Pear Persian Founders Circle
An intimate founder circle of Iranian engineers, academics, and entrepreneurs, guided by successful Iranian leaders across industries. We are looking for people who are at the idea stage or just starting out.
Join a like-valued community
Join aspiring and early-stage Iranian founders to explore startup ideas, build life-long relationships, and grow together.
Be inspired by visionaries
Join intimate fireside chats and events with visionary and successful Iranian leaders and founders across technology and business.
Gain valuable fundraising perspectives
Hear from top tier VC partners on what they look for, and receive mentorship from Iranian founders who have successfully raised for their companies.
Learn from Pear Partners
Gain insight on industry expertise and workshops on go-to-market strategy, product-market fit, hiring, tactical storytelling and communications coaching. Learn from our vertical experts across Consumer, SaaS, Enterprise Tech, AI, Healthcare, Biotech, Fintech, Deep Tech, and more.
Connect at social events
Enjoy curated events including dinners, office visits, and social events like cooking classes and cultural celebrations.
Work from Pear Studio
You can work out of Pear Studio, our collaborative work environment for founders and entrepreneurs. We offer space in both San Francisco and Menlo Park.
Learn from visionary leaders and founders.
I’ve been so fortunate to partner with amazing Persian founders (Dropbox, Guardant Health, Applovin, Soundhound, others) and I’m thrilled to build a new community to cultivate the next generation of Persian tech founders and entrepreneurs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for this program?
Any person with Iranian heritage that has a background in STEM, engineering or business.
Someone who is actively working on a startup idea full-time or part-time outside of work.
We are open to people based anywhere as our events are hybrid. In-person hybrid events are held in the Bay Area.
Current students are encouraged to look at Pear’s programs geared towards students.
How does Pear choose PPFC members?
If you’re nominated or apply, we will reach out to conduct a 15-minute interview to see if you are a good fit given your stage, eligibility and background. We only accept 20-30 founders per cohort, and expect a large number of applicants. We encourage nominations and referrals!
How much does it cost?
It’s free – no strings attached. We just ask you to commit to all the sessions and to be an active member. Similar programs, like FFC have a <7% acceptance rate.
Do I need to have started a company to join?
No, but we require everyone to be actively working on a startup idea full-time or part-time
What are the dates of the program?
Our first cohort will run from the end of January through the end of March. We will announce our second cohort application mid-year.
What’s the time commitment?
We expect individuals to commit approximately two hours weekly, and attend all events in person or on Zoom.
Does PPFC happen in person or virtually? What if I’m not based in the SF Bay Area?
PPFC is hybrid. If you’re in the Bay Area we expect you to come to our bi-weekly in-person sessions. We accept those who are outside of the Bay Area and welcome them to attend events on Zoom.
How can I find out more / get in touch?
Feel free to reach out with any questions to roya@pear.vc. We look forward to reviewing your application and connecting with you.