Leading the Future of Venture Capital

Kauffman Fellows is a lifelong learning community for people who are changing the face of venture capital.

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How We Work
Recruit

We recruit the most talented, diverse, and purpose-driven venture capital professionals rising in their careers to join our Fellowship.



Two-Year Program

We offer them a transformational two-year education program designed to radically accelerate VC success through self-reflection, peer learning, and a structured curriculum.

Network

We give Fellows the best predictor of success in VC—an unmatched network. Fellows stay connected through global events, sector-specific groups, regional chapters, WhatsApp and Slack groups, and more.

"Kauffman Fellows challenged me to strategize on firm building, and I value the guidance from their industry experts. They were supportive in raising a fund and connecting me with numerous LPs."
Austin Clements
 (Kauffman Fellows Class
Class 25
)
Partner
Slauson & Co.
“Kauffman Fellows embraces diversity from many angles and deliberately brings different and important perspectives to the group. Having GPs, LPs, and ecosystem shapers in my class brought incredible value to the discussions.”
Bianca Martinelli
 (Kauffman Fellows Class
Class 21
)
General Partner
Alexia Ventures
“In venture, as in life, there’s no playbook. Conviction and intuition are the most reliable tools — all areas the Kauffman Fellows program focuses on sharpening.”
Varun Malhotra
 (Kauffman Fellows Class
Class 25
)
Partner
Quona Capital
“Kauffman gave me a learning network that accelerated my growth and development every single day. It’s like the global VC mind, on tap, 24/7. Kauffman Fellows has a clear point of view and it’s about better. The best you, the best deal, the best approach.”
Lisa Calhoun
 (Kauffman Fellows Class
Class 23
)
Founding Managing Partner
Valor Ventures

Our Network in Numbers

1006
Fellows Globally
680
VC Firms Represented
15%
Of All Unicorns as of March '24 Funded by Fellows
$329B
Total Value of Fellow-Exited Companies
62
Countries
In-Network
60%
Firm Founders
1/3
Of Fellows are Female
80%
Partner-Level & Above
NETWORK

Defined by our Community

Kauffman Fellows’ global network of top-performing investors have started hundreds of funds, raised and deployed hundreds of billions of dollars in capital, and helped found and pave the way for some of the world’s most groundbreaking companies.

Role
Partner, Growth Equity
Class
Class 22
Company
Bessemer Venture Partners
Role
Class
Class 23
Company
Lux Capital
Role
Class
Class 11
Company
Kleiner Perkins
Role
CEO, Co-Founder and Managing Director
Class
Class 15
Company
Ulu Ventures
Role
General Partner
Class
Class 12
Company
Creandum
Role
Co-founder + Managing Partner
Class
Class 23
Company
Everywhere Ventures
Role
Co-Founder & Managing General Partner
Class
Class 18
Company
MaC Venture Capital
Role
Managing Partner
Class
Class 8
Company
AC Ventures
Role
Managing Director & Co-Founder
Class
Class 12
Company
Sozo Ventures
Role
Founding Partner & Managing Director
Class
Class 26
Company
Cake Ventures

Our framework
for success in venture

Since 1995, we've accelerated the growth of the leading minds in our industry.

We support Fellows through every aspect of innovation investing, from thesis development to human dynamics, deal flow, navigating public markets, and more.

Our Core Pillars

Kauffman Fellows Program Tracks


01

Become a Better Leader

The success of venture capital investors depends on their ability to find, filter, and allocate resources to opportunities that others miss, minimize, or misunderstand. To do this, investors require self-awareness to distinguish patterns, a zone of genius to assess a contrarian view, and a reputation to convince key stakeholders.

02

Become a Better Investor


Outliers and power laws drive venture capital — the few investments that return the entire fund and more. How do you develop the judgment and pattern recognition to identify those exceptional fund-returners early? The best investors consistently source, pick, support, and exit investments in startups that become fund returners. They do this while meeting fiduciary duties, interacting and aligning the interests of entrepreneurs, firm partners, and LPs, respecting and interacting with peers in the industry, and acting ethically, legally, and responsibly.

03

Build a Better Firm

Launching a firm that becomes a franchise requires a cohesive investment thesis and strategy reflected in optimal portfolio construction. It also requires an effective support platform for portfolio companies, strong partnership dynamics, and an aligned firm structure. It only takes the misalignment of one of these gears to break up a partnership.

Building a VC industry that's reflective of society as a whole

Diversity and inclusion are about increasing the number of diverse voices in influential positions that will shape our future. Since our inception, we’ve gathered perspectives from every corner of the globe and are meticulously building a pipeline of investors who represent the fabric of our society.

Kauffman
Fellows
Research

Each year, Kauffman Fellows surveys our network of venture capitalists to gauge their expectations around macro economic factors, capital deployment, and fundraising. Will they invest, raise, and earn more compared to previous years or less? Read our reports to learn more.

VC Sentiment Survey 2024

Sampling of results from survey
of over 260 fund managers

Kauffman Fellows
Program Tracks