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VC University

VC University is a foundational certificate course on venture finance, created in 2019 through the partnership of NVCA, Venture Forward, and Startup@BerkeleyLaw at the UC Berkeley School of Law.

VC University democratizes access to quality venture capital education for early career investors, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and anyone else who’s interested in emerging company finance. The program provides a structured introduction and practical training on the nuts and bolts of venture finance.

VC University has two distinct components:

  • VC University ONLINE: an online certificate course.
  • VC University LIVE: a three-day, in-person program held in partnership with universities across the country.

Venture Forward is proud to offer a limited number of full scholarships for each program.

 VC University ONLINE

The VC University ONLINE certificate program is offered three times a year. The online course consists of 20+ hours of lectures by UC Berkeley faculty, NVCA executives, and VC leaders, and 30-40 hours of independent coursework

The program also includes virtual office hours, monthly webinars with leading venture capitalists, and interactive assessments through which participants learn the fundamentals of venture finance.

Students who complete the requirements of the course earn a certificate of completion at the end of the program. Tuition for VC University ONLINE is $1,500. Berkeley alumni and employees of NVCA member firms are eligible for a 20% discount on tuition.

Venture Forward is also proud to offer a limited number of full scholarships for qualified candidates. For VC University ONLINE programming dates and details, please visit: https://venturecapitaluniversity.com/online-course

IMPACT TO DATE:

  • 11 sold-out cohorts since launch in 2019 
  • 2,300+ total participants

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

Sign up to receive notifications when the scholarship application and general registration open for each cohort.

Cohort 11 (Sept. 2022)

  • Cohort 11 started September 1, 2022 and will conclude at the end of January, 2023.
  • The Cohort 11 Mentorship Program will take place from November – January, 2023.

Cohort 12 (Feb. 2023)

  • Cohort 12 of VC University ONLINE will start Feb. 1, 2023.
  • The Cohort 12 Scholarship Application will be open from Nov. 7 – 18, 2022.
  • General Registration will open on Dec. 12, 2022.
  • The Cohort 12 Mentorship Program will take place from April – June 2023.
  • VC investors who are interested in volunteering 3-5 hours to serve as a mentor in this highly-reviewed program are invited to learn more. The volunteer sign-up form will open in February 2023.

Mentoring Forward_Social Graphic

Hear from past mentors!

Our Mentoring Forward Series highlights an incredible group of mentors and the positive impact the VC University Mentorship Program has had on VC University scholarship recipients. Learn more

VC University LIVE

VC University LIVE is a three-day educational program held in partnership with universities in emerging VC ecosystems across the country.

VC University LIVE provides an introductory overview of the Silicon Valley model of venture capital, while shining a spotlight on emerging venture ecosystems. These events convene local industry leaders and VC leaders from the coasts; offer foundational instruction to VC newcomers; and address cutting-edge industry issues, including how to improve capital and talent flows between local ecosystems and Silicon Valley. Critically, these programs provide an opportunity to connect with local leaders as well as influencers from Silicon Valley.

Alumni from Berkeley, alumni from the host university, and employees of NVCA member firms are eligible for a 20% discount on tuition. Venture Forward is also proud to offer a limited number of full scholarships to qualified candidates.

For additional VC University LIVE programming dates and details, please visit: https://venturecapitaluniversity.com/live-program.

IMPACT TO DATE:

  • 4 VC University LIVE programs
    • Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (2019)
    • A. B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University (2019)
    • Dedman School of Law and the Cox School of Business at SMU, in Dallas, TX (2020)
    • UNC Kenan-Flager’s Entrepreneurship Center at UNC Chapel Hill, held virtually (2021)
  • 287 participants across 4 programs 

UPCOMING PROGRAMS:

Stay tuned for the next VC University LIVE program.

For additional information, please visit: https://venturecapitaluniversity.com/live-program

Universities who are interested in partnering with Venture Forward and Startup@BerkeleyLaw to bring VC University LIVE to your region should contact us at hello@ventureforward.org.

Venture Forward Scholarship

Venture Forward is proud to offer a limited number of full scholarships to cover the cost of each VC University program.

Aspiring or early-career VCs from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Learn more and sign up for notifications.

OFFICE HOURS & MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Recipients of the full  scholarship to VC University ONLINE receive access to special office hours, as well as the opportunity to participate in a curated 3-month mentorship program. (At this time, these components are not offered to partial scholarship recipients, or VC University LIVE scholarship recipients.)

The mentorship program begins 8 weeks after the course starts. It builds upon the technical education provided by VC University, and offers industry connections, insight, and support. Read more about the positive impact of the VC University Mentorship Program in our Mentoring Forward series.

You can learn more about these components of the Venture Forward Scholarship on the Scholarship Information.

If you are interested in supporting Venture Forward’s scholarship or mentorship efforts, please email Maryam Haque at maryam@ventureforward.org.

SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA & APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidates who are interested in applying for a Venture Forward Scholarship to one of the VC University programs need to review the relevant scholarship information first, to see if they meet the meet the award criteria:

  • VC University ONLINE: Scholarship Information
  • VC University LIVE: Scholarship Information

These documents includes all the necessary details on:

  • Eligibility
  • Criteria and deadlines
  • Advice on making your application the strongest it can be
  • Access to the Scholarship Application itself

IMPACT TO DATE:

VC University ONLINE Scholarships

  • 344 full scholarships and 249 partial scholarships awarded to women, people of color, and people from other historically underrepresented groups
  • In 2022, the full scholarship recipients were:
    • 62% Women or Nonbinary
    • 86% People of Color
    • 20% LGBTQ+
    • 53% based outside California, Massachusetts, or New York.

VC University LIVE Scholarships

  • 59 full scholarships awarded to women, people of color, and people from underrepresented groups:
    • 52% Women or Nonbinary
    • 84% People of Color
    • 18% LGBTQ+
    • 76% based outside California, Massachusetts, or New York.

Lunch & Learn Topics and Speakers

All current and alumni VC University participants have access to the monthly Lunch & Learn webinars. Past topics and speakers have included:

  • LP Insights – Beezer Clarkson (Sapphire Ventures) & Lisa Edgar (Top Tier)
  • Secrets of Sand Hill Road – Scott Kupor (Andreessen Horowitz)
  • Portfolio Construction – Charles Hudson (Precursor) & Renata Quintini (Lux Capital)
  • The Traction Gap – Bruce Cleveland (Wildcat Ventures)
  • Industry Perspectives on VC-Backed Exits and Liquidity – Guru Chahal (Lightspeed Venture Partners); Tim de Kay (Deloitte); Brian Patterson (Gunderson Dettmer)
  • How to Diligence, Value, and Protect Intellectual Property at Startups – Mira Chaurushiya (5AM Ventures); Shahin Farshchi (Lux Capital); Paul Parker (Perkins Coie)
  • Important Public Policy Issues Impacting VCs and Startups – NVCA Policy Team
  • VC AMA – Jeff Clavier (Uncork Capital)
  • How to Build a Successful Career in VC – Kate Mitchell (Scale Venture Partners)
  • The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of VC – Joe Horowitz (Icon Ventures)
  • Emerging VC Fundraising & Fund Management Best Practices During a Downturn – Will Price (Next Frontier Capital) & Seyonne Kang (Greenspring Associates)
  • Breaking into VC – Mahendra Ramisinghani (Secure Octane)
  • VC Perspectives on the Current Environment & Ecosystem Building – Brentt Baltimore (Greycroft), Mike Fernandez (B Capital), and Carmen Palafox (MiLA Capital)
  • Fireside Chat – Arlan Hamilton (Backstage Capital)
  • Barry Eggers (Lightspeed Venture Partners)
  • Greg Sands (Costanoa Ventures)
  • Fireside Chat with Sarah Bhagat (Sofinnova Investments)
  • Discussion with Matt Goldstein & Priyanka Mitra (M12)
  • Fireside chat with Scott Dorsey (High Alpha)
  • Navigating VC as a new fund manager with Winter Mead (Oper8r) and Sara Zulkosky (Recast Capital)
  • The 411 on SPACs with Sandi Knox (Sidley) and Steve Murray (Revolution)
  • Fireside Chat with Jim Healy (Sofinnova Investments)
  • Founder-market Fit, Product-Market Fit, and International Dimensions of Investing with Paul Asel (NGP Capital)
  • Building a Career in VC with Robin Li (GGV Capital) and Otello Stampacchia (Omega Funds)
  • Fund Management Best Practices with Stephan Eberle (Scale Venture Partners), Marc Galletti (Longitude Capital), and Quinn Rotchford (AngelList)
  • Secondary Markets/Transactions & Alternative Liquidity options in August with Kelsey Chase (Aumni), Erik Pena (Silicon Valley Bank), and Andy Trujillo (Carta)
  • VC University Alumni: Where Are They Now? with Sidney Nakahodo (Seldor Capital) and Himalaya Rao-Potlapally (Black Founders Matter)
  • Building Your Brand with Kate Barrett (NEA), Rebecca Buckman (Battery Ventures), and Sue Kwon (formerly Felicis Ventures)
  • Assessing VC Fund Structures with Miles Millard (Assure) and Mac Conwell (Rarebreed Ventures)
  • Special Lunch & Learn with Kate Mitchell (Scale Venture Partners)
  • State of Healthcare VC with Jon Norris (Silicon Valley Bank) and Magdalena Tyrpien (Forge Biologics)
  • Web3 with Cheryl Campos (Republic)
  • Impact Investing & Venture Philanthropy with Christy Chin and Joanna Lichter (Emerson Collective)
  • LP Perspective with Top Tier Capital Partners
  • VC University Alums – Where Are They Now? with Mandy Howard (Foundry) and Aya Spencer (Kapor Capital)
  • Navigating a VC Downturn with Fazeela Abdul Rashid (Revolution Growth) and Misha Kelly (Sensiba San Filippo)
  • Family Offices with Shailesh Sachdeva (SVB Capital)

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Why is advancing the next era of venture capital important?

Venture capital is an American national treasure. It has fueled the advancement of innovation, economies, and people. It has created value, jobs, wealth, and life-changing products and services. Though venture capital as an industry may be young and as an asset class may be small, high-growth startups and their long-term investors have truly changed the world.

To continue the success of the industry’s past 50 years to the next 50 years and beyond, we must expand opportunities for people of all backgrounds to access the venture ecosystem and thrive. We must educate future leaders on best practices and help them learn from the industry’s rich history. We must help firms build strong, healthy cultures and values. We must keep the public and ecosystem informed through qualitative and quantitative insights.

By investing in tomorrow’s leaders today, we shape the next era of venture capital.

Learn More
10,000+

high-growth startups—across all 50 states and DC—raised venture funding in 2019 to build and grow their businesses.

42%

of all U.S. IPOs from 1974 to 2015 were venture-backed companies, representing 63% of the market capitalization and 85% of R&D.

2.9 million

is the average net jobs created annually between 1980 and 2010 by high-growth startups, which account for ~50% of gross jobs created in the U.S.

1,300+

U.S. venture firms are active today, managing an aggregate of $444 billion in assets.

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The Venture Capital Foundation

 

The Venture Capital Foundation is funded through tax deductible contributions that support shaping the future of VC, its narrative, and its legacy.

 

Contact maryam@theventurecapitalfoundation.org to learn more.