venture.university Reviews 65

Joining VU was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The VC/PE industry is very competitive to get into, and VU offered me a rare chance to learn what it's like to be a VC from every angle and with hands-on experience. I loved every part of it! We met with startup founders, brought deals to Partners meetings, presented to Investment Committees (and each had a voice to help make decisions about cohort investments), and presented in front of 50-100+ syndicate investors each time we found outstanding deals. I would never have had the opportunity to learn (and accomplish) as much as I did, so quickly, and from such bright and experienced teachers, without VU's program.

Through VU, in addition to learning a ton and gaining valuable experience, I was also lucky enough to land a new job in VC/PE. Joining VU does not guarantee you a job automatically, but if recruiting is a priority for you then in my opinion there is no better place to be than in a VU cohort. I learned about my new role through VU, applied with a resume that VU helped me refine, and had great guidance from VU leaders throughout the process to help me best position myself and make the right career decision.

VU leadership wants you to succeed and will be on your side, and the people at VU make the apprenticeship an incredible (and really fun) experience. Be prepared to work hard so that you can get the most out of everything VU offers. I would highly recommend joining VU if you're able to; find a way to make it happen because the opportunity is one-of-a-kind.

Highly recommended and a great way of learning to be a VC. A very engaging and satisfying program led by knowledgeable industry experts and a great team.

It's a super great opportunity to meet and engage with the founders, LPs, GPS, and other VCs.
Learn by doing.

if you learn by doing, there's nothing like this program. You are an acting venture capital team member and challenged to source the highest quality deals possible.

This has to be the fastest, best way to gain real and practical knowledge and experience in the Venture Capital space. I see it as being of great value to allocators looking to invest in the VC space, as well as to individuals seeking careers in VC/PE. The staff are knowledgeable, accessible, and supportive. This is great investment in yourself!

Absolutely loved this program and am super happy I did it. I learned so much and really can't wait to do another cohort.

I learned by doing. There are a few programs for the VC space out there that are more theoretical. I didn't feel that with VU. I was doing more application and it involved the whole process from finding the company, then all the way through funding.

The program also helped me improve my network since I met and worked with people from different backgrounds and regions. It also helped me to learn from different industries since we were looking at and evaluating companies from different areas. I learned a lot in a short time

VU accelerator program is a very well structured and organised apprenticeship program that gives full-time employment like practicing experience, intensive, demanding but in the meantime intellectually and mentally motivating. I really appreciate the VU framework of deal analysing and selection, due diligence, and company valuation, and those VU version templates being particularly useful

VU advanced modules can effectively assist in VC/PE job interview preparation as well as business networking, and now one of my spare-time activities is watching those advanced module records, and those notes taken down being used as a manual

VU is a unique platform that provides access to global startups, accelerators, and investors; VU cohort members with diversified backgrounds can help each look at deals or category verticals from diversified perspectives; and VU's powerful networking function is mostly benefiting for existing cohort members as well as alumni

I really enjoy learning startups created out of country/region specific problem or demand, which makes it differentiate from others and seems as its unique value proposition to me

The VU program is an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to break in, experience what it is like in a traditional VC fund. Everything is at one's fingertips, from connecting to experienced industry professionals and experts to educational videos, templates and materials for learning purposes. Top notch program by top notch people who are looking to disrupt and add further value to the VC industry.

VU has been a fantastic learning experience. It's basically a crash course (VC 101) that gives you exposure to the venture ecosystem. Meeting with startups and founders has opened my mind to the possibilities this world has to offer. Conducting market analysis and making waterfalls gave me a technical perspective on start-ups. I'd recommend this program to newcomers in the venture space.

I enjoyed being part of VUs cohort 10. It was very useful in gaining an inside look at how venture works, build network and explore cutting edge companies from business perspective. Venture is a hard field to break into and I think VU makes it a bit easier in having some foundation and gaining a competitive edge if someone is seeking a role within this space.

The program is exceptional in that it provides invaluable practical experience that you wouldn’t get in a classroom. The modules provide great insights and set you up quickly so you can add value to VU Venture Partners as early as in the first few weeks. The partners have a ton of experience and share as much of it as they can, and the rest of the team is awesome in making you feel part of the VU family from the get-go. Wonderful experience overall that I will be recommending to everyone considering gaining experience in the VC/PE space.

This program far exceeded my expectations! I went from zero venture experience to sourcing thousands of companies and leading deals we've decided to invest in. Despite the program being virtual, I was thoroughly impressed by the detail they've put into developing the agenda for 3 months. You get what you put in! It's no walk in the park, but it sure is worth the time, effort, and energy! You'll gain more hands-on experience in VC than you probably would in your first year at an entry-level position in a fund/corporate firm.

The main improvement I'd say would be for more interview prep or discussion on the job hunt/recruiting process as a whole. Overall, if you're looking to build an incredible network, learn from the best in the industry, and come out with tangible experience, this is the program for you. The skills you learn are incredible but I'm most grateful for this network and community of people that have prepared and inspired me to pursue a career in VC.

VU experience is the way to go, to reach your goals to be a VC. VU's network is a great way to connect with VC world, learn a ton from experiences of Skyler and Andrew. Anyone considering pivoting your career to Venture Capital, I highly recommend joining the VU. The entire VU team are always there to help you grow, and succeed. You will become part of a lifelong community and will see the success together.

VU was an immensely valuable experience to help source and evaluate deals, just like a real VC! I wish I had more time to bring more deals to IC; I stayed for 3 months. Also, I think it might be great for future cohorts to get the syllabus ahead of time (in terms of the lecture topics covered during the Masterclass). Also, I think they'd benefit from more financial modeling/waterfall examples/scenarios/problem sets. Maybe walking them through an entire diligence process at the outset could be helpful. How do you analyze a data room? Also, maybe a mini-lecture on preparing for an IC could be helpful. Come prepared w/ questions during the Masterclass & Modules. Maybe submit them beforehand.

The Venture University program is truly unparalleled in its ability to foster sustained personal & professional growth for each cohort member. This program has proven to be transformational in my career through efficiently and effectively gaining concrete experience, unlocking career and deal opportunities, and building a reliable network.

Benefiting all professional backgrounds and skill levels, this program masterfully integrates the full Venture Capital thought framework and end-to-end deal process through the integration of academic modules and hands-on experience coupled with boundless support and resources. The structure of the program invites and incentivizes each cohort member to grab the reins of their VU journey and personalize their experience. Furthermore, the diversity of thought within the cohort is extraordinary.

If you are considering pivoting your career to Venture Capital, I highly recommend joining the VU Investor Accelerator. Sky, Andrew, Aakash, and the entire VU team are eager to help you learn, grow, and succeed. You will become part of a lifelong community and will reap the benefits for many years to come.

The VU program has been an amazing opportunity to learn and be fully engaged in the VC process. Being a late career move, I was looking for a way into a VC path but it was a challenge to see how and where to jump in at the right level. Working within the VU program has proven to be a great springboard to learn while also leveraging past management and technology consulting experience. The diversity of education and experience levels across the VU team embraces the value everyone brings to the table. The VC immersion, networking and relationships you build is a path for all levels. The daily mentoring from great industry leaders like Aakash, Skyler and Andrew is outstanding. A great career decision and no turning back now!

Venture University is an extremely well run organization and an amazing place to learn about venture capital. Everything from the initial onboarding, program experience, learning resources, and educational format have been top notch. I've been really impressed by the level of detail and attention given to all aspects of the program and everyone on the VU team has been dedicated, approachable, and committed to our success. I highly recommend VU to anyone interested in getting into venture capital. It's a great community to be part of and I fully expect to be connected and work with fellow program alumni for years to come.

So I joined VU as a part of Cohort of 8 with no prior VC/Finance related experience. All I had was passion to learn about VC! VU has more than exceeded my expectations and it’s been the most enriching and productive learning experience I’ve had in my life. Sky, Andrew, Aakash, Arpan, and Faraz are amazing teachers and mentors and every conversation with them is a learning experience. VU provides you with all the resources and connections you need to break into the VC world and develop relationships in the field. I’ve personally benefitted immensely and have developed amazing relationships both at VU and in the VC world in general. I learnt how to source companies, do diligence, and lead the best ones through Investment Committee. You get the experience of what a job at a traditional VC fund would look like with the added benefit of constant advise and mentorship from the GPs Sky and Andrew which is invaluable moving ahead.
I personally sourced for the Frontier tech team and had the opportunity to speak with amazing founders and learn about new industries and innovations on a daily basis. If you want to break into VC or become a better Investor I highly recommend this program as it’s one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.

I have been one of the early participants in VU's Investor Accelerator program (Cohort 2 in late 2018).
It was an amazing experience and the most helpful and most value-added thing I could have done on my way to break into venture capital. Highly praxis oriented, an opportunity to participate in and even lead all stages of the investment process from deal sourcing to execution. Not just the 5 deals we ended up investing in, but also plenty that made it to at least one round in the the investment committee. Where else do you get the chance to go through 3 months of weekly investment committee meetings with 4-5 groups of highly motivated investors (now probably more with locations in New York, Hong Kong) presenting the 2-3 strongest companies in their pipeline. You do the math ...
Sky and Andrew are amazing partners that share their experience every step of the way. Initially I was sceptic, but I am extremely impressed by the wealth of knowledge they are sharing and the genuine interest they have in the success of every single participant in the program.
I recently realized that it has been 2 years now since I started the program and 1.5 years since I started working at a great fund I met while being part of VU's cohort (still feel like being part of VU, it stretches far beyond the 3-month accelerator if you want). I am not sure if I would have made a successful transition into VC without the opportunity at VU, certainly not as fast.
Great program!!! Hightly recommeded!!!