Silicon Valley, unlocked.
The best startups are found by the people closest to the work — not by a handful of firms on one street. Fern turns that early conviction into a top-tier accelerator experience: elite mentors, a world-class peer network, a real demo day, one standard deal.
No upfront cost for founders or sponsors.
Silicon Valley's advantage was never the zip code — it was the room. Fern rebuilds that room around investors and founders wherever they already are.
The terms, in full.
- Cost to participate
- None — for founders or sponsors
- Minimum first check
- Minimum $100k, direct or pooled
- Instrument
- One standardized SAFE
- Valuation
- $1.78 million post-money valuation (same as YC)
- Vehicles
- SPV or direct SAFE investment
- OUR TERMS
- Half of the standard 20% GP carry to Fern
Fern is an accelerator, not a financing product. The structure is deliberately boring so the program — mentors, peers, fellows, demo day — is what compounds.