02 / THE INVESTOR BRIEF

Start close.
Build deep.
Go further.

A transportation network built around how university students actually move. Starting at UIUC. Growing with the community.

Start a conversation

EXPANSION / CONCEPT

One community. Then the next.

COMPANY PRE-SEED VALUATION: $1.5M
FIRST MARKET: UIUC
FOCUS: Student mobility
APPROACH: Campus by campus

THE OPPORTUNITY

Familiar journeys.
A fragmented experience.

The same destinations. The same school breaks. A better way to connect the dots.

Students repeatedly travel between campus, airports, and home. Coordinating those journeys can still depend on scattered group chats and informal arrangements.

HomeTern’s opportunity is to organize those connections into a student-focused network, with clearer trip information and trust built into the experience.

THE GROWTH APPROACH

Build the connections.
Then widen the map.

Scroll through the approach.
A concept, not a traction chart.

Focus

Start with a defined student community.

Connect

Build useful connections within it.

Learn & expand

Let local lessons guide what comes next.

THE THESIS / THREE CONNECTED IDEAS

Build with intention.
Grow from connection.

A clearly defined community

University students share destinations, academic calendars, and a need to get between campus and home. We’re designing around that specific context, rather than treating student travel as an afterthought.

Trust within the product

Student verification, driver identity checks, pickup PINs, and live-trip visibility form the foundation of the experience. The goal is to make coordination more accountable, from finding a ride through arrival.

Density before distance

UIUC is the first market. Our approach is to learn from one campus, build useful local connections, and use those lessons to guide future expansion. Community density comes before geographic breadth.

THE NEXT CONVERSATION

See the potential?
Let’s talk about it.

We welcome conversations with investors and university partners who share an interest in student mobility. Connect with the founder to discuss the product, launch priorities, and company direction.

Connect with HomeTern

Company-stated pre-seed valuation. This page is an introduction to HomeTern, not an offer to sell securities.

Start close.Build deep.Go further.

Familiar journeys.A fragmented experience.

Build the connections.Then widen the map.