The Venture for America Accelerator is a 3-month program designed to support and catalyze the launch of our Fellow-founded companies. Based in Philadelphia, the Fellows and their teams are provided coworking space at First Round Capital, weekly programming, and access to VFA’s network of mentors, advisors, and investors. This year, five teams have hit the ground running in Philly, continuing to develop their businesses and preparing to become full-time founders at the conclusion of their Fellowship this summer.
Claire Kim and Kate Leisy co-founded Bearkat (formerly Pugs) in 2014 to make versatile leisurewear for women. Originally from Irvine, CA, Claire attended Harvard University before working at Swipely in Providence, RI as part of the VFA Class of 2013. Claire is loving her new life at the accelerator, finding a healthy balance between perfecting product development at Bearkat and exploring the many parks of Philly. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Kate graduated from Vanderbilt University before becoming a Brand Success Manager at Curalate here in Philadelphia. When she’s not thinking about Bearkat, Kate enjoys sharpening her photography (Instagram) skills and exploring Philadelphia’s up and coming coffeeshops. They are thrilled to be a part of the VFA Accelerator and are excited about the early traction they’ve had with their first product: adventure shorts for women.
Learn more about Claire, Kate, and what it’s been like launching Bearkat in the video below:
https://vimeo.com/133761926