Future vc 2021

Future VC is an internship and developmental programme which supports access to the Venture Capital industry.

As well as paid placements at some of the top funds in Europe and the US, participants attend a series of unique masterclasses given by industry leaders that cover key knowledge areas required in VC.

We also provide targeted personal developmental sessions equipping our interns with soft skills that will help them thrive in any professional role, VC or otherwise. Recruiting preparation with interview practice, networking sessions, presenting, and advice from VC executive search specialists is provided to help them find those roles.

Between the placements, masterclasses, personal development sessions, and preparation for job hunting we aim to equip our interns with a complete theoretical and practical understanding of what a career in VC involves and the skills needed to get started. Find out more at www.futurevc.com or click on Apply Now below to get started with your application form.

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Funds that were involved last year

The programme

N

Industry talks and training

N

Two-month paid internship

N

Be part of supportive peer group

N

Coaching for recruitment processes

N

Present to an investment panel

N

Visit start-up hubs across the UK

N

Personal development opportunities and support

N

Build your network within VC and the start-up ecosystem

Impact in 2019

To measure our impact in year one we surveyed our participants skills and knowledge at the start and end of the 5 weeks and ask them to rate their current understanding and skill level out of 10. Scores improved accross 24 areas of development but highlights include:

Confidence to work in VC

Start 6.3

63% 63%

End 8.8

88% 88%

Understanding VC as a career

Start 5.7

57% 57%

End 9.2

92% 92%

Fund Mechanics

Start 4.7

47% 47%

End 8.4

84% 84%

Transaction Economics

Start 4.2

42% 42%

End 8.1

81% 81%

Masterclasses from 2019

As well as paid internships and our investment panel project Future VC delivered learning and development opportunities through our masterclasses:

History of VC – Michael Tefula @michaeltefula
Assessing Founders – Harry Briggs @H4ryB
Fund Mechanics – Suranga Chandratillake @surangac
Transaction Economics – Itxaso Del Palacio @ItxasoLondon
Financial Modelling – Tara Reeves @tarareeves
Due Diligence – Lillian Li @lillianmli
Deep Dives Into New Sectors – Zoe Chambers @ZoeACastro
My Journey Into Vc – Andy Ayim @AndysHVC & Leila Zegna @lrastegar
How We Pick Teams – Akriti Dokania @akritidokania
What’s Next – Aaron Archer @aaron_f_archer
Building A Great Board – Fred Destin @fdestin
Networking & Soft-Skills – Ulrika Werdelin, Holly Bennett, Noa Maxwell, Seth Pierrepont @slpierre

Testimonials

What attracted you to Future VC?

“Before I joined Seraphim Capital, I was told that “it is impossible to break into VC, especially for someone with your background”. This is a common misconception that hundreds of ambitious young professionals hold, especially if they come from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. For this reason, Diversity VC was launched. The interns take part in a side project where they work with an early stage company to mirror the reality of the investor-founder relationships. Furthermore, the interns get to participate in 8 masterclasses offered by partners at London’s leading venture capital firms. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic to hear that I was selected to participate in the first cohort of the Future VC programme.”

– Hassan Sukkar, Seraphim Capital

What’s the most interesting thing you have learnt so far?

“I’ve found the financials interesting (fund mechanics, transaction economics, valuation, market sizing etc.), both from a purely intellectual angle and also on a practical level. However, at the Seed and Series A stage, you’re making decisions based on limited information, and I’ve enjoyed observing how my team members navigate that and find a balance between objective and subjective evaluation.”

– Rumbi Makanga, Episode 1

What advice would you give to anyone looking to participate in the program next year?

The program is competitive, and I imagine it will be even more competitive in the following years. Many people I’ve spoken to can’t believe they got on. My advice would be: apply so you can be one of those people too. And once you’re on the programme make the most of it – it’s a brilliant opportunity.

– Rumbi Makanga, Episode 1

“For aspiring VCs or anyone curious about the industry, Future VC is a truly unique opportunity that enriches you more in 5 weeks than any other internship would. The biggest value is the lasting relationships you build and the network you develop, as VC is a relationship business. The programme itself equips you with deep technical knowledge, hands-on experience as an associate, and skills that maximise your chances of a career in the industry. I couldn’t recommend it any more highly.”

– Akash Bajwa

“We had a brilliant experience working with Charlotte – her enthusiasm, engagement and attention to detail was brilliant. She developed a great relationship with the companies on our program, and is still connected to many of them. She also made some great connections to strong entrepreneurs that weren’t on my radar – which shows the power of the Future VC program.”

Eamonn Carey, TechStars

“We really enjoyed having Rumbi working with us over the summer. She was a keen very capable and enthusiastic member of the team who got stuck in with all the projects we gave her. She was really useful to have with us and we would certainly take another intern
next year.”

– Leah Martin, Episode 1

“A well-structured internship programme that provided a great deal of education and training about VCs to the interns beyond the day-to-day of working with our small VC team.“

– Megumi Ikeda, Connect Ventures

“We are committed to building the best team that we can and diversity is a key part of that as we believe it has a proven impact on creating better outcomes. Our [Future VC] intern provided real value for the duration of the programme; we’re delighted that we could support Diversity VC who work relentlessly to help the industry broaden its reach.”

– Rebecca Nordstrom-Manna, Highland Europe

“We are pleased to have been a participant of the Future VC programme and provide insight into the media industry as well as the world of investments. Our intern quickly become a member of the Sky Startup Investments & Partnerships team and his contribution was very valuable to us.”

– Eva Rez, Sky Startup Investments & Partnerships

Have a question?

If anyone has any questions about applying, being involved in delivering the programme, hiring an intern or sponsorship then you are welcome to contact us via:

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