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Open to current university undergrad and grad students, postdocs and faculty. Apply to win $1M or $250K for your startup.
$1M SAFE
$250k SAFES
Too much money for your current stage? No problem. Send us a note at moonshot@pillar.vc









We believe many of the strongest solutions to the world's greatest challenges are emerging out of universities.
The most transformative ideas across software, hardware, AI, robotics, climate, biotech, and more are forming inside research labs, MBA programs and undergraduate dorm rooms.
Yet, funding options remain bleak. Grant programs are broken, slow, cumbersome and risk-averse. Investors are often gun-shy, unwilling to make a bet on a big idea before a founder is ready to graduate, drop out or spin-out.
We delight in the messy, the raw science, the moonshot opportunity that’s still a kernel of an idea.
We’ve backed over 50 companies with university roots including Abridge, Neural Magic, PillPack, Asimov, Algorand, PathAI, Cimulate, Verve Motion and more – is yours next?
Anyone with an idea with the potential to change the world
At least one member of your Founding Team must be a university undergraduate, grad student, postdoc or faculty member.
Whether you have an idea for an industry-leading company or a groundbreaking technology, all ideas are open for consideration.
All investments are in the form of an uncapped SAFE with no discount (what is this?)
Apply by March 2, 2025
Spaces of interest
Our team is currently focused on these spaces:
AI Agents
Enterprise AI
Developer AI
Defense
Supply Chain
Semiconductors
Hardware
Crypto
Longevity
Diagnostics
Women’s Health
Discovery Tools
Digital Health
Don’t see your space? — Help us get excited about a new area by submitting your application.
Timeline
March 2: Applications close
March 10 - 28: First Round Interviews
March 31 - April 4: Final Round Interviews
April 8: Winners Selected
What you get
(1) $1M or one of (2) $250K investments in the form of an uncapped SAFE for your startup
Mentorship from industry experts (optional)
Access to customer introductions (optional)
Launch events
The competition is open to students and faculty at all universities. To celebrate $1M Moonshot, we will be hosting two launch events.
February
25
February
26
Ongoing through March 2. Meet with the Pillar VC team.
What is an uncapped SAFE and what are the terms?
A Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) is a legal contract used in startup fundraising to postpone the determination of a company’s valuation until a future priced equity round occurs.
In the case of an “uncapped SAFE,” there is no predetermined valuation cap. This means that when the SAFE converts to equity in a future financing round, the investor’s conversion price (in this case, Pillar VC’s) is solely based on the valuation of that round, without any upper limit.
This means that this investment will convert at the price of the first round you raise.
We are happy to answer any specific questions you have about SAFEs.
How many Moonshot winners will there be?
Pillar VC is committed to awarding one $1M winner and at least two $250K winners…and maybe more. We may open additional $250K SAFEs if we see many strong submissions.
Why is Pillar VC hosting a $1M Moonshot Competition?
We’ve made over 50 investments in academic spinouts, including Algorand, Asimov, PathAI, Neural Magic, and Verve Motion.
We believe that the next wave of generational companies will come out of universities too.
Our goal with Moonshot is to put founders solving challenging problems on the fast-track to success. To move fast and break things, you need capital and we’re here to provide that.
Who is eligible to participate?
Any company or idea where at least one member of the Founding Team is affiliated with a University (i.e. undergraduate, grad student, postdoc, or faculty member). Alumni are not eligible participate this year.
Why are you only hosting launch parties at MIT and Harvard?
Pillar VC is based in Boston and has a history of backing MIT and Harvard spinouts. All eligible Boston based Moonshot applicants are encouraged to register for these launch events.
Is my startup too early to apply?
It is never too early — we really enjoy brainstorming with founders early in the process and encourage you to apply if you think starting a company or commercializing your research is the right path for you.
Does my company need to be incorporated?
You do not need to be incorporated to apply. However, you will need to be incorporated if you win. We are happy to help you navigate this process.
Can my startup apply if we have already raised funding?
Yes. Pillar VC is focused on pre-seed and seed stage investments, so this opportunity is primarily focused on companies at the early stages of building.
How will the application process work?
Pillar VC’s investing team will review all applications submitted by the application deadline (Sunday, March 2nd).
We will send you a note letting you know if your company was selected for a first-round interview, or if your company was not a fit this year.
If your company is selected for a first-round interview, a member of the Pillar team will reach out to schedule a 20 minute meeting.
First round interviews will happen via Zoom; select interviews will also take place on university campuses in Boston. Our team will reach out to you to coordinate.
Final round pitches will be 30 minutes, either via Zoom or at the Pillar office. Winners will be selected shortly after all final round pitches conclude.
Can startups from outside of the US apply?
Yes, startups from outside of the US can apply
Is there any post-competition support for the winner?
The winner will receive tailored support from the Pillar VC investing team, mentorship from a network of thousands of operators (including Pillar’s Founding CEOs), and access to Pillar’s office space.
Where can I learn more about Pillar VC?
Pillar VC is a seed-stage venture capital firm based in Boston co-founded by 41 leading CEOs, including the founders of DraftKings, Wayfair, TripAdvisor, Demandware, Rapid7, Iora Health, Ginkgo Bioworks. We’re the first-capital-in for scientists and engineers building in deep tech and bio. We make big bets on big ideas at inception.
Over half of our investments emerge out of universities. We work with founders months to years in advance of commercialization, collaborating with PhD students, postdocs and faculty. Our team helps by validating customer demand for a founder’s research, recruiting key team members, developing business plans, navigating licensing agreements, and building syndicates with strong co-investors. We’ve made over 50 investments in academic spinouts, including Algorand, Asimov, PathAI, Neural Magic, and Verve Motion.
Our investments span enterprise/infrastructure, vertical SaaS, fintech, crypto, manufacturing, logistics, robotics, healthtech, SynBio, genomics, longevity and precision medicine, among other categories. We’re proud investors in companies including Jellyfish, Abridge, Higharc, Hometap, Kula Bio, and VideaHealth.
Frequently asked questions
Have other questions? Email us at moonshot@pillar.vc