What does a Venture For America Fellow do?
Venture For America fellows receive top-notch job-related training and then work for two years at high-growth startups in in-need cities, where they contribute to their companies' success while developing their entrepreneurial skill set.
Venture For America fellows receive top-notch job-related training and then work for two years at high-growth startups in in-need cities, where they contribute to their companies' success while developing their entrepreneurial skill set.
The Process:
There are four significant periods in any fellow’s tenure with Venture For America:
There are four significant periods in any fellow’s tenure with Venture For America:
- Application and Selection: Fellows are selected for excellence and alignment with Venture For America’s values by a team of high profile supporters.
- Company Matchmaking and Placement: After being accepted, fellows are paired with several companies that match their interests and skillsets. Fellows then interview with these companies until finding an opportunity that most fully benefits both the fellow and partner company.
- Training Camp: Prior to beginning their new jobs, all fellows participate in a 5 week training program where they will learn job-related skills while working with real, local businesses at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
- Fellows Begin Work and Community Involvement: After completing Training Camp, fellows move to their new cities and begin their jobs. But the fellow experience is much more than simply working at awesome, high growth startups! During their tenure, fellows get involved in the community, make big things happen at work, and have fun!
Application and Selection
The Venture For America application and selection process is designed to ensure future fellows are ready to support the mission from both ideological and practical perspectives
Mission and Value Alignment: Candidates are screened for their understanding and alignment with the Venture For America mission statement and values.
Qualifications: Candidates must demonstrate they have the necessary qualities that distinguish successful entrepreneurs and start-up leaders, including intelligence, creativity, leadership and technical know-how.
Prerequisites: All candidates must have a bachelor's degree, at least a Undergraduate 3.0 GPA, and US Citizenship, Nationality or Permanent Resident Status.
The Venture For America application and selection process is designed to ensure future fellows are ready to support the mission from both ideological and practical perspectives
Mission and Value Alignment: Candidates are screened for their understanding and alignment with the Venture For America mission statement and values.
Qualifications: Candidates must demonstrate they have the necessary qualities that distinguish successful entrepreneurs and start-up leaders, including intelligence, creativity, leadership and technical know-how.
Prerequisites: All candidates must have a bachelor's degree, at least a Undergraduate 3.0 GPA, and US Citizenship, Nationality or Permanent Resident Status.
Company Matchmaking and Placement
The Company Matchmaking and Placement process ensures that fellows are ultimately paired with companies where their unique talents and skillsets correlate with company needs to create a great, mutually beneficial fit. Here’s how it works:
Collection of Fellow Preferences and Skillsets: Venture For America staff will reach out to newly accepted fellows to better understand their interests and talents. This includes the partner cities a fellow is most interested in, as well as the potential roles a fellow could fill. This information is then used to create...
Company—Fellow Matches: Fellows are ‘introduced’ to Venture For America partner companies based on potential fit. Each fellow is pitched to several different companies, and may request additional introductions as well. From here, Fellows go through several iterations of the…
Interview Process: Fellows are responsible for independently arranging their interview process with their company matches. Generally, companies will conduct a brief phone interview to determine whether a fellow is a good candidate. If they are, the company will pay to bring the fellow out for an on-site where they determine whether or not they would like to extend an offer to the fellow. Venture For America staff is available during this process to assist fellows in sharpening their interview skills.
Company Offers: It is the Fellow’s right to accept or reject any offer.
The Company Matchmaking and Placement process ensures that fellows are ultimately paired with companies where their unique talents and skillsets correlate with company needs to create a great, mutually beneficial fit. Here’s how it works:
Collection of Fellow Preferences and Skillsets: Venture For America staff will reach out to newly accepted fellows to better understand their interests and talents. This includes the partner cities a fellow is most interested in, as well as the potential roles a fellow could fill. This information is then used to create...
Company—Fellow Matches: Fellows are ‘introduced’ to Venture For America partner companies based on potential fit. Each fellow is pitched to several different companies, and may request additional introductions as well. From here, Fellows go through several iterations of the…
Interview Process: Fellows are responsible for independently arranging their interview process with their company matches. Generally, companies will conduct a brief phone interview to determine whether a fellow is a good candidate. If they are, the company will pay to bring the fellow out for an on-site where they determine whether or not they would like to extend an offer to the fellow. Venture For America staff is available during this process to assist fellows in sharpening their interview skills.
Company Offers: It is the Fellow’s right to accept or reject any offer.
Training Camp
The Venture Fellow Training Camp, which takes place in Summer 2013, will consist of readings and discussions, as well as lectures and meetings with seasoned investors and entrepreneurs. Venture Fellows will be given real businesses to assist during the Training Camp, and will gain practical skills in order to be able to contribute immediately. The goals of the Venture Fellow Training Camp are as follows:
The Venture Fellow Training Camp, which takes place in Summer 2013, will consist of readings and discussions, as well as lectures and meetings with seasoned investors and entrepreneurs. Venture Fellows will be given real businesses to assist during the Training Camp, and will gain practical skills in order to be able to contribute immediately. The goals of the Venture Fellow Training Camp are as follows:
- Provide each Fellow with job-related skills to enable them to quickly be productive for an early stage company
- Train each Fellow in the ethos of entrepreneurship and job creation
- Engender relationships and collective identity among the Venture Fellows
- Financial Analysis/Modeling (Excel)
- Project Management
- Sales
- Use of Social Media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Foursquare, etc.)
- Search Engine Optimization/Marketing
Fellows Begin Work and Community Involvement
Compensation and Benefits: Fellows receive a full salary plus comprehensive health benefits. Fellows are fully employed by their host company and receive health benefits through their employer. Each Fellow earns a salary of between $32,000 – $38,000 per year depending on their placement city. All Fellowship programs and benefits are provided at no charge to each Fellow.
Growth Potential: Unsurprisingly, many fellows have excelled at their placements, and have been rewarded for their success. These rewards have included equity in their organizations, increased responsibility, and official promotions.
Community Involvement: Fellows are encouraged to look beyond their own job responsibilities and take ownership of their new city environments. Venture For America encourages these socially minded pursuits through the Innovation Fund.
A Great Time in a New City! Fellows all move to their new cities in groups and spend significant time getting to appreciate all that their new surroundings have to offer.
Compensation and Benefits: Fellows receive a full salary plus comprehensive health benefits. Fellows are fully employed by their host company and receive health benefits through their employer. Each Fellow earns a salary of between $32,000 – $38,000 per year depending on their placement city. All Fellowship programs and benefits are provided at no charge to each Fellow.
Growth Potential: Unsurprisingly, many fellows have excelled at their placements, and have been rewarded for their success. These rewards have included equity in their organizations, increased responsibility, and official promotions.
Community Involvement: Fellows are encouraged to look beyond their own job responsibilities and take ownership of their new city environments. Venture For America encourages these socially minded pursuits through the Innovation Fund.
A Great Time in a New City! Fellows all move to their new cities in groups and spend significant time getting to appreciate all that their new surroundings have to offer.