Tackling the cold start problem: resources and advice to Break into VC

I’ve been working on transitioning into VC roles to help funds evaluate AI start-ups (pre-investment) and then support the fund’s portfolio companies on growth (post-investment). While it’s still a work in progress, here are advice and resources that have helped me on this journey! 

• Please note: I have no affiliation with any resources shared here.

Programs to Help you Break into VC

Two (free) programs, the Venture Partners Fellowship (VPF) and the Venture Institute of VC Lab, have helped me better understand how VCs make money and how funds work. 

• Natalie Neptune compiled a list of 40+ (other) training programs to help you break into VC.

• Tian Shi compiled a list of 150+ VC fellowships (!) available for undergraduate, graduate/MBA, and global students.

Follow VCs on LinkedIn to Get More Advice

I’ve started following investors on LinkedIn to learn about industry trends and events, the advice they share, and the posts they like and comment on. No connection requests are required!

• One prominent VC in the space who offers daily (!) advice for aspiring VCs is Nicole DeTommaso. She also publishes a newsletter, "VC Demystified,” – and has recently shared a 40+ "VC 101" guide on all things VC, including how to think about due diligence, product-market fit, and market sizing.

Attend Events to Meet VCs

Here are a few great ways to meet investors:

• Start-up pitch competitions

• Accelerator Demo Days

• Women’s Venture Summit in San Diego (September 2024) will have many VCs in attendance.

• LATechWeek events, especially if they're hosted by VCs -- or touch on VC-related topics

I share more advice on where to meet investors (originally geared for founders) on this blog.

Subscribe to Newsletters for VCs by VCs

When VCs author newsletters, they're not only sharing what they're looking for, which can help you share targeted deal flow with them as a way to build a connection, but those newsletters may also include events they're hosting/attending and even jobs they're hiring for -- or their network is hiring for!

These include:

• GoingVC newsletter

• John Gannon's VC jobs newsletter and website

I hope this helps you on your journey! Good luck.

You may also like:

• • Advice for (Aspiring) VCs on Creating a Market Map

  • Primary's Definitive Guide To VC Career Growth and its Investor Development Guide, a VC Career Ladder, also referenced in the same article. (Maryam Haque shared this as part of VC University.)

  • Succeeding in Venture Capital as an Introvert, by Hunter Walk. (Maryam Haque shared this as part of VC University.)

  • How to Build a Personal Brand in the World of Venture Capital, by Bram Berkowitz for the goingVC blog

  • Part-Time Venture Capital (Keep your Dayjob): How to act and think link a VC part-time, before you get the job..., by Joel Palathinkal