Dorm Room Fund Scout Program
Scout Program
Discover how to join
Dorm Room Fund Scout Program
including requirements, application process, and compensation and explore other programs to join!
Scout Program
Join the Superscout community!
🌍 Meet other scouts globally.
👀 Get first dibs on new scout programs and VC openings.
✨ Get feedback and investor recommendations for your deal memos.
✌️ Learn and grow together as a community!
Dorm Room Fund is where investors and entrepreneurs start their careers. We back student founders with a network of investors, mentors, and their first check. We’re proud to support the strongest community of student entrepreneurs across the nation.
Dorm Room Fund accepts funding applications year‑round via a short online form. After submission, founders typically have one screening call, a second deep‑dive, and a final regional investment‑committee pitch; decisions follow within two days.
Successful applicants receive a $90k‑$250k uncapped SAFE targeting ~1.3 percent ownership, structured to convert on MFN terms with no valuation cap or discount.
There are no fees, tuition or equity give‑backs beyond the investment SAFE; the program is entirely founder‑friendly capital.
Why apply to Dorm Room Fund?
You’ll get capital, mentorship and a lifelong network that has helped 300+ student‑led companies raise $6B in follow‑on funding.
Do I need an MVP?
No; DRF backs founders as early as strong user research or demo.
How quickly will I hear back?
Expect a final decision within 48 hours of the investment‑committee pitch.
Can I re‑apply if previously declined?
Yes. Teams such as Snackpass were funded on a second attempt.
Are international companies eligible?
Startups must be US‑incorporated, though operations can be global.
What ownership does DRF target?
Roughly 1.3 percent post‑SAFE, aligning with an early key hire.
Who makes the investment decision?
Regional teams of trained student partners vote; majority approval required.
Is there sector focus?
No – DRF is thesis‑agnostic and has funded everything from AI to consumer brands.
Do non‑US students qualify?
Yes, provided the company is incorporated in the US and at least one founder is still a student or recent grad.
What if my team just graduated?
At least one founder must be within one year of graduation at the time of application.
Because many of the world's most successful tech companies were conceived by college students, recent graduates or dropouts, VCs and their limited partners have long tried to find a way to tap into that youthful creativity as early as possible.
Dorm Room Fund, a venture capital operation that launched to invest in student-led startups, has raised a new $10.4 million fund, per SEC filings. The filing marks Dorm Room Fund’s largest fund to date, and its first that appears to include investors beyond First Round Capital, the firm that first launched the student-focused operation in 2012.
It started as First Round Capital’s experiment. After all, founder Josh Kopelman had started his first company, Infonautics, while he was a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Partner Hayley Barna had started Birchbox while still at Harvard Business School.
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