Rak Garg’s Post

It's been a year since I began exploring a career in venture capital (VC). Initially, I talked to people outside the industry, which didn't lead me anywhere. However, I soon started building meaningful connections with those who've successfully navigated this path. I made an invaluable connection with Maulik Mehta, a Senior Associate at Arc Ventures in New York. With his extensive experience in VC and a genuine passion for supporting innovative startups, Maulik has been a dynamic friend and mentor, guiding me with insights and advice on breaking into the VC world. This interview discusses how to break into the venture capital industry. We talk about what makes you stand out, share tips for getting started, and highlight the importance of internships. We address common challenges and offer advice for overcoming them, especially for those from non-traditional backgrounds. We explore the skills VC firms look for and the role of mentorship. We also touch on emerging trends in VC and share valuable lessons learned. Give it a listen; I hope it helps those navigating the VC journey: https://lnkd.in/e8aKTqWJ #venturecapital #careers #vc #startupinvesting

We’re honored to have Uriridiakoghene (Ulili) Onovakpuri, Managing Partner at Kapor Capital, join us on Mission Driven. 🎉 At Kapor, Ulili leads investments in the health tech and people operations tech companies. She is also the founder of Kapor Capital’s Fellows program, the longest running venture capital internship program for underrepresented individuals. Previously, she served as Director of Global Programs at Village Capital, a global accelerator program and venture capital firm. Ulili received her MBA with a concentration in Health Sector Management from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She is a native San Franciscan and a proud UC Berkeley Alum. 🐻 In the episode, Ulili digs in to investing with an impact lens, including how to combat the perception that impact investing doesn’t lead to enough deal flow or returns. She also shares more about some of the investments she has led and growing up in the Bay Area. Finally, Ulili discusses tips for founders raising venture capital, including how to make the right choice in investor partnerships. 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ghnyjE-H Mission Driven is a conversation about startup founders on a mission to address the world’s biggest challenges and how they leverage their social mission for competitive advantage. If you liked this episode, please share and tag us: Better Ventures Uriridiakoghene (Ulili) Onovakpuri Kapor Capital #missiondriven #impactinvesting #oakland #podcast #startup #venturecapital

An Insider's Guide On How to Land Your First VC Role. Landing a role in the venture capital industry is fiercely competitive due to the catch-22 of needing experience to gain experience, which is especially pronounced in VC where most candidates lack the capital, access, or relationships to break in. However, this post provides insights from investors who successfully found their way into VC and highlights what established investors look for when searching for new talent. The truth is, despite how daunting it might appear, there are multiple paths into the VC world, though it remains challenging. For those short on time, the main takeaway is that breaking into VC requires persistence and creativity in gaining relevant experience and building the necessary connections within the industry. - Go niche and specialize in one or two core VC functions combined with deep expertise in a specific space/business model to stand out. - Differentiation is crucial as founders choose whom to bring to their cap table in an increasingly competitive market. - Have a clear "why" and passion for the craft of venture investing that will sustain you. - Start doing VC work informally before getting a formal role, like angel investing or advising startups, to build experience and credibility. - Building relationships and networking with investors, founders, and experts is vital in the relationship-driven VC world. Read more in the attached document 👇 Are you looking to break into VC? - Join the VC Crafters's slack community to learn, network and craft a path to venture capital:https://lnkd.in/gby478Up 🚀 Check out our free newsletter for more insights: https://lnkd.in/dqZj4q_j If you found this useful, please like, comment, and share so it reaches others aiming to break into VC. . Source: Signature Block #startups #venturecapital #jobs #analyst #vc #summerinternship #summerinternship2024 #indiastartups #usa #usajobs #siliconvalley #associate #fundraising #vcfunding #vcs #internshipopportunity #internshipjourney #vc #jobs

🎊 I’m starting my journey into the world of Venture Capital! 🎊 Last year, I interviewed for Creator Fund on a whim, curious if I was cut from the cloth of a venture capitalist. Although I progressed far within the interview process, it unfortunately wasn’t meant to be. However, that whet my appetite for what the world of Venture Capital might hold for me. I'm thrilled to share that I am a part of Cohort III of the London Venture Capital Network's Fellowship—an immersive 12-week program designed to equip aspiring investors with the knowledge, networks, and skills essential to excel in the dynamic world of venture capital. Over the course of this programme, I will be: Understanding the inner workings of both startups and VC firms. Gaining extensive exposure to industry experts. Developing a personal investment thesis. Connecting with VC Partner firms for internship opportunities. Building a long-lasting community of like-minded individuals committed to positive development in the venture capital ecosystem. Giving back to the VC ecosystem once the program concludes. Building PuffiN Mental Health and NexaCath has taught me that I love working with founders, and am unreservedly passionate about Femtech, Mental Health Tech, and Medtech. This experience within Venture Capital will undoubtedly bring a different level of understanding and engagement with these sectors. Any advice on someone starting their VC journey is very much appreciated, let me know in the comments below! #venturecapital #venturecapitalist #investing #medtech #femtech #mentalhealthtech #innovation #vc #vcfunding

🌟 Venture Institute Learning Program - A Game Changer! 🌟 It is the last week of my engagement into the inaugural cohort of  VC Lab’s Venture Institute program. I'm truly amazed at the depth and breadth of knowledge I've gained. Here is a snapshot of what I learned during the program: 1️⃣ Power Law & VC: Unraveled the mystery behind the Power Law and its pivotal role in driving the VC industry. It's fascinating to see how a single principle can shape an entire industry's dynamics. 2️⃣ Defining VCs: It's not black and white! Delved into the nuances of what truly constitutes a VC firm and what doesn’t. Trust me, it's not as straightforward as it seems! 3️⃣ VC Organization & Revenue Streams: Gained insights into the intricate organizational structures of VC firms and how VCs make money.  4️⃣ VC Processes - A Deep Dive: From managing LP relationships to detailed reporting, from sourcing deals to strategizing exits, and from crafting investment theses to executing portfolio strategies - this program covered it all. 5️⃣ Career Opportunities for Aspiring VCs: Explored the list of professional avenues available in the VC world. I feel supercharged to chart out my future career plan in this domain! 6️⃣ Collaboration & Networking: The cherry on top! Had the privilege to learn from and collaborate with some of the most inspiring peers and mentors in the industry. The connections I've made are invaluable. The last part of our engagement was performed in groups and I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for our amazing team Amber Cher, Angelo Masullo, Hassnain C., Luca Ruggeri, Oliver Bonallack, Paschal Offordum, Sara Dotto, Sebastian Kwiecien! Blasters you are the top! 🔥 A huge shoutout to the entire team at Venture Institute (Adeo Ressi, Myrto Lalacos, Nils De Jonghe, Mike S. to name a few) for curating such a comprehensive and enlightening program. If you're looking to dive deep into the world of Venture Capital, this is the place to be! 🚀 https://lnkd.in/dPKfaSnA #VentureCapital #Learning #Networking #Growth #VentureInstitute

It's been a pleasure to have Aldous Roidl intern with dmg ventures over the past 8 weeks. He's been a huge help with several projects and has brought a different perspective from his past experiences, especially his prior internship at a similar fund in Singapore. 🖊️ Aldous has written up a summary of his learnings from dmg ventures and his thoughts on venture capitalism more broadly, which is well worth a read. #internship #startups #venturecapital #investing #careers

Did you know that Bain produces more founders than any other business per capita? An analysis by OnDeck found that 8% of former Bain & Company employees start their own venture. And this analysis only includes founders. There are even more Bainies that LEAD great ventures! Future Back Ventures by Bain & Company portfolio company HIVED includes Bain Alum James Mattinson on the leadership team, who shared:  “Joining Bain early in my career jumpstarted my trajectory and continues to fundamentally inform who I am as a leader today. My experience at Bain successfully set me up for a lot of challenges that have come with building one of Europe’s fastest growing startups.” Bainies make GREAT entrepreneurs. Which is why Future Back Ventures is investing in Bain alumni-led companies. 🚀

Over the past 9 weeks, I’ve had the honor to learn a tremendous amount about venture capital and the startup ecosystem as one of just 10% of over 2,000 applicants accepted into the very first cohort of VC Lab's Venture Institute program. Throughout this program, I had the opportunity to work both individually and as a team with accomplished professionals and motivated entrepreneurs from around the world. We learned about the basics of the Venture Capital industry, identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, structuring and negotiating VC deals, and explored the complexities of the relationship Venture Capitalists share with their Limited Partners and the Portfolio Companies they invest in. One of the highlights of the program was the process of writing an industry-based research paper with my program working group; We investigated the role of government venture capital initiatives in supporting start-ups and SMEs, particularly in small peripheral economies (SPEs) through conducting research and interviews. I'm so grateful to Adeo Ressi, Myrto Lalacos, and the entire VC Lab team for all the work and attention put into this program. I would also like to thank my amazing team members (Natalie Pan, Catherine Liang, Wesley K., Vrushali Gaud, Mukayi Kuveya, Sylvia Huang, Silvia Pascual, and Djamiou Ohounko (Baba)🚀 ) for all their hard work and dedication throughout the course of this program. Finally, a special thank you to all the interviewees who participated in our study and shared their valuable experiences and insights with us. If you're interested in a career in Venture Capital or would just like to learn more about the industry, I highly recommend the VC Lab's Venture Institute program. It's a great way to learn the fundamentals of the industry, develop necessary skills and knowledge, and network with ambitious professionals from all over the world. To apply for Venture Institute 2: https://lnkd.in/ecA9CKxN To learn more about VC Labs: https://govclab.com/ #VentureCapital #VClab #VentureInstitute #Investment #Entrepreneurship #Startups #VCAccelerator 

Placement season is a confusing place to be in    Multiple companies are coming to campus, most of the best companies being lined up on the same day, thus making it hard to choose to go to the company that you like    When I was sitting for my final placements in December, there were investment banking, consulting, and investing roles to choose from. A venture capital firm had come to the campus for the first time. While IB and consulting involved known companies and well-defined roles with clearly defined career paths, venture capital was new to me    I have been investing in public markets for the past 4 years and having interned at a hedge fund that followed the value investing approach, I had became an ardent follower of value investing. Moreover, the IPO of loss-making companies destroying retail investor wealth and several startup scams uncovering made me hesitant to join venture capital. But still being 22, I wanted to try out something new and challenge myself.    It's been 2 months since I joined WEH Ventures and I believe I have been able to make the right decision. I have met over 50+ founders, worked on an investment deal, and have been able to get some useful mentoring from the partners Deepak and Rohit at the firm    These past few months helped me to understand that venture capital funding is much more people driven and about trusting founders early in their journey. The equity stake helps to adequately compensate for their trust. Secondly, evaluating startups is much more difficult and requires an in-depth analysis. It requires you to understand each aspect of the value chain.   Being in VC also has its perks, it allows you to be at the forefront of innovation in sunrise sectors. In the last 2 months, I have been able to interact with companies that are building in sectors such as space, water, solar, EV, GenAI, and so on. It also provides you with work-life balance as compared to other finance jobs    Hopefully, this will help people to make a more informed decision about entering the VC space than I was able to

I'm changing the face of venture capital, and I'm doing it with an incredible group of people! I'm thrilled to share that I'm part of the Included VC Class of 2023, a fast-track MBA for venture capital for extraordinary leaders. This global fellowship is diversifying the venture capital industry to attract and support a wider range of founders. It may not come as a surprise that the venture capital industry is largely underrepresented of people who look like me. As a Black woman, I intimately understand the challenges that come with being a minority in this industry. But I'm passionate about the potential of tech and entrepreneurship to transform societies and ultimately the world. That's why I believe it is so important to ensure that businesses with strong growth potential, regardless of the founder's gender, ethnicity, or disabilities, have the resources to scale. Otherwise, we risk stifling growth and innovation. Included VC is on a mission to change the stats that frankly I’m personally very tired of reading! 😞 I’ve been fortunate enough to support brilliant founders from all walks and life and know firsthand that talent is all around us but opportunity is not distributed equally, let's change that! A huge shoutout to the venture capital partners and sponsors supporting this mission: 🚀 Chris Tottman 🚀 Stephen Millard 🚀 Notion Capital 🚀 Seedcamp  🚀 BITKRAFT Ventures 🚀 CREANDUM 🚀 daphni 🚀 European Investment Fund (EIF) 🚀 K FUND 🚀 HSBC 🚀 HV Capital 🚀 Mouro Capital 🚀 Mangrove Capital Partners 🚀 M12 - Microsoft's Venture Fund 🚀 Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati 🦄 None of this would be possible without the vision, grit and determination of Nikita Thakrar and Anu Panesar, the two women leading this change! 💫 If you want to be part of this movement or are interested in learning more drop me a message! In the meantime, watch this space! 😉 #startups #tech #investment #venturecapital #entrepreneurship