Kauffman Fellows Program
From idea to IPO, principal to partner, LP to GP and beyond — the Kauffman Fellows Program helps decision makers become better investors and navigate uncharted territory.
We're anchored by a two-year program designed to radically accelerate innovator success through self-reflection, peer learning, and a structured curriculum.
Learn from the world’s top 1% investors, educators, and innovation leaders
We drive the conversation on industry trends and guide Fellows to lead the way for a greater VC industry.
The Kauffman Fellows Program challenges investors to grow their understanding of the greater venture capital ecosystem and the most meaningful impact they can make with their array of talents.
Two-Year Program Curriculum
We believe that venture capital is one of the most powerful tools for economic development and prosperity. Our mission is to ensure our Fellows, through our education programs and network, acquire and create new skills rooted in venture capital excellence and use those skills to lead meaningful positive change.
Central to our education mission are the skills to help Fellows become effective board members and coaches who provide unique value to entrepreneurs in their portfolio.
We guide Fellows to build category-defining VC firms that consistently produce top-quartile returns and redefine the best industry practice.
Program Details
What it Entails
Four days in SF of NYC consisting of peer-to-peer sessions, speaker-led sessions, and structured and unstructured time for building deep and authentic relationships.
Each year, we organize a Summit in a global hub that serves as an annual reunion of the entire Kauffman Fellows Network, held in compelling innovation ecosystems, to different approaches to venture investing. It marks one of the biggest events for venture capital managers in the world.
Treks are an opportunity to connect and learn more about a specific regional hub such as Singapore, Dubai, Sao Paulo, and others in the future. During a trek, you'll meet entrepreneurs, VCs, and LPs in that region.
Each month, you will meet with your Forum (small groups of 6-7 Fellows who connect in a confidential and trusted environment to facilitate self-directed and supportive learning).
After each module, we offer additional learning opportunities with guest speakers to dive into specific knowledge.
Similar to a mini-thesis, you will select a research topic and deliver a research paper, industry report, investment thesis, a new fund idea, podcast, or blog series.
You will be assigned a mentor from within the Kauffman Fellows Network. This person’s role is to support your Kauffman experience and your professional career. You can discuss issues that affect your career and personal success beyond the acquisition of specific skills and competencies.
Two-Year Program Core Themes
Our Program is centered around five key themes over 25 months.
Structured Modules
Manage Yourself: Self-Awareness & Core Management Skills
Become a thought leader and a role model through self-awareness of your strengths and areas for growth.
Manage Your Deal-Flow: Sourcing, Filtering & Closing Winners
Build a comprehensive investment thesis and strategy aligned with your portfolio construction to give you a competitive advantage when sourcing, filtering, and closing investments with world-changing entrepreneurs.
Manage Your Portfolio: Adding Value to Entrepreneurs
Become a coach and effective board member to provide unique value to entrepreneurs in your portfolio who thrive through your support.
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Manage Your Firm: From Fund to Firm, Firm to Franchise, and Franchise to Succession
Build a category-defining VC firm with your partners that consistently produces top-quartile returns and redefines the best industry practice.
Manage Your Impact: Leadership & Purpose
Change the world by channeling capital, time, and experience towards the innovations that matter.
Class Design
Each class is composed of senior leaders in the capital formation ecosystem from varying areas of expertise. Venture capital investors form the bulk of the class, but we purposefully design a class with investors in a variety of fields such as private equity, family offices, accelerator funds, sovereign wealth funds, corporate venture, and angel networks.
“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.”
“It’s transformative to learn with and from the incredible investors in the Kauffman network. I'm so thankful for our amazing discussion leaders who have helped refine my approach to deal sourcing, portfolio construction, fund strategy, and so much more.”
“I got to pause, reflect, and decide not ‘who I am’ — but who I want to be. It felt almost as if I was invited to rebirth myself, with my adult perspective and all of my experiences. This was life-changing. Re-evaluating who you are and why is a gift.”
“The program has been transformational for me, both as an individual and as a leader. The Kauffman concept of “behavioral fitness” helped me understand that the habits I’m learning are going to set me up for the rest of my career.”