonathan Kumar, by other people (3)

Disclosure

Michael Hyatt passes on Samaritan, feeling uncomfortable profiting from alleviating homelessness

“So I'm gonna pass, and here's my reasoning. I can't get comfortable around being involved in a business like this because I don't feel comfortable pushing for profit and scaling and all this kind of stuff, and when I have to consider what we're really doing.”

Michael Hyatt Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:46 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Disclosure

Charles Hudson passes on Samaritan due to institutional venture return thresholds

“And so if I were an angel investor, I would invest in your company because from my personal angel investments that I made before I had my fund, I was able to set my own return threshold. I could say, if I get my money back on this investment and I get a chance…”

Charles Hudson Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:08 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Assertion Not publicly verifiable

Samaritan raised $500,000 of its $1M goal, including $25,000 from Jillian Manus

“He ended up raising 500,000 dollars of the one million he was seeking on our show. 25 K of which came from Jillian.”

Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 28:14 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?

Appearances (1)

Episode	Date	Speaking time
#63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?	Mar 3, 2025	9m

Jonathan Kumar

The record, in short

Their most notable contradicted claim

Statements about Jonathan Kumar, by other people (3)

Appearances (1)

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