Venture Fellows Program Announces its Largest Class to Date

Georgetown McDonough’s Venture Fellows Program, which provides students interested in venture capital (VC) with a year-long appointment at a local firm, announced its largest class to date and record-breaking participation from firms. 

The Venture Fellows Program recently announced its seventh and largest class to date that, for the second year, includes undergraduate students in addition to MBA students. Selected from the largest and most competitive applicant pool yet, 15 MBA students and five undergraduates successfully underwent an extensive application process and multiple interviews to secure their spot. Similarly, there was record-breaking participation from 15 venture capital firms this year. 

The program was founded in 2014 as a collaboration between the McDonough MBA Program and Georgetown Entrepreneurship. Students pair up with top-tier venture capital firms for up to 10 hours per week during the spring semester. The fellowship turns into a full-fledged internship by summer, and then resumes a part-time schedule during the fall semester. While the program formally concludes in December, several students often are asked to continue with their respected companies following graduation. Others receive academic credit for their work or secure similar full-time venture capital and investment positions. 

“Students get to learn directly from real investors. They get to be part of the process, making decisions, doing due diligence, making investments, and helping to grow portfolio companies,” said Jeff Reid, founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative and professor of the practice. “One of the biggest elements is that they are right there in the mix.”

The 2021 Georgetown firms include:

• Billion Dollar Fund for Women/Beyond the Billion 
• Blu Venture Investors
• Fusion Fund
• Georgetown Angel Investor Network (GAIN)
• Greenspring Associates
• Lavrock Ventures
• LegalTech Fund
• New Stack Ventures
• Paladin Capital
• Purple Sage
• Revolution – Rise of the Rest Fund
• Scout Ventures
• Squadra Ventures
• TDF Ventures 

“The Partners at Blu Venture Investors are enthusiastic fans of the Venture Fellows program and recognize our Venture Fellows as key contributors to our investment review and decision process,” said J.S. Gamble, co-founder and managing principle of blue Venture Investors and adjunct professor. “Each year we look forward to meeting a new cohort of talented candidates.”