Build Tours

What Build Tours does

Build Tours LLC is a privately held, founder-led New York City company founded in 2024 by Ivan R. Shumkov PhD, a licensed architect, urban planner, and Columbia University GSAPP professor. The company delivers architect-led walking tours, private experiences, and multi-day urban immersion programs that explore New York City's buildings, neighborhoods, public spaces, and urban development. Tours are led by a small core team of credentialed architects and urban planners — including Shumkov, William Singer (AIA, LEED, NCARB-certified zoning specialist and NYU educator), and Joseph Lengeling (AIA, 40+ year NYC practitioner) — and are offered in at least seven languages.

The product portfolio spans three tiers. The consumer tier includes weekly public walking tours limited to 10 guests at $59 per adult and $39 per student, and private tours starting at $399 per group in 2-, 4-, or 6-hour formats. The premium tier comprises Signature Experiences (bespoke access-driven journeys) and City Immersions (3-10 day multi-day programs). The institutional tier comprises Academic & Student Programs, Corporate & Professional Programs, Conference & Incentive Programs, and Delegations & Institutional Visits, all priced by request and tailored to client objectives. Digital gift cards ($100, $200, $400 denominations) serve as an ancillary offering. The underlying technology is intentionally light: FareHarbor for booking and scheduling, Google Maps for meeting-point navigation, and the company website for content marketing and direct booking.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer website sales with B2B channel partnerships. Distribution relies on partnerships with luxury travel network Serandipians, NYC & Company (official tourism body), Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, AIA New York, Hong Kong Institute of Planners, and direct relationships with the World Economic Forum, UNDP, Harvard, NYU, Northeastern, IESE Business School, Meta, AECOM, and Tishman Realty. Build Tours is headquartered in New York City, operates exclusively in the NYC market, and is funded entirely by the founder with no disclosed institutional capital.

Name

Build Tours

Legal name

Build Tours LLC

Website

https://buildtours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Build Tours LLC is a 2024-founded, NYC-based operator of architect-led walking tours, private experiences, and multi-day urban immersion programs for tourists, corporations, academic institutions, government delegations, and conferences, led by a small team of credentialed architects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Tour Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Architecture & Urban Design Tours (THAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB), Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA), Small-Group Escorted Tour Operators (THAKADAB), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC)

Keywords

• Architect-led tours
• Architecture walking tours
• Private city experiences
• Urban design tours
• Professional immersion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Tour Bookings: Small-group walking tours (up to 10 guests) offered at $59 per adult and $39 per student/youth. Weekly scheduled departures exploring NYC neighborhoods.
2. Private Tours: Private architecture experiences tailored to client interests starting at $399 per group. Available in 2, 4, or 6-hour formats with flexible scheduling and multi-language support.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in $100, $200, $400 denominations (or custom amounts). Never expire and redeemable for any tour or experience.
4. Group Programs: Customized architecture experiences for academic institutions, corporate groups, and delegations. Pricing by request based on group size, duration, and customization requirements.
5. Professional Immersion Programs: Multi-day learning experiences (3-10 days) for universities, corporations, and professional organizations. Fully tailored to organizational objectives with professional site visits and executive briefings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Build Tours delivers architect-led walking tours, private customized experiences, and multi-day immersion programs exploring New York City's architecture, neighborhoods, public spaces, and urban development. All tours are designed and guided by practicing architects, urban planners, and design professionals, and are offered in English plus six other languages. Public small-group tours run weekly at fixed per-person pricing ($59 adult / $39 student) while private, signature, immersion, and group programs are tailored to client interests with quote-based pricing.

Product overview

Build Tours offers a portfolio of architect-led tour products and services centered on experiencing New York City through architecture, urban design, and city exploration. The core offering consists of Public Tours (small-group weekly walking tours) and Private Tours (customized experiences for individuals and groups). Premium offerings include Signature Experiences (bespoke curated journeys with enhanced planning) and City Immersions (multi-day personalized programs). Group Programs encompass Academic & Student Programs, Corporate & Professional Programs, Conference & Incentive Programs, Delegations & Institutional Visits, and Professional Immersions. Ancillary offerings include Gift Cards. Tours cover specific NYC neighborhoods including Financial District, SoHo & Village, Chelsea & High Line, Midtown (South, East, North), Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Hudson Yards, with specialized offerings like the Midtown Interior Architecture Tour. The company was founded in 2024 and is led by architect Ivan R. Shumkov PhD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Tours Small-group architect-led walking tours (up to 10 guests) on a weekly scheduled basis, exploring NYC neighborhoods including Financial District, SoHo & the Village, Chelsea & the High Line, Midtown South, Midtown East, Midtown North, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Hudson Yards. Priced at $59 per adult and $39 per student/youth.
• Private Tours Private architect-led architecture experiences tailored to client interests, schedule, and level of expertise; available in 2, 4, or 6-hour formats and in English, Spanish, Italian, French, and other languages. Starting at $399 per group; can accommodate groups up to 60 guests.
• Custom Private Tours Fully personalized architecture and city experiences designed around client interests, schedules, group composition, and goals, with neighborhood, theme, and duration customization.
• Signature Experiences Bespoke, access-driven architectural and urban journeys for discerning travelers and private groups with higher curation, personalized planning, and optional enhancements such as observation decks and cultural visits.
• City Immersions Multi-day private programs (3-10 days) revealing NYC through architecture, neighborhoods, culture, public space, and city life, fully personalized around client interests and pace.
• Academic & Student Programs Architect-led educational experiences for universities, design schools, K-12 schools, and study-abroad programs, tailored to curriculum, learning objectives, and level of study, available in multiple languages.
• Corporate & Professional Programs Curated architect-led architecture and urban experiences for corporate teams, clients, and professional groups, including team building, client events, and executive programs tailored to organizational goals.
• Conference & Incentive Programs Architect-led experiences complementing conferences, corporate events, incentive travel, and executive gatherings, with scalable programming for events and large groups including multiple breakout options.
• Delegations & Institutional Visits Architect-led study visits and professional programs for international delegations, public institutions, universities, and professional organizations, including curated meetings and site visits.
• Professional Immersion Programs Multi-day learning experiences (3-10 days) for universities, corporations, government agencies, and professional organizations that transform NYC into a living classroom through executive briefings and professional visits.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable toward any scheduled tour or private experience, available in denominations of $100, $200, $400 or custom amounts, with no expiration and instant email delivery.
• Hudson Yards Architecture Tour Walking tour exploring NYC's most ambitious contemporary development where architecture, infrastructure, engineering, and urban planning converge on Manhattan's far West Side.
• Midtown East Architecture Tour Tour exploring Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, United Nations Headquarters, Ford Foundation, and One Vanderbilt, examining how transportation, corporate development, and urban policies shaped the district.
• Midtown North Architecture Tour Tour covering St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, MoMA, Seagram Building, and Billionaires' Row, tracing over a century of architectural innovation.
• Midtown Interior Architecture Tour Tour exploring remarkable interiors including Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building Lobby, Waldorf Astoria, Seagram Building, 550 Madison Avenue, and MoMA.
• Upper East Side Architecture Tour Tour exploring the Frick Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, and the architectural evolution from Gilded Age mansions to luxury apartments.
• Upper West Side Architecture Tour Tour covering Central Park, Dakota Apartments, San Remo, American Museum of Natural History, and Lincoln Center, exploring residential architecture and cultural institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• All past guests have given 5-star reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• SerandipianscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSerandipians is a luxury travel network that features Build Tours as a Preferred Experience partner. This partnership targets discerning travelers seeking curated, high-quality architectural experiences in NYC.
• NYC Tourism (NYC & Company)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial New York City tourism marketing organization promoting Build Tours as a recommended architecture tour provider for visitors to the city.
• Greater New York Chamber of Commerce (GANYC)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business chamber partnership supporting NYC-based businesses and promoting local tour and hospitality services.
• AIA New York (American Institute of Architects)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional architecture organization partnership providing credibility and professional network connections for architect-led tours.
• Hong Kong Institute of Planners (HKIP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional planning institute partnership for delegations and professional exchange programs focusing on urban development.
• World Economic ForumflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTrusted partner for executive and leadership group experiences during WEF events and programs in New York.
• Northeastern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for student architecture programs, study abroad visits, and educational tour experiences.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for university student programs and educational architecture experiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Big Onion Walking Tours: Big Onion Walking Tours is a long-established NYC walking tour company offering expert-led themed walks (history, architecture, food, neighborhoods). It is the most established NYC-based direct competitor with overlapping content and customer segments.
• Free Tours by Foot: Free Tours by Foot operates pay-what-you-wish NYC walking tours with neighborhood and themed content. Comparable in NYC walking tour focus and content breadth, though positioned at a lower price tier than Build Tours.
• ExperienceFirst: ExperienceFirst operates small-group guided tours in NYC (and other cities) across sightseeing, food, and themed categories. Comparable in small-group format, multi-language capability, and direct-to-consumer booking model.
• Inside Out Tours NYC: Inside Out Tours is a NYC-based walking and bike tour operator offering neighborhood, food, and sightseeing experiences. Comparable in local tour focus, small-group format, and B2B group booking capability.
• Walks: Walks operates premium small-group tours with expert local guides across Italy, Europe, and the US. Similar in combining cultural expertise, small-group format, and premium pricing to Build Tours' architect-led positioning.
• Context Travel: Context Travel operates expert-led (PhD, architect, historian) small-group walking tours in major cities worldwide. Its business model — credentialed local experts, small groups, premium pricing, B2B partnerships — is the closest analog to Build Tours in NYC and globally.

Broad incumbents

• Insight Vacations: Insight Vacations is a global premium escorted tour operator with guided experiences in major cities. Comparable in premium cultural/expert-led positioning, though operating at multi-day group tour scale rather than walking tours.
• TopView NYC: TopView operates NYC sightseeing bus, boat, and tour experiences targeting tourist visitors. Comparable in serving NYC visitors with packaged experiences, but broader in scope and bus/boat-led rather than architect-led.
• Viator: Viator (a Tripadvisor company) is the largest OTA marketplace for tours and activities globally, including Build Tours' category. Comparable as a distribution channel for NYC tours, but operates as a platform rather than a tour operator.
• Urban Adventures (by Intrepid): Urban Adventures, Intrepid Travel's small-group urban tour brand, runs local-led day tours across major global cities including NYC. Comparable small-group local-expert format, with deeper distribution and broader geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/buildtours
• Instagraminstagram.com/buildtours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildtours

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Build Tours