Let It Ripple

What Let It Ripple does

Let It Ripple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit film studio founded in 2013 by Tiffany Shlain and Sawyer Steele, headquartered in San Francisco. The organization produces documentary films, art installations, live performances, and global events intended to drive societal conversations around technology, neuroscience, character development, gender equity, and feminism. Its core outputs include the Emmy-nominated short-form series The Future Starts Here (40 million views), The Teen Brain film (executive produced by Goldie Hawn), the Dendrofemonology: A Feminist History Tree Ring sculpture, the live spoken cinema performance Dear Human (premiered at MoMA), and recurring global initiatives Character Day (200,000 groups across 128 countries) and 50/50 Day (36,300 events across 62 countries). Notable technical/production methodologies include cloud filmmaking (crowdsourced script recording across languages), live spoken cinema, and pyrography-based moveable monument fabrication.

The organization serves schools and educational institutions, women's rights organizations, museums and cultural institutions, corporate clients, and general audiences. Revenue is generated through three streams: donations and charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors; paid corporate speaking and training programs (Future of Work, 60-min to 4-week customizable engagements); and film/content licensing across streaming, television, and theatrical platforms including U.S. State Department embassy screenings. The organization also pursues in-kind distribution through museum exhibitions (21c Museum Hotel, di Rosa Center, Skirball Cultural Center, MoMA, National Women's History Museum) and film festival premieres (Sundance, TED).

The business model is fundamentally nonprofit: no public pricing is disclosed, corporate programs are quote-based, and a 2017 grant of $100,000 from the Jim Joseph Foundation is the only disclosed funding event. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and the organization has built scale through earned media, founder profile leverage (Tiffany Shlain is the founder of the Webby Awards and a Newsweek-recognized figure), and a multi-channel marketing approach spanning social, newsletter (Substack "Breakfast @ Tiffany's"), PR, and community-driven event participation.

Name

Let It Ripple

Legal name

Let it Ripple

Website

https://letitripple.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Let It Ripple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit film studio founded in 2013 by Tiffany Shlain and Sawyer Steele that produces documentary films, art installations, live spoken cinema performances, and global events on topics including neuroscience, technology, gender equity, and feminism, serving schools, museums, women's rights organizations, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Documentary Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Short-Form Documentaries (MPADADAC), Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK)

Keywords

• Documentary film production
• Nonprofit media studio
• Art installations
• Social impact content
• Corporate training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Let it Ripple relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors to fund film production, art installations, and global initiatives.
2. Corporate Speaking and Training Programs: The organization offers paid corporate programs on workplace culture, technology wellness, and hybrid/remote work optimization. Programs include 60-min, 90-min, or 4-week customizable sessions for companies.
3. Film and Content Licensing: Films are licensed and screened across theatrical, television, and streaming platforms globally. Content has been featured at MoMA, Sundance, TED, and US State Department embassies worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Let It Ripple is a nonprofit film studio that creates documentary films, art installations, live performances, and global initiatives designed to inspire conversations about society. The organization produces award-winning short films on neuroscience, technology, gender equity, and character development, hosts global events reaching millions of participants, and offers corporate programs on workplace culture and technology wellness.

Product overview

Let It Ripple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit film studio founded in 2013 by Tiffany Shlain and Sawyer Steele. The organization creates documentary films, art installations, and hosts global initiatives. Their core offerings include short films (The Teen Brain, The Future Starts Here), art installations (Dendrofemonology sculpture), live performances (Dear Human), and annual global events (Character Day, 50/50 Day). They also offer corporate programs through their Future of Work initiative and community-building through the ZoomChallahBake series. Their films have won 60+ awards, been viewed over 50 million times, and play across theatrical, television, and streaming platforms. They premiered at MoMA, Sundance, and TED, and have been featured by the U.S. State Department at embassies worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Teen Brain A 10-minute award-winning short film exploring adolescent brain development, directed by Tiffany Shlain and executive produced by Goldie Hawn and MindUP. Available with closed captions in multiple languages including English, Chinese, French, Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili. Targeted at schools, parents, and educational organizations.
• The Future Starts Here An Emmy-nominated short-form series tackling subjects including the science behind social media, parenting with technology, the creative process, gender and transgender identities, and the relationship between humans and robots. Achieved 40 million views across platforms.
• Character Day A global annual initiative (2014-2019) with over 200,000 groups in 128 countries and all 50 states. Includes short films about character development (The Science of Character, The Adaptable Mind, The Making of a Mensch, 30,000 Days, Dear Parent, Dear Student), discussion materials, and global livestream conversations. Designed for schools, educational institutions, and community groups.
• 50/50 Day A global day of film, discussion, and live and virtual events focused on gender equity. The 2019 edition had 36,300 events in 62 countries. Includes films such as '50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power' (20 mins) and 'Why I Pledge 50/50' (4 mins), along with discussion kits.
• Dendrofemonology: A Feminist History Tree Ring A reclaimed deodar cedar wood sculpture (60" x 65" x 3") featuring a text timeline hand burned via pyrography into the wood, documenting the history of women and power from 50,000 BCE to present day. This moveable monument has been installed at the National Mall in Washington DC, Madison Square Park in NYC, 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, and di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in San Francisco. Designed for museums, cultural institutions, and public spaces.
• Dear Human A live spoken cinema performance by Tiffany Shlain that explores the relationship between humanity and technology. Combines live narration, visuals, soundscape, and audience engagement to create a cinematic theater experience. Premiered at The Museum of Modern Art New York in February 2020.
• ZoomChallahBake A weekly online baking phenomenon that began during the 2020 pandemic, bringing people together to bake challah while discussing current events. Features special guests including doctors, scientists, authors, rabbis, and celebrity chefs. Community-building program open to the general public.
• Future of Work Program A 60-min, 90-min, or 4-week customizable corporate program guiding companies toward a more thriving, productive, and fulfilling hybrid/remote culture. Includes cinematic visuals, practical tools, and resources for optimizing productivity and wellbeing in the workplace. Includes 1-2 customization sessions, itinerary planning, and signed books. Targeted at corporate organizations.
• The Tribe A 2006 Sundance documentary by Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg exploring an unorthodox history of the Jewish people and the Barbie doll, celebrating its 20-year anniversary in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of Character Day participants reported increase in personal intention to develop character; 96% intended to continue participating
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Skirball Cultural CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 October 2024Los Angeles cultural institution hosting 'Ancient Wisdom for A Future Ecology: Trees, Time & Technology' exhibition October 17, 2024 to March 2, 2025 as part of Getty's Pacific Standard Time: Art & Science Collide initiative.
• National Women's History MuseumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenter of the Dendrofemonology installation on the National Mall in Washington DC (November 2023). The museum, founded in 1996, is dedicated to uncovering, interpreting, and celebrating women's contributions to society and reaches more than 5 million visitors each year.
• Women Connect4GoodflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Dr. Nancy O'Reilly, this 501(c)(3) organization supports women without exclusion. Co-presenter of major activations including DC National Mall installation and St. Louis 21c Museum Hotel event. Dr. O'Reilly provides ongoing support for the Dendrofemonology moveable monument journey.
• Vital VoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal embassy for women that served as indoor headquarters for the DC National Mall activation. The organization works to advance women leaders through programming and partnerships.
• 21c Museum Hotel St. LouiscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContemporary art museum hotel that hosted 'The Future Is Female' exhibition featuring Dendrofemonology sculpture from June 2025 to June 2026. Hosted evening of feminist art + action on October 8, 2025.
• di Rosa Center for Contemporary ArtcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern California's premier contemporary art institution hosting 'Ancient Wisdom for a Future Ecology: Trees, Time & Technology' exhibition January-April 2026, featuring works by Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg as part of Getty PST ART initiative.
• Nancy Hoffman GallerycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNYC gallery representing Tiffany Shlain. Hosted solo exhibition 'You Are Here' September 5 - October 19, 2024, selected by Artnet and Artforum as 'Must-See' gallery shows.
• MindUP (Goldie Hawn Foundation)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoldie Hawn's mental health nonprofit served as executive producer of The Teen Brain film. MindUP has been highlighted by the CDC for successful mental health programs in schools. The partnership brings together neuroscience expertise and educational reach.
• Right to RuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-wide celebration organization that partnered to bring Dendrofemonology to Seneca Falls, NY (birthplace of women's rights) for May 8-9, 2026 installation during the 'Right to Run' celebration.
• National Women's Hall of FamecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric museum in Seneca Falls, NY displaying Dendrofemonology sculpture until September 30, 2026, with plans for special events during the 2026 Induction Ceremony on September 24, 2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Participant Media: Social impact film and media company producing documentaries and narrative films tied to advocacy and cultural change. Most directly comparable to Let it Ripple in combining award-winning filmmaking with explicit mission-driven content on social issues.
• StoryCorps: 501(c)(3) nonprofit that records, preserves, and broadcasts human stories through audio, animation, and short-form video. Comparable in nonprofit model, mission-driven storytelling format, and educational distribution partnerships (NPR, libraries, schools).
• Kartemquin Films: Nonprofit documentary film studio producing socially engaged documentaries (e.g., Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters). Closely matches Let it Ripple's nonprofit film studio model, social-issue focus, and award-winning independent production pedigree.

Emerging players

• The Representation Project: Nonprofit founded by Jennifer Siebel Newsom producing films (Miss Representation, The Mask You Live In) and campaigns addressing gender equity and media representation. Highly comparable given overlapping gender-equity theme, film-led advocacy, and educational distribution.
• Upworthy: Social impact media company curating and producing short-form video content around social issues, with strong viewership and educational use cases. Comparable in mission-driven short-form video for global audiences, though digital-native vs. studio-led.

Broad incumbents

• ITVS (Independent Television Service): Public broadcasting-funded distributor and co-producer of independent documentary content for PBS. Comparable as a nonprofit/public-media documentary pipeline serving educational and public audiences, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Sundance Institute: Nonprofit organization supporting independent film and storytelling, including the Sundance Film Festival where Let it Ripple has premiered. Comparable as a nonprofit film ecosystem builder with similar award and exhibition profile.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): U.S. public broadcaster distributing educational and documentary programming nationally. Comparable as a distribution and co-production channel for educational documentary content targeting schools and the general public.

Others

• TED: Nonprofit media organization hosting talks, conferences, and original content with global educational reach. Comparable as a global nonprofit content/events platform where Let it Ripple has premiered (TEDWomen); thematically related but not directly competitive.
• MindUP (Goldie Hawn Foundation): Nonprofit delivering school-based mindfulness and character education programs. Comparable as a flagship Let it Ripple partner (executive produced The Teen Brain) and adjacent in combining neuroscience-based content with K-12 educational distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tiffanyshlain
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5nHqW7f_1xo82eqnY1xDjw
• Facebookfacebook.com/LetItRipple
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/let-it-ripple-mobile-films-for-global-chnage
• Instagraminstagram.com/tiffanyshlain

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Let It Ripple