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Soma Scholars

$30,0008 weeks • 0 equity

Build your wildest idea with the world's most ambitious community

Rolling admissions, apply ASAP for best chance of acceptance.

Everything you need to build your wildest idea

$30,000 Grant

No-strings-attached funding.

Premium Offices

NYC & SF, fully equipped.

Elite Community

Brilliant minds & leaders.

Become an expert, solve a riddle, write a research paper, prove a math theorem, start a hedge fund, master chess or poker, develop a new drug, launch a space company, design a chip, build a new LLM, or search for aliens...
Soma Scholars is your launchpad.

Soma has seeded 30+ unicorns

Join a legacy of generational founders you can call on 24/7.We all have your back.

Parker Conrad

Parker Conrad

Founder and CEO

Rippling ($16b)

Shuo Wang

Shuo Wang

Co-Founder and CRO

Deel ($12b)

Alex Bouaziz

Alex Bouaziz

Co-Founder and CEO

Deel ($12b)

Eric Glyman

Eric Glyman

Co-Founder and CEO

Ramp ($13b)

Karim Atiyeh

Karim Atiyeh

Co-Founder and CTO

Ramp ($13b)

Harshil Mathur

Harshil Mathur

Co-Founder and CEO

Razorpay ($7b)

Aadit Palicha

Aadit Palicha

Co-Founder & CEO

Zepto ($5b)

Simon Borrero

Simon Borrero

Co-Founder and CEO

Rappi ($5b)

Scott Wu

Scott Wu

Co-Founder and CEO

Cognition ($4b)

Jack Altman

Jack Altman

Founder

Lattice ($3b)

Jason Boehmig

Jason Boehmig

Co-Founder and CEO

Ironclad ($3b)

Kyle Vogt

Kyle Vogt

Founder and CEO

The Bot Co ($2b) / Cruise

Brendan Foody

Brendan Foody

Co-Founder and CEO

Mercor ($2b)

Surya Midha

Surya Midha

Co-Founder and COO

Mercor ($2b)

Abhi Ramesh

Abhi Ramesh

Founder and CEO

Misfits Market ($2b)

Dileep Thazhmon

Dileep Thazhmon

Founder and CEO

Jeeves ($2b)

Gaurab Chakrabarti

Gaurab Chakrabarti

Co-Founder and CEO

Solugen ($2b)

Debo Olaosebikan

Debo Olaosebikan

Co-Founder and CEO

Kepler Compute ($2b)

Tarek Mansour

Tarek Mansour

Co-Founder and CEO

Kalshi ($1b)

Kanjun Qiu

Kanjun Qiu

Co-Founder and CEO

Imbue ($1b)

Ian Glow

Ian Glow

Co-Founder and CEO

Zero Matter ($1b)

Gavin Uberti

Gavin Uberti

Co-Founder and CEO

Etched ($1b)

Robert Wachen

Robert Wachen

Co-Founder and COO

Etched ($1b)

Roger Lee

Roger Lee

Co-Founder and fmr. CEO

Human Interest ($1b)

Shishir Mehrotra

Shishir Mehrotra

Co-Founder and fmr. CEO

Coda ($1b)

Naeem Talukdar

Naeem Talukdar

Co-Founder and CEO

Moonvalley ($1b)

Alfonso De los Rios

Alfonso De los Rios

Co-Founder and CEO

Nowports ($1b)

Our Unmatched Network

Soma has direct access to the best of the best in every industry.We've hosted events with and made intros to everyone below, plus many more.

Jensen Huang

Jensen Huang

NVIDIA

Elon Musk

Elon Musk

SpaceX

Sam Altman

Sam Altman

OpenAI

Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman

LinkedIn

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison

Oracle

Marc Benioff

Marc Benioff

Salesforce

Jamie Dimon

Jamie Dimon

JPMorgan Chase

Tim Cook

Tim Cook

Apple

Sergey Brin

Sergey Brin

Google / Alphabet

Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pichai

Alphabet & Google

Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt

Google / Alphabet

Eduardo Saverin

Eduardo Saverin

Facebook

Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella

Microsoft

Ken Griffin

Ken Griffin

Citadel

Marc Andreessen

Marc Andreessen

Andreessen Horowitz

Lloyd Blankfein

Lloyd Blankfein

Goldman Sachs

Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi

India

John Collison

John Collison

Stripe

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

NBA

Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban

Dallas Mavericks

David Sacks

David Sacks

Craft Ventures

Ajay Banga

Ajay Banga

Mastercard

Michael Dell

Michael Dell

Dell

Ryan McInerney

Ryan McInerney

Visa

LeBron James

LeBron James

NBA

Eric Yuan

Eric Yuan

Zoom

Howie Liu

Howie Liu

Airtable

Ali Ghodsi

Ali Ghodsi

Databricks

Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi

PepsiCo

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross

Groq

Brian Schimpf

Brian Schimpf

Anduril Industries

Travis Kalanick

Travis Kalanick

Uber

Dylan Field

Dylan Field

Figma

Akshay Kothari

Akshay Kothari

Notion

David Holz

David Holz

Midjourney

Jensen Huang

Jensen Huang

NVIDIA

Elon Musk

Elon Musk

SpaceX

Sam Altman

Sam Altman

OpenAI

Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman

LinkedIn

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison

Oracle

Marc Benioff

Marc Benioff

Salesforce

Jamie Dimon

Jamie Dimon

JPMorgan Chase

Tim Cook

Tim Cook

Apple

Sergey Brin

Sergey Brin

Google / Alphabet

Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pichai

Alphabet & Google

Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt

Google / Alphabet

Eduardo Saverin

Eduardo Saverin

Facebook

Satya Nadella

Satya Nadella

Microsoft

Ken Griffin

Ken Griffin

Citadel

Marc Andreessen

Marc Andreessen

Andreessen Horowitz

Lloyd Blankfein

Lloyd Blankfein

Goldman Sachs

Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi

India

John Collison

John Collison

Stripe

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

NBA

Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban

Dallas Mavericks

David Sacks

David Sacks

Craft Ventures

Ajay Banga

Ajay Banga

Mastercard

Michael Dell

Michael Dell

Dell

Ryan McInerney

Ryan McInerney

Visa

LeBron James

LeBron James

NBA

Eric Yuan

Eric Yuan

Zoom

Howie Liu

Howie Liu

Airtable

Ali Ghodsi

Ali Ghodsi

Databricks

Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi

PepsiCo

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross

Groq

Brian Schimpf

Brian Schimpf

Anduril Industries

Travis Kalanick

Travis Kalanick

Uber

Dylan Field

Dylan Field

Figma

Akshay Kothari

Akshay Kothari

Notion

David Holz

David Holz

Midjourney

Raise Your Next Round

Soma has close friendships with the best investors on the planet.Tap these connections to lead your next round:

Sequoia Capital
Founders Fund
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
NEA
Khosla Ventures
Kleiner Perkins
Greylock Partners
General Catalyst
Accel
Thrive Capital
Benchmark
Bessemer Venture Partners

Frequently Asked Questions

Soma Scholars is a summer program for ambitious builders. We provide a $30,000 grant, office space in SF or NYC, and community to work on any project of your choice.
Anyone with a track record of exceptional achievement in any field is welcome to apply. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, ages, and experience levels.
We're open to almost any kind of project - whether it's scientific research, a startup, creative endeavor, or something else entirely. The key is that you're deeply passionate about it and have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish.
No, you can apply as an individual. If selected, you'll have opportunities to collaborate with other scholars and potentially form teams during the program.
Yes, we expect scholars to be fully committed to their projects during the summer.
The program runs from June 9th to August 8th, 2025.
After the program ends, you'll become part of our alumni network and continue to have access to our community and resources. Some scholars continue working on their projects and may receive follow-on funding from Soma Capital or our network.
The selection process includes an initial application review, interviews with the Soma team, and potentially conversations with our mentors and industry experts. We're looking for ambitious thinkers with bold ideas and the drive to execute them.
No, Soma Scholars is a no-strings-attached grant. You retain 100% of your IP and equity. However, exceptionally strong builders seeking more funding may be considered for the Soma Fellows program.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Join a legacy of innovators who changed the world across centuries.

The Digital Revolution

1970s - Present

The age of personal computing, internet, and artificial intelligence that transformed how we live, work, and connect.

The Information Age

1940s - 1970s

The birth of modern computing, space exploration, and the foundations of our digital world.

The Modern Era

1900s - 1940s

An era of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs, social progress, and cultural innovation.

The Industrial Revolution

1800s - Early 1900s

The transformation from agricultural to industrial society, bringing electricity, telecommunications, and mass production.

The Renaissance

1400s - 1600s

A cultural rebirth that saw unprecedented achievements in art, science, and human understanding.

Medieval & Islamic Golden Age

500s – 1400s

A bridge between antiquity and the Renaissance marked by breakthroughs in mathematics, medicine, literature, and philosophy across Europe, the Islamic world, and East Asia.

Classical Antiquity

800 BCE – 500 CE

Greco‑Roman, Chinese, and other classical thinkers who laid the intellectual bedrock of mathematics, philosophy, engineering, and statecraft.

Ancient Civilizations

3000 BCE – 800 BCE

The rise of cities, writing, monumental architecture, and codified law across Mesopotamia, Egypt, and early China.

Early Humanity

3 M BCE – 10 000 BCE

Pivotal ancestors and anonymous pioneers who mastered tools, fire, and agriculture—setting Homo sapiens on its unique path.

Life at Soma

A glimpse into our vibrant community of builders, creators, and visionaries working on their next big idea.

Soma dinner with Jensen Huang

Soma dinner with Jensen Huang

Soma portfolio co Navier hosting Elon and Sergey for rides on the bay

Soma portfolio co Navier hosting Elon and Sergey for rides on the bay

Soma event with Tony Xu and portfolio founder John Gedmark of Astranis

Soma event with Tony Xu and portfolio founder John Gedmark of Astranis

Soma Montana event with Akshay Kothari, Eric Glyman, and other tech leaders

Soma Montana event with Akshay Kothari, Eric Glyman, and other tech leaders

Soma Djokovic dinner

Soma Djokovic dinner

Soma and Eduardo Saverin Miami lunch

Soma and Eduardo Saverin Miami lunch

Soma portfolio co Navier hosting Elon and Sergey for rides on the bay

Soma portfolio co Navier hosting Elon and Sergey for rides on the bay

Soma founder concert with Ariana Grande

Soma founder concert with Ariana Grande

Soma and Ariana concert

Soma and Ariana concert

Soma games with Governor Gavin Newsom

Soma games with Governor Gavin Newsom

Soma hosting their Kings NBA team and founders on a trip to Mumbai

Soma hosting their Kings NBA team and founders on a trip to Mumbai

Soma product reviews with Jack Dorsey

Soma product reviews with Jack Dorsey

Soma India event with Mukesh Ambani

Soma India event with Mukesh Ambani

Soma Post Malone after party hangs with founders

Soma Post Malone after party hangs with founders

Soma Post Malone after party hangs with founders

Soma Post Malone after party hangs with founders

Soma JLo concert private dinner

Soma JLo concert private dinner

Soma and CEO of Mastercard Ajay Banga

Soma and CEO of Mastercard Ajay Banga

Soma and Jay-Z concert

Soma and Jay-Z concert

Soma Gigi Hadid Miami event

Soma Gigi Hadid Miami event

Soma Shawn Mendez concert

Soma Shawn Mendez concert

Soma Justin Timberlake concert

Soma Justin Timberlake concert

Soma event Travis Scott concert

Soma event Travis Scott concert

Soma soccer match w FC Barcelona and Gerard Pique

Soma soccer match w FC Barcelona and Gerard Pique

Soma FC Barcelona game

Soma FC Barcelona game

Soma A$AP Rocky concert

Soma A$AP Rocky concert

Ranadive Holiday party with Drake

Ranadive Holiday party with Drake

Soma event with Drake

Soma event with Drake

Soma Nobu dinners

Soma Nobu dinners

Soma Nobu dinner with Chef Nobu

Soma Nobu dinner with Chef Nobu

Brett Taylor Marissa Meyer dinner

Brett Taylor Marissa Meyer dinner

Soma basketball games

Soma basketball games

Soma event with Jerry Yang (fmr. CEO of Yahoo)

Soma event with Jerry Yang (fmr. CEO of Yahoo)

Soma dinners with Shaq

Soma dinners with Shaq

Soma and Chris Brown event

Soma and Chris Brown event

Aneel and Shaq

Aneel and Shaq

Soma dinners with Obama

Soma dinners with Obama

Soma concert with Usher

Soma concert with Usher

Soma / Kings Bollywood party

Soma / Kings Bollywood party

Soma Kings game with 50 cent and founders

Soma Kings game with 50 cent and founders

Soma dinner with Ethan Thornton and Carina Hong

Soma dinner with Ethan Thornton and Carina Hong

Soma dinner with Dylan Field of Figma

Soma dinner with Dylan Field of Figma

Soma Kings game with founders

Soma Kings game with founders

Soma portfolio co Zero Matter office visit

Soma portfolio co Zero Matter office visit

Soma Miami dinner

Soma Miami dinner

Soma and portfolio founder Brendan Foody of Mercor

Soma and portfolio founder Brendan Foody of Mercor

Soma LA founder dinner

Soma LA founder dinner

Soma dinner in SF

Soma dinner in SF

Soma MIT/Columbia/Harvard founder dinner

Soma MIT/Columbia/Harvard founder dinner

Soma SF dinner

Soma SF dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Aneel and portfolio founder Ian Glow of Zero Matter at Kings game

Aneel and portfolio founder Ian Glow of Zero Matter at Kings game

Soma NYC Office

Soma NYC Office

Soma NY dinner

Soma NY dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma portfolio Kings game

Soma portfolio Kings game

Soma Miami dinner

Soma Miami dinner

Soma dinner at ZZ's club

Soma dinner at ZZ's club

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma dinner

Soma SF NBA all star game event

Soma SF NBA all star game event

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma SF founder dinner

Soma and Z fellows joint event

Soma and Z fellows joint event

Soma and Z fellows MIT event

Soma and Z fellows MIT event

Soma and Z fellows MIT event

Soma and Z fellows MIT event

Soma dinner and magic with founders

Soma dinner and magic with founders

Ready to Build?

It takes 2 minutes to apply. Don't miss out!

Launch Your Application

Rolling admissions, apply ASAP for best chance of acceptance.