Kauffman Fellows Network
Kauffman Fellows are venture capitalists, angel investors, operators, entrepreneurs, family offices, LPs, accelerators, and ecosystem developers spanning 6 continents and 58 countries.
Collectively, our network has 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.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
SIGs are opt-in groups for Fellows who are interested in a particular topic or sector to get together and learn with one another. SIGs meet monthly in virtual (and some in-person) settings, oftentimes inviting outside industry experts as discussion leaders.
• Climate & Sustainability
• Blockchain & Crypto
• Healthcare
• Women's Group
• Corporate Venture
• Deep Tech
• Limited Partners (LPs)
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Social Impact
• Emerging Managers
A Network 30 Years in the Making
The Kauffman network not only opens doors to co-investment deals, trusted diligence, hiring top talent, and partnership opportunities, but offers a close community of peers to tap into — senior-level investors with vast and varying areas of expertise. Well beyond the two-year program, we support Fellows through ongoing education, special interest groups, regional chapters, and access to capital that keeps them in the industry on average 15 years (three times longer than the industry average).
Regional Chapters
Regional chapters are for Fellows who are based in, invest in, or frequently travel to specific regions around the globe. We organize socially-focused gatherings, with the EU chapter recently hosting a seaside getaway in San Sebastián, Spain, as well as a VC Ski Trip in the Swiss Alps. Regional chapters also plan gatherings around key industry events including SXSW, Money20/20, JP Morgan, Upfront Summit, and others.
• New York
• Chicago
• Texas
• Kansas City
• Canada
• Seattle
• Bay Area
• Los Angeles
• MENA
• Southeast Asia
• Europe
SIG Spotlight: Climate & Sustainability
IMPACT: Kauffman Fellows have been early adopters of planet-positive investing, with around 50 members in our dedicated Climate & Sustainability SIG who have collectively deployed over $300 million annually into green startups.
OVERVIEW: Led by Bennett Cohen (Class 20) and Ali Morrow (Class 25), the Climate & Sustainability SIG meets monthly to develop investment theses, learn from investor and entrepreneur guest speakers, and share deal flow. With each new Kauffman Fellows‘ cohort, the group has grown, reflecting increasing interest and momentum.
VISION: Climate change is disrupting every industry on the planet and billions of lives, and the world has never needed bold solutions as urgently as today. The Climate & Sustainability SIG aims to Increase the overall level and impact of sustainable investing among Kauffman Fellows by infusing the network with global expertise and opportunities, thereby speeding entrepreneurial solutions to the climate and sustainability crises.
“This is a learning network that accelerates 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.”
“Each Fellow is diligently committed to becoming a better human to better serve entrepreneurs around the world. We are mobilizing capital to address various unmet global needs and share the deep core belief that solving the world’s biggest problems will also drive the highest returns.”
“I leverage the KF network almost daily — whether I’m actively asking a question of my classmates or passively listening in and learning in one of the special interest groups or internal chat channels. The network has enabled me to regularly make decisions for myself and my fund that are thoughtful, well-considered, and free of bias.”
“I’ve leveraged the network to be specific around KF’s special interest groups (SIGs). It’s a cross-class, great group of people who meet every month. We have a sub-Slack channel where we constantly compare notes and work on deals together. SIGs are a really actionable way to get a lot out of the network.”
A smart, connected network of investors spanning every corner of the globe.
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