John Pearce was the Co-Founder and Founding Partner Emeritus of Underscore VC. See sector focus and contact routes.
John Pearce was the Co-Founder and Founding Partner Emeritus of Underscore VC, an early-stage venture firm he established in 2015 in Waltham, Massachusetts, before his passing in November 2023. He brought extensive executive experience to the firm, having previously served as President and CEO of Demandware and held leadership roles at Actifio and AppIQ in SaaS and enterprise software. Pearce’s investment thesis focused on early-stage technology companies, with a sector emphasis on enterprise software, artificial intelligence, fintech, and platforms for the future of work. He typically invested at the seed and Series A stages, seeking teams with strong product-market fit and visionary leadership. While specific check sizes are not publicly detailed, Underscore VC is known for its community-driven model and closed a $119 million Fund III, suggesting meaningful early-stage commitments. His notable portfolio includes Apploi, where he made a Series B investment, and Friday.app, which he backed at the seed stage; he also serves as a director at Mycroft, Inc. and Apploi Corp. Pearce did not publish widely known public writings, but his distinctive point of vie
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