Thank you for your interest in PIE, an early-stage startup accelerator focused on founders who are building products like software; hardware and manufactured objects; and traditional consumer products like food, beverages, apparel, and beauty. These programs are designed to rapidly connect founders with peers, mentors, and other critical connections, all in an effort to build better founders and to encourage companies to go further and faster than they would be able to go on their own.

👉  PLEASE NOTE: We are currently only recruiting startups for PIE — a startup accelerator focused on SaaS and mobile companies — to engage with Portland-based teams with at least
one BIPOC founder. PIE Consumer and PIE Shop applications will open at a later date.

To qualify for selection in the PIE program, startups must go through a formal application process. There are two primary ways to apply to PIE. You may either 1) complete the online application detailed below, or 2) submit a current piece of marketing material — a pitch deck or one-pager — in lieu of completing the written application form.

Neither method is weighted more or less favorably than the other. We are simply trying to save founders time.

Let’s get started.

The basics

We’re really interested in what you’re building and why it’s going to change the world. But let’s get these details out of the way, shall we? (A red dot 🔴  indicates that a response to the question is required.)

• Name of your company 🔴
• Details on your primary contact (NOTE: Ideally, the person leading the company)
  • Name 🔴
  • Email 🔴
  • Relevant social or content link
• Are you applying to the program as a solo founder, two cofounders, or a larger team of cofounders? 🔴
  • Only one founder is required to complete the application.
  • Based on your selection, you will complete contact information for up to four cofounders, including yourself
• Would you like to submit a deck/one-pager or complete the written application? 🔴
  • Deck/one-pager questions
  • Written application questions
• Why are you passionate about solving this problem?
• What scares you most about your company, right now?
• Why are you interested in the PIE program…? 🔴
• Describe your most spectacular failure either as an individual or as a team. What did you learn from this experience? 🔴
• What skills and knowledge do you have that will help you mentor your peers during the program? 🔴
• One of our ongoing objectives at PIE is to ensure that we are intentional about recruiting startups with diverse founding teams — and creating an environment where each of our founders feel comfortable and safe. Why? Because studies have shown — time and time, again — that more diverse companies are more successful companies.

Equally important, we believe that in order to be the most effective startup accelerator possible, we need the opportunity to work with the widest possible range of founders so that we can learn what programmatic elements and mentoring opportunities are the most effective. To that end, it would be helpful for PIE to better understand how you and your team members identify.

NOTE: If sharing any of this information makes you feel uncomfortable, we absolutely respect your decision to keep this private. This information is not required. - Racial/Ethnic identity - Pronouns - Sexual orientation

Deck