Pear VC Fund and Investment History

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Pear VC was founded in 2010 by Rich Boyle, with a strong focus on early-stage investments. The fund has since grown to become a prominent player in the venture capital space.

The fund's initial commitment was $50 million, which has been steadily increased over the years to its current size of $1.3 billion. This growth is a testament to the fund's successful track record and its ability to identify and support promising startups.

Pear VC has invested in a wide range of companies, from consumer-facing apps to enterprise software solutions.

Take a look at this: Buy Pear Juice

Investment Strategy

Pear VC's investment strategy focuses on early-stage technology startups, with a particular emphasis on those in the consumer internet space.

They look for companies with strong founding teams and scalable business models, often investing in the seed and series A stages.

Pear VC's portfolio companies have seen significant growth, with some achieving valuations of over $1 billion.

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Investment Model

Pear VC focuses on working with startups in their earliest stages, such as pre-seed and seed-stage companies. This allows them to provide support and guidance during a critical period of growth.

Their investment model is structured around a venture investing arm and an accelerator, giving them a two-pronged approach to helping startups succeed.

Company Stage Investment

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Pear VC primarily invests in seed-stage companies, with a total of 70 investments in this category. They also invest in Series A, Series B, Angel, and Grant (prize money) companies, but to a much lesser extent.

The majority of Pear VC's investments are in seed-stage companies, which is a critical phase for startups. This stage often involves product development, customer acquisition, and revenue growth.

Here's a breakdown of Pear VC's investment stages:

Investments

Pear VC has invested in a wide range of companies across various stages, with a focus on seed and series A investments. They've made 277 investments in total.

One notable aspect of Pear VC's investment strategy is their emphasis on seed stage investments, with 70 investments in this category. This suggests they're looking for early-stage companies with high growth potential.

Series A investments are also a significant part of their portfolio, with 41 investments in this category. This indicates they're interested in companies that have already shown some traction and are looking for additional funding to scale.

Here's a breakdown of Pear VC's stage of entry for their investments:

Pear VC has also invested in several companies that have gone public, including BioAge Labs, DoorDash, and Guardant Health.

Portfolio and Exits

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Pear VC has a strong track record of portfolio exits, with 23 companies being acquired or going public.

Their latest portfolio exit was BioAge Labs, which went public on September 26, 2024, with a valuation of $XXM.

Pear VC has also had success with companies like Heap, which was acquired by Contentsquare on September 28, 2023, for $XXM.

Another notable exit was Run the World, which was acquired by EventMobi on August 2, 2023, for $XXM.

Here are some key stats on Pear VC's portfolio exits:

It's worth noting that some of these exits are still publicly available, while others require subscription to see the full details.

Fund and History

Pear VC has a total of 14 funds, including Pear Ventures Fund IV, which closed on May 30, 2023, with a fund size of $432 million.

The firm's funds have varying sizes, with Pear Ventures Fund III being the largest with $160 million, while Pear Ventures Opportunities IX has a relatively smaller fund size of $3.38 million.

Here's a breakdown of some of the key funds managed by Pear VC:

Fund History

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Pear VC has a total of 14 funds, including Pear Ventures Fund IV, which closed on May 30, 2023, with an amount of $432M.

The company's fund history is quite extensive, with the oldest fund mentioned being Pear Ventures Opportunities VII, which was closed on December 18, 2018.

One of the notable funds is Pear Ventures Fund III, which closed on December 10, 2019, with an amount of $160M.

The sources for the fund information are also mentioned, with some funds having a single source (e.g., Pear Ventures Opportunities IX) and others having multiple sources (e.g., Pear Ventures Opportunities VIII and VII).

Here's a brief overview of the 14 funds, with the closing date, fund name, and amount:

Pear Ventures Fund IV is a significant fund, closing with a substantial amount of $432M, while Pear Ventures Opportunities IX is a smaller fund, closing with $3.38M.

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$432 Million Fund Raised for Seed and Pre-Seed Investments

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Pear VC has a significant track record of investments, having made 277 investments to date. Their latest investment was in Advex AI as part of their Seed VC - II on November 04, 2024.

Pear VC has a substantial portfolio, with a large number of investments under their belt.

About

The organization was founded in 1995 by a group of entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their community.

Its first fund was launched in 2000 with an initial investment of $10 million.

The organization's mission is to support innovative projects and businesses that have the potential to drive positive change.

Over the years, the organization has invested in over 500 projects, with a total investment value of over $1 billion.

Its team includes experienced professionals from various fields, including finance, technology, and social impact.

Companies and Acquisitions

Pear VC has a diverse portfolio of companies, with several notable acquisitions. Intellimize was acquired on April 19, 2024.

Credit: youtube.com, Pear VC's Founding Managing Partner, investor of DoorDash, Mar Hershenson | How to start a VC fund

The VC firm has also invested in other companies, with some notable exits. True&Co. was acquired on November 13, 2023, and KEEBO was acquired on October 3, 2023.

Here are some key details about the companies in Pear VC's portfolio:

Pear VC has a clear strategy for investing in and exiting companies, as seen in the acquisition of KEEBO and Heap.

Sectors of Investment

Pear VC has made a significant number of investments across various sectors. They have a diverse portfolio of companies.

Let's take a look at the sectors where Pear VC invests. Enterprise Applications is a sector where they have made 55 investments.

The company also invests in High Tech, with 37 investments in this sector. Consumer is another sector where they have a presence, with 32 investments.

FinTech is a sector where Pear VC has made 26 investments. They also invest in Vertical SaaS, with 15 investments in this sector.

It's worth noting that Pear VC's investments are not limited to these sectors, with 144 investments falling under the category of "Others".

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Acquired Companies

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Pear VC has a diverse portfolio of companies, and some of them have been acquired over time. The first acquired company in Pear VC's portfolio is Intellimize, which was acquired on April 19, 2024.

We can see that Intellimize was acquired relatively recently, with no information available on when Pear VC first invested in the company. In contrast, Heap was acquired on September 28, 2023, after Pear VC first invested in it on December 23, 2015.

Pear VC's portfolio also includes Via, which was acquired on September 12, 2023. The exact date of Pear VC's first investment in Via is not specified.

Here's a list of the acquired companies in Pear VC's portfolio, along with their acquisition dates:

KEEBO was acquired on October 3, 2023, and it's worth noting that Pear VC had invested in the company a year prior, in October 2022.

Inside Startup Accelerator Alternatives to Y Combinator

If you're not familiar with Y Combinator, it's a highly selective startup accelerator that has backed many successful companies like Airbnb and Dropbox.

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Y Combinator's program typically lasts three months and provides $120,000 in funding to each startup.

Many startups are looking for alternatives to Y Combinator, and for good reason - the competition is fierce and only a small percentage of applicants are accepted.

Some popular alternatives include 500 Startups, which has invested in companies like Uber and Twitter.

500 Startups offers a 13-week program with $60,000 in funding and a network of over 1,000 mentors.

Another option is Techstars, which has invested in companies like Spotify and Uber.

Techstars offers a 13-week program with $20,000 in funding and a network of over 1,000 mentors.

Both 500 Startups and Techstars have a strong track record of success and can provide valuable resources and connections for startups.

Take a look at this: Y Combinator

Co-Investment and Partnerships

Co-investment and partnerships are a crucial part of Pear VC's success, and it's interesting to see who they've partnered with over the years.

One notable aspect is that 721 investors have co-invested in Pear VC's portfolio companies, including funds and angels. This is a significant number, and it speaks to the network and connections that Pear VC has built.

Credit: youtube.com, Pear VC Founding Managing Partner Mar Hershenson and Partner Viven Ho join #NYSEFloorTalk

Y Combinator, Redpoint Ventures, and 60 other investors have invested in rounds before Pear VC in some cases. This shows that Pear VC is not the only game in town, and that other investors are also interested in the companies they back.

427 investors have entered a company along with Pear VC, which is a testament to their ability to attract co-investors. This includes investors like a16z, which has co-invested with Pear VC in 8 companies.

Founders Fund, Kleiner Perkins, and Coatue are also notable co-investors, having invested in 4, 3, and 2 companies respectively after Pear VC's initial investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate for Pear VC?

Pear VC has an extremely competitive acceptance rate of less than 0.25%. This elite group was selected from a pool of 4,500 applicants.

How much does Pear VC invest?

Pear VC invests between $250K and $2M, tailoring its support to each company's unique needs. Let's discuss how we can help you build your business.

What does pear VC do?

Pear VC supports and invests in people-led startups, providing guidance and introductions to top VCs to help shape their stories and drive growth. They bet on talented founders and teams to create a lasting impact.

Where is Pear VC headquarters?

Pear VC is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, a hub for tech innovation.

Angel Bruen

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Angel Bruen is a seasoned copy editor with a keen eye for detail and a passion for precision. Her expertise spans a variety of sectors, including finance and insurance, where she has honed her skills in crafting clear and concise content. Specializing in articles about Insurance Companies of Hong Kong and Financial Services Companies Established in 2013, Angel ensures that each piece she edits is not only accurate but also engaging for the reader.

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