Breaking into Venture — We Are the Change that We Seek
We won’t wait.
Blck VC is thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural program for aspiring venture capital investors: Breaking into Venture (BiV). Our goal is to shine a light on the brilliant VC candidates in our community and equip them with the tools they need to successfully launch their venture capital careers.
For years our community has pushed for the diversification of the venture capital industry. Most black venture investors can recite the diversity statistics of this industry by heart while many of our colleagues have only just acknowledged this issue within the past three weeks. More than 80% of VC firms don’t have a single black investor and the numbers get worse when you filter for black investors who can write checks.
Like a broken record, attempts to justify this glaring lack of representation are often rooted in the notion of a “pipeline problem”, and a misguided belief that there simply aren’t enough high-quality, diverse candidates. The reality is that venture capital hiring processes overwhelmingly take place behind closed doors and within siloed networks. This structure inherently prevents aspiring black investors from having a fair shot a these opportunities.
Program Overview
Our 7-week program is designed to prepare participants for a successful transition into Venture Capital at the Analyst, Associate and Senior Associate levels.
- Curriculum/ Programming: Tailored content and bi-weekly lessons serve as the foundation for scaling the venture capital learning curve. Seasoned investors and industry experts will provide nuanced guidance and insights.
- Hands on Experience: Blck VC is partnering with active venture funds, assigning participants project-based work to refine their skill set and begin to build a track record.
- Individualized Mentorship: Weekly mentor check-ins enable BiV participants to design their personal roadmap into venture capital, receive apprentice-style project feedback, and build their network.
Participant Profile
- Students who graduated from college in Spring 2020, or early career professionals who graduated in 2017, 2018 or 2019
- Ideal candidates have 1–3 years of full-time experience and are actively looking to make the transition into VC
- Individuals who identify as Black or African American
Curriculum Overview
- Creating your VC process
- VC Modeling
- Sourcing & Hunting
- Due Diligence & Market Mapping
Candidates
It’s simple — we want to help you find your next gig in venture. Here’s how it works:
Apply here to be a part of our inaugural Breaking into Venture cohort. The application process is broken into two parts. The first is filling out standard candidate information. The second is submitting a list of 3 companies you would invest in and why –OR– provide us with an investment thesis on a sector of your choice.
With your permission, we will share your profile with funds and help facilitate introductions when/if there is a match.
Application deadline is July 10th, 2020
Firms
If your firm is hiring, let it be known. We want to flood your candidate pool with members of our community who will help your organization thrive. Here’s how it works:
- Upload the job details of the role you are actively hiring for.
- If there is a match, we’ll help facilitate introductions to candidates who have opted in.
- This is a two-way street. We will only share candidate information with firms that have shared details of a role that they are actively trying to fill.
Actions speak louder than words. Diversifying your investment team is a competitive advantage, and we are here to help along the way.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at general@blckvc.com
Make the hire.
Get more BLCK VC news and updates on Twitter and learn more about us on our website. Are you a black investor? You can join our community here!
We are the change that we seek!
