A new way for college students to bet on themselves

Dear Neo family,

I'm proud to unveil a new benefit for Neo Scholars: Semester in SF. Build an idea of your own alongside other Neo Scholars, with hands-on mentorship from experienced startup founders. We’ll give you a $25k equity-free grant to work at our studio and experience what starting your own company might be like.

This is just one of many benefits for Neo Scholars, tech's most selective program for entrepreneurial undergrads. Neo Scholar applications are open today. Apply by June 22 to be invited to an exclusive Zoom Q&A with Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO.

There are others who may encourage you to drop out of college. While we’ve funded stellar college dropouts, most students aren’t ready for that. If you want to take a big swing and focus on a bold idea without having to drop out, take a semester off school and join us in SF.

Thank you to Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, and Alfred Lin of Sequoia for hosting a private Q&A for 2024 Neo Scholars and founders.

Working alongside other ambitious builders with our hands-on support will help you develop your idea and think bigger. If what you’re building is too good to walk away from, you may end up with the conviction to drop out. Whether or not you return to college, this life-changing experience will set you on track to be a successful future founder.

Thank you to Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, for spending time with a group of 2025 Neo Scholars and startup founders.

I know how tough it is to leave college, even for a semester. I loved being a Harvard student surrounded by people much smarter than myself. You’ll find that at Neo. We bring together some of America's top technical minds from across generations. You’ll meet new friends who inspire you to aim higher.

Thank you to Jensen Huang, NVIDIA CEO, for hosting 2025 Neo Scholars and startup founders for a private discussion.

Most academic institutions aren’t designed to support entrepreneurial paths. Neo does so while preserving some of the best aspects of college. Try new things, have fun, and discover yourself.

Thank you Michael Truell, Cursor CEO, for sharing your story with 2025 Neo Scholars. I first met Michael when he was a sophomore, and we accepted him as a Neo Scholar in 2020. Many mentorship sessions later, he started Cursor with Aman Sanger, another Neo Scholar from MIT, and Neo became their first investor.

At Neo, we believe a single individual can have extraordinary impact. Our mission is to help you maximize your potential, and we have the track record to prove it.

Thank you Sheryl Sandberg for hosting 2025 Neo Scholars and founders for a private discussion.

Neo Scholars have founded iconic companies like Cursor, Cognition, Chai, and more. Tech's most selective employers such as OpenAI, Ramp, Notion, and more turn to Neo to recruit interns and new grads. Last year, OpenAI hired all their new grads through Neo.

Becoming a Neo Scholar opens new doors and accelerates your entrepreneurial journey, whether you join a startup one day or explore starting your own. Apply to Neo today.