Every generation produces a small group of engineers who shape the future of technology.
They become the founding engineers behind category-defining startups. They push the frontier at the world’s leading AI labs and technology companies. They go on to build iconic companies of their own.
At Pear, we’ve spent years partnering with founders from the earliest days of company building. Here’s what we know: exceptional companies are built by exceptional people. We’ve seen firsthand that trajectory matters more than tenure, and that the best early-career engineers can become some of a startup’s most impactful early hires.
That’s why we created Pear Prime.
Every year, we identify a small cohort of exceptional CS students, new graduates, and early-career engineers with the potential to become the next generation of founding engineers, technical leaders, and founders.
This year, Prime Engineers will get inside access to teams like Cerebras, Etched, Perplexity, HeyGen, and Baseten, alongside early-stage Pear companies like Forus, Vals, and Andera—giving members exposure to exceptional teams at every stage of company building.
We’re accepting applications now for Pear Prime 2027.
Why apply?
Pear Prime is designed to help exceptional engineers build exceptional careers.
Access to career-defining opportunities
Get inside access to some of the most ambitious companies shaping the future of technology. Pear Prime partners with companies like Cerebras, Perplexity, HeyGen, and Baseten, giving Prime Engineers opportunities to meet founders and technical leaders, learn how exceptional teams are built, and explore career opportunities.
Prime Engineers have gone on to join leading companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Sierra, and breakout Pear startups like Vals AI and Cardless.
“Prime put me in front of about a dozen founders in a few months. Not recruiter screens, actual founders building actual things. That access is hard to build on your own as a new grad, and Prime made it easy.” – Satyam Dave (AgentMade), Pear Prime
Join an exceptional community
Every cohort is intentionally small. You’ll become part of a lifelong network of exceptional engineers, founders, and technical leaders who continue to learn from, challenge, and support one another throughout their careers.
“Pear Prime’s biggest asset is its community. The access I received to founders, startups, and other Prime Engineers will probably be one of the most useful resources throughout my career.” – Raunak Agrawal (Meridian), Pear Prime
Mentorship & career support
Your relationship with Pear doesn’t end after your first job. Members receive ongoing career coaching from the Pear Talent team, access to investors for guidance and feedback on ideas, and priority consideration for PearX should they decide to start a company.
“Pear Prime gave me an amazing launchpad. The trust I was given at Cardless, combined with the support from the Prime network, built my confidence as an engineer and completely reshaped how I thought about startups and my career.” – Daniel Liu (Cardless), Pear Prime
“The Pear Prime program is a really unique opportunity which allowed me to discover on what the perfect role was for me straight out of college. It exposed me to amazing startups at different stages and I was connected to the founders to understand their vision, culture and how I fit into the company.” – Sarvagya Somvanshi (Vals AI), Pear Prime
Who we’re looking for
We believe the next generation of outlier companies will be built by outlier talent.
At Pear Prime, we look for people who consistently demonstrate a handful of uncommon qualities.
Excellence
They’ve demonstrated exceptional ability relative to their stage through internships, research, technical projects, open-source contributions, entrepreneurship, or other meaningful accomplishments.
Agency
They take initiative, create opportunities, and turn ideas into action. They have a track record of building, leading, and going above & beyond to make things happen.
Intellectual curiosity
They’re deeply curious about technology and the world around them. They pursue ideas beyond what’s required and are driven by a genuine desire to understand how things work.
Vision
They think critically about the future of technology and have a clear point of view on the engineer, founder, or leader they aspire to become.
There is no single path to Pear Prime. Our members come from a wide range of schools, experiences, and backgrounds, but they share an uncommon combination of excellence, curiosity, agency, and a clear vision for the future they want to live in.
Apply to Pear Prime
Applications for the next Pear Prime cohort are now open. The deadline is January 4th, 2027.
If you’re excited by ambitious problems, exceptional people, and the opportunity to help build what’s next, we’d love to hear from you.
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