
Pear Competition
We’re seeking dedicated student entrepreneurs with big ambitions. Winning teams will receive $100K uncapped SAFE investment, up to $350K in cloud credits, and a fast track Partner meeting for PearX.
When: Applications are live!
No idea is too early.
Pear has a rich history of teaming up with founders right from the start. We’ll help you refine your vision and get going in the right direction. Apply now to gain actionable feedback on your company and start building your future with a partner that’s committed to your journey from day one.
Click your school to apply:

65+
Companies that got their start through Pear Competition
25%
Competition startups that go on to raise Series A+ rounds
$2.5B+
Total valuation of past Competition winners
Competition companies
Past Competition winners have raised money from renowned VCs







Frequently asked questions
Who can apply?
Student and faculty founders.
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.
When are the application deadlines?
Harvard: Feb 18th
Stanford: Feb 21
Berkeley: March 21
National: March 21
What do winners receive?
Winning teams will receive $100K uncapped SAFE investment (no discount), plus access to up to $350K in cloud credits and technology benefits, as well as a fast track partner meeting for PearX. Runners up may receive $25K or $50K investment.
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 the Pear GPs.
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.
Who will view my application?
Applications will be reviewed by the Pear team and existing Pear Fellows 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.
Do I need to be incorporated to apply?
No, you do not need to be incorporated to apply. If you win, you will need to be incorporated before we can finalize the investment and wire you the funds. We can assist with incorporation through a partnership that we have with the law firm Cooley.
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 and resources, they can thrive.
- Dorm is a strategic priority for Pear. You will find our team members active on campus. 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.
- Our Founding Managing Partner, Mar Hershenson, was a student entrepreneur herself. We’re building the program she wished she had as a student founder.
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 $5M.
Interested in Pear Competition?
Applications are now open! Click below to apply.