Venture Fellow Program

The AV fellowship program is a great way to build foundational knowledge of venture capital. It's deliberately more structured than other programs—offering a unique balance between classroom-like learning and hands-on deal experiences. To me, what matters most are the relationships you make through the program. Even after the program has ended, they can help open doors to a traditionally opaque industry, and you'll always be part of the VFP family.

The VFP gave me an opportunity to learn different VC models and practical frameworks on deal/start-up evaluations. I got to evaluate and expand my knowledge in other industries, and most importantly, build close working relationships with the Blue Ivy Ventures team and across the AV network. In the midst of the program, I decided to start my own company in the blockchain analytics space. The venture investing experience from AV helped me think through how to fund-raise for my start-up and even evaluate strategic investors to bring on board. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

My four years in venture have been anything but traditional. When I joined Republic, a startup that sits in the intersection between venture capital and startups, the venture capital space was uncharted terrain for partnerships and growth. The Alumni Ventures Fellow program was critical to my early years, understanding how the game was played and giving me access to a network of peers I admired. It also gave me a way to give back to the Harvard community while exploring my investment thesis. Grateful for the experience!

I had such a wonderful experience in the AV Venture Fellow Program! It was a great way to get training on the foundations of venture capital and gain hands-on experience with sourcing, due diligence, and supporting the deal teams. The networking opportunities were particularly invaluable and I felt very supported by everyone at AV. My experience definitely reinforced my interest in pursuing full-time roles and I would highly recommend the program to anyone with an interest in VC.

I'm truly grateful to VFP not only because the program was well run and delivered everything that it promised, but most importantly because it gave me so many new perspectives through the fantastic AV fund teams and venture fellow community. It showed me all the possibilities out there and fundamentally shifted how I viewed my career, including taking bold steps to become a startup operator. Thank you, AV!

The VFP was an instructional experience that helped me become an investor. The Venture Fellow Program’s curriculum and support for aspiring investors provided me with a much-needed playbook. Through different technical sessions, ranging from sourcing 101 to diligence and term sheets, I gained an understanding of how to think like a financial investor. More importantly, I had the opportunity to collaborate with principals on the Green D fund, and experience the investing process. Overall, my experience with Green D encouraged me not only to transition into the industry but also to focus on early-stage deals.