FAQs

Should I apply if my school has a few or no Dorm Room Fund partners?

Yes! We're always looking to expand into new schools and highly encourage that you bring your expertise and school spirit to our team.

What do investment partners do?

You meet and find great founders, evaluate companies, work with regional investment partners through weekly meetings, invest capital in founders, and build the Dorm Room Fund community. We expect partners to commit roughly 10-15 hours per week.

Who makes a good DRF partner?

• First the basics: you must be enrolled or on a gap from a full-time university program: college, MBA, PhD, JD, masters', MD — we've seen 'em all and love 'em all.
  • No, sorry — no high schoolers right now.
• Being super smart, super curious, and super motivated is table stakes.
• We love folks who love tech — who nerd out on the latest company being started or the some crazy new business model, or maybe even a really cool new idea or founder you just met.
• We love to see distance traveled: where have you gone off the beaten path? Tried something new? Made a risky choice? Or beaten the odds?
• We love open-minded folks who are eager to learn and grow: one of our values is “we bring the energy of first years everywhere we go”. You get the gist?
• We love people who follow-through: a resume stamp or a flake-fest this is not. It's a serious commitment (10-15 hours/week, on average), and only a few spots open up each year, so we want folks who are going to squeeze the every last drop from the experience.
• We love people who want to be founders. And people who want to be VCs. And people who are not sure! Mostly we love people who love meeting people.
• We love a diversity of perspectives: we’ve had gallerists and professional athletes; English majors and CSAIL interns; CIA agents and telenovela stars; Crypto-obsessives and high school rockband stars. There is no one clear path to this industry, and we think smart, interested people bring smart, interesting points to every discussion.

How do I best prepare for the application and interview?

In your application, please take the time to provide responses that tell your story. We value thoughtful responses that show you've put time into our application. If you receive an interview offer, be prompt to your interview and ensure you're in a well-lit, noiseless area. We don't expect a full tux and gown, but double check that your unmade bed isn't distracting the interviewer, and triple check your computer's audio beforehand.

How do I know what regional team I should apply to?

Regional Teams are based on the location of your school!

New York Team & Midwest: New York, Montana, North & South Dakota, Nebraska, Connecticut, and the Midwest (Minnesota, lowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois)

San Francisco & West Coast Team: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, & Texas (Hint: we moved Texas this year! Please submit accordingly)

Boston & Northeast Team: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island

Philadelphia & Southeast: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, North & South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Delaware

If I applied to Dorm Room Fund before, can I apply again?

Yes! We value grit. Many of our current investment partners applied and entered the team on their second or third tries.

Do I need a referral?

The short answer is no. While we allow people to put referrals as an option, we don't require, nor do we expect investment partners to obtain one. We value people from all walks of life, regardless if they know anyone in the DRF community.

Should I apply if I'm a freshman?

We encourage students of all grades to apply but expect that they have shown interest in venture capital or startups. As new students entering college, freshmen may have less experience. That said, we've accepted freshmen before, and it never hurts to try!

Can I apply if I am a recent graduate?

No, investment partners must be current students.

Can I apply as a gap year student?

Yes, but you must plan to return to college (not drop out).

Can I apply as an international student?

We require that international students attend a U.S. or Canadian college so they can play active roles in the startup communities on US-based campuses.

Do I need to have a technical background?

No, the majors and programs of our investment partners run the gamut, and we value diversity of thought brought to the discussion table.

How long does an investment partner position last?

Until you graduate from your university institution. That means freshmen have up to four years with us, first-year MBAs have two years, seniors can finish their final year, PhDs are with us practically forever 😉.

Is this year's program virtual or in person?

We ask that folks who are based in the SF, NYC, Philadelphia, and Boston metro areas plan to attend weekly meetings in person; partners at schools not within reasonable commuting distance will serve as fully-remote partners. Throughout the year, regional teams also host in-person social events open to the Dorm Room Fund alum and current community. Dorm Room Fund will cover travel expenses for folks from out of town to make sure that our remote partners get to know the rest of the fam without a ding to their wallets.