By Courtney Buie Lipkin, Partner at Susa Ventures
Today we’re excited to open applications for the 2021 Venture Fellows program. Last year we were fortunate to get to work with thirteen incredible Fellows on sourcing, diligence, and post-investment support. We can’t wait to meet our next cohort of aspiring venture investors. Over the course of five months, fellows receive 1:1 mentorship from the Susa partnership and build a track record alongside us as we invest in the best technology entrepreneurs in the business. The Fellowship also includes bi-weekly programming on topics like fund economics, fireside chats with Susa portfolio founders, and connections to mentors in the industry.
Our work building the Venture Fellows program stems from Susa’s mission to leave the venture industry better than we found it. We believe VC should be a meritocracy that funds the best ideas and teams. This means we need to create more transparent and accessible pathways into the industry for a new and more diverse generation of investors.
We couldn’t be more excited about what the Venture Fellows have accomplished so far. Already, Fellows have joined venture funds, including our very own Derick En’Wezoh on Team Susa!
The Fellows have also launched the first Susa Fellows Fund, a diverse, cross-industry group of operators turned investors whose combined expertise offers high-impact value to seed-stage companies. The Fund aims to reshape the composition of venture by identifying and supporting a generation of transformative, mission-driven, market-defining entrepreneurs, no matter who or where they are.
This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to welcome the next cohort of Venture Fellows into the Susa Family, apply today!
While there are many amazing programs for angel investors, this will be the most dedicated and involved program for people who know they want to be a venture capital investor.
FAQ
How long will the program be?
Five months, September 21, 2021 — February 22, 2022
When is the application deadline?
11:59pm PT on August 1, 2021
Where can I find the application?
Applications are now closed.
Who should apply?
Any aspiring venture capital investor, within the US or Canada, regardless of educational background, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, upbringing, or professional experience.
How many Venture Fellows will there be?
8–10
What is the time commitment for this program?
This is a part-time, but very involved, program. The more Fellows put into it, the more they will get out of it. Fellows will meet as a group once every other week for two hours, in addition to one-off diligence meetings with the Susa investors based on the pace of deals, likely 5 hours per week during PST working hours. This program will be entirely virtual.
Will Venture Fellows be compensated?
Venture Fellows will receive a monthly stipend to compensate for hours they may need to take off from work.
If you’d like to learn more, you can read about the origins of this program here.
Applications Open For 2021 Susa Venture Fellows Cohort was originally published in Susa Ventures on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.