Skip the internship.

Start your company instead.

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Interviewing on a Rolling Basis Through Sep 1
Interviewing on a Rolling Basis Through Sep 1
Interviewing on a Rolling Basis Through Sep 1
Interviewing on a Rolling Basis Through Sep 1

You don't have to graduate or 
drop out to get started.

Explore your ideas, full-time, in San Francisco, starting now.

2 months in San Francisco

We’ll invest $20-100k+ and give you office space

1:1
Mentorship

Sales, Product, Fundraising support accelerating your product into the hands of customers

Cracked 
Community

Build alongside a selective peer group and incredible network of founders, operators, and investors

What is FIR U?

In 2023, Afore launched the Founders-in-Residence program: a cohort-based program for super early-stage founders in ideation phase, getting ready to launch their company.  

2 years and 6 cohorts later, we’re ready to try something new: FIR U, a cohort exclusively for students, new grads, and dropouts.  

FIR U is Afore's 2-month entrepreneurship program designed specifically for ambitious college founders like you. We provide funding, mentorship, a workspace, and the connections you need to turn your idea into a real company.

The Program

2 Months in San Francisco

Heads-down building with the most ambitious student founders in town

Venture 101

Understand the basics of navigating the VC landscape

How to Validate, Sell, Hire

We'll ramp you up on everything you need to know to get your company off the ground

Hack Week

Supercharge product development while learning from one another

Showcase

Get your idea in front of 
200+ top VC firms

Learn directly from student founders who have built some of today’s most iconic companies

"I joined FIR with nothing more than a raw idea—no deck, no mockup, just conviction. What I found was a program that meets you exactly where you are. The weekly syncs deliver high-leverage support across go-to-market, product strategy, and fundraising. You're surrounded by top-tier resources when you need them, and a founder-first community that's genuinely helpful and energized."
Jisong Liu and Jiaying Yang
Co-founders of BeFreed
"Can't get any earlier than "pre-incorporation"! Afore Capital has had our back from day -1, I still have our signed term sheet with my name instead of a company name because we hand't formed one or decided on a name yet. We couldn't have asked for a better partner from the very beginning of our journey, and we're just getting started. "
Conor Brennan-Burke
Co-founder & CEO at Hypersell
"Since the beginning, we’ve treated the Afore Capital team as an extension of our own company and they’ve fulfilled that responsibility every step of the way. The impact has been huge for our trajectory."
Trevor West
Co-Founder & CEO at Podqi
“FIR was a great way to get started and meet other extremely smart founders to learn from. The team gave fantastic intros to customers and advisors that helped us get off the ground. Afore was the first to believe in us and we’ll never forget that.”
Vikram Jayanthi & Shankar Krishnan
Co-founders of PromptArmor

Meet Afore

Founded in 2016, we are the largest pre-seed fund by dollars invested and laser-focused on supporting founders at the earliest stages of company-building - often before the company even exists.

Our companies have raised $3B+ VC funding from the best

Apply Now

Submit Application

FAQ

Who can apply?

Current, incoming, or recently graduated (within last 12 months) university students who are exploring startup ideas or who have recently launched an early-stage company. We're looking for technical builders who are passionate about taking ownership, moving fast, and creating cool products.

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Graduated >12 months ago? Check out our regular Founders-in-Residence program.

How do I know if I’m too early?

We are totally open to investing in teams that are pre-product and pre-revenue. We just want to work with talented builders; our goal is to help you build the conviction to turn your vision into a reality.

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And how do I know if I’m too late?

Typically we are the first (or one of the first) investors in the founders we back, but we see a range of company maturity levels in FIR. Sometimes, the builders we work with are still pre-product, considering a few ideas, and need to spend time honing in on what specifically to build.

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Sometimes our teams already have an early version of a product live with users, but want to do more work on validating that their business model is commercially scalable.

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We’re happy to tailor the mentorship and guidance we provide to meet you where you are in the founder journey, even if you’re a bit further along.

      What are the terms and funding amount?

      We customize specific funding details with accepted teams, and use a YC-style SAFE. Our goal is to offer an investment amount based on team size and stage that will cover expenses while you are building your MVP. The investment amount is typically $20-100k.

      Do I need to have a co-founder?

      Both teams and solo founders are welcome to apply!

      Do I need to drop out of school?

      Nope! Actively enrolled students are welcome to apply.

      What's the time commitment?

      This is a full-time, intensive program for committed builders. You should be prepared to dedicate your sole focus to working on a startup during the 2-month period.

      Do I need to be in San Francisco?

      Yes. The in-person component is crucial for getting the most value from mentorship, workshops, and community.

      Will you help with housing?

      We don't provide housing directly, but we can connect you with resources and other founders to help find accommodations in SF.

      What happens after the program?

      Teams have the option to present at our investor showcase at the end of the program. We typically have investors from 200+ VC firms in attendance. This is a great opportunity for anyone who decides to move forward with their business and is ready to raise a larger venture round.
      ‍
      Sometimes our founders need to spend more time on idea validation after FIR - and that’s okay too! We don’t require teams to pitch at the investor showcase in case they decide they’re not yet ready to move forward.

      All of our founders remain part of the Afore community. We’ll continue to support you after the program in whatever way makes sense.

      How is this different from a regular internship?

      In an internship, you work on someone else's vision. In FIR U, you're the CEO building your own company with support from experienced investors and operators.

      How to apply?

      Applications for Fall 2025 are now open here. We’ll accept teams on a rolling basis from now through mid-Aug.

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