Pear Competition
We’re seeking dedicated entrepreneurs with big ambitions. Winning teams will receive between $25K-$100K via a SAFE note (uncapped, no discount). Applications open now.
No idea is too early.
Apply and receive actionable feedback alongside the opportunity to win $100K and work closely with the Pear team.
Winners will also receive a fast-track partner meeting for PearX.
About Pear
FAQs
What do winners receive?
Winning teams will receive between $25K and $100K via an uncapped SAFE, no discount, plus, a fast-track partner meeting for PearX.
10+ teams will win
What if I don’t win this time?
We provide feedback on request to all applicants who are selected to interview.
Our team has subsequently partnered with many successful startups who were not a fit initially. We also partner with founders through PearX and lead seed rounds up to $3M.
Who can apply?
Student founders who want to launch their startup
No idea is too early to be considered, and you do not need to be incorporated to apply. We’re seeking dedicated founders with big ambitions.
At least one member of your team must be a current student in the US or Canada.
What is the application process?
The application should take about 60 minutes. Those who are selected to move forward will receive a 15-minute interview to pitch a Pear investor, without slides. The final round is a 20-30 minute interview with a Pear partner.
All applications will receive a response and winners will be confirmed and notified shortly after completing the interview rounds. Interviews will primarily be held via Zoom and additional follow-up materials may be requested
When are the application deadlines?
Stanford – Feb 22nd
Harvard – Feb 26th
UPenn – Mar 19th
MIT, Columbia, Yale & Other Campuses – Mar 26th
Berkeley – April 2nd
Who will view my application?
Applications will be reviewed by the Pear team only.
Can I apply to both Competition and PearX at the same time?
If you are interested in both Pear Competition and PearX, then you can apply to both together through the Competition application (just check the relevant box in the application). You DO NOT need to win Competition to be accepted into PearX, and vice versa.
What is special about Pear’s university programs?
- We value student founders as much as experienced founders. The results speak for themselves. Some of our largest companies, including DoorDash, started on a university campus.
- We recognize that student founders are fast learners. When exposed to the right information and matched with the appropriate set of people, they can thrive.
- Dorm is a strategic priority for Pear. You will find our founders, Pejman and Mar, on campus almost weekly. Half of our portfolio originates from our Dorm community.
- We empower our students to become great CEOs. We collaborate with our founders on product-market fit, customer discovery, fundraising, and hiring.
- We have a decade of experience working with university students. We are not new at this. We are as excited today to work with students as the day we started our firm.
- We are solely focused on pre-seed and seed. Unlike multi-stage funds, we give our full attention to founders on the journey from idea to Series A.