Pear VC, a renowned venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, has successfully closed its fourth fund, securing an impressive $432 million in capital. The funding will fuel Pear VC’s continued investments in pre-seed and seed-stage startups, with a particular focus on competitive sectors such as AI. Moreover, the firm plans to bolster its support for early-stage founders through programs like PearX, Pear’s Female Founders Circle, and Pear Dorm.
Under the leadership of Founding Managing Partners Pejman Nozad and Mar Hershenson, Pear VC has established itself as a leading force in the early-stage investment landscape. By partnering with entrepreneurs from their earliest days, the firm has played a pivotal role in building category-defining companies. Their highly successful PearX bootcamp, which has already backed Affinity, Xilis, Federato, Viz.ai, and Cardless, will now introduce a specialized track tailored for AI builders. This new program will offer additional benefits such as access to hacker spaces, cloud credits, and personalized coaching sessions with AI experts from both Pear VC and esteemed organizations like Google Cloud.
Pear VC has a rich history of investing in student builders through its Pear Dorm program. In fact, an impressive 50% of its portfolio companies are student-founded, boasting a combined valuation of $15 billion. Notable companies supported by Pear Dorm include Branch, Aurora Solar, Affinity, Viz.ai, and Bioage. With the launch of Fund IV, Pear VC will expand its Dorm team and introduce new programs to further empower student entrepreneurs.
Recognizing the need for increased representation of women in the tech industry, Pear VC runs the Female Founders Circle program, which focuses on training and supporting technical female founders transitioning into entrepreneurship. With Fund IV, Pear VC is committed to enhancing the size and scale of this influential program, fostering the growth of more female-led startups.
As an esteemed venture capital firm, Pear VC has an impressive track record of backing top-tier companies. Its portfolio includes notable names like DoorDash, Gusto, Branch, Guardant Health, Aurora Solar, Vanta, and Affinity, among many others. With the recent fundraising success, Pear VC is poised to make an even greater impact on the startup ecosystem, driving innovation and empowering visionary entrepreneurs.
