Our Story

My name is Ish. I’m a Michigan grad from the Class of 2017 and now the Founder & CEO of Peervine, a venture-backed startup that’s been around since 2019.

We decided to launch Peervine for one very simple reason:To activate peer communities on college campuses.

So much of my success - whether becoming an IA for EECS 281, landing a full-time job at Facebook, or raising millions in VC funding - has come from my peer network.

But not everyone has this network. So much of the tribal knowledge that makes students successful on campus is trapped in the minds of a select few. It’s never passed down... leaving the younger generation to reinvent the wheel and lose precious time in the process.

We want to change that.

Peervine is a private community specifically for University of Michigan students. Only Michigan students can post and see the content inside.

Students can ask any question on their mind and get high-quality responses in just a few hours. Oh, and we’ll pay you to do this from our weekly prize pool of $1,000.

(See below to read our criteria for claiming these cash prizes).

Why are we paying you to do this?
Simply, we believe that any network should reward the top contributors of the platform. Since you’re bringing most of the value, you deserve to be compensated.

How do we make money?
Frankly, we don’t right now. We’re lucky to have some amazing investors that took a bet on us and we’re still figuring this out. But don’t worry - we don’t have any intention of charging for the base platform.

Where is the money coming from?
Our incredible investors :)

I’m excited that you’re here. Feel free to start exploring.

It’s still the early days so let us know what you think about the platform. We want to hear your feedback on how we can turn this into a thriving community for every Michigan student. Just shoot us a note at hello@peervine.io and let us know your thoughts. 🙌

Go Blue!

FAQ

Who are we?
A YC-backed startup founded by a UMich alum dedicated to enhancing student experiences. By helping us build this knowledge base, you’re taking part in that mission - creating opportunities for students to get the most out of their time at UMich.

What types of contributions are you looking for?

Our goal is to assemble the largest knowledge base of student advice that University of Michigan has ever seen. That said, we're looking for contributions that will help students navigate their academics, social lives, and careers.

As an extra boost towards this goal, you can earn rewards by asking great questions or answering an existing one.

We reward students who help other students. The more helpful your contribution, the more karma and cash rewards you’ll receive.

How are contributions evaluated?
Contributions are evaluated based on 4 criteria:

1. Novelty - How unique is your insight? Is this something that very few people on campus know?
2. UMich Relevance - How unique is this advice for University of Michigan students? Advice that is generic and can be shared across other college campuses is not recommended.
3. Demand - Are you answering a question that lots of students have?
4. Storytelling - How easy is it to read your post? Is it engaging?

What’s the criteria for receiving a portion of the weekly prize pool?
Our team will evaluate all submissions on a daily basis. We'll base our evaluation on the 4 contribution criteria above and will reward prize pool money accordingly.

How big is the prize pool and what is my likelihood of winning? 
Each Monday at 12:00 AM (EST), a new $1,000 prize pool is unlocked. The pool is distributed to top contributors throughout the week based on the criteria listed above. The more you contribute, the more you'll earn. On average, there will be between 30 - 150 winners each week.

How frequently do payments go out?
Payments will be sent out daily.

How will I get notified if I’m selected for a prize?
We'll notify winners daily via email.

How do payments get distributed?
We'll send all payments via Venmo.

Where does the prize pool come from?
Top tech investors like Y Combinator, Tiger Global, and more.

I'm interested in submitting a contribution post, but I'd like to learn more first.
Absolutely. Feel free to reach out to our team at hello@tryvirtually.com and we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have!