About the Fellowship

As supporters of historically underrepresented venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) fund managers over the last decade, we know their pain points around getting access to investors that understand their value proposition.

That is why we’ve created an education platform and support network for emerging managers that has included 75 General Partners (GPs) over the past 4 years. Without this support, emerging managers are slowed down or prevented from making timely investments into diverse startup founders that are tapped into local and regional markets. Our alumni are all committed to impactful investments that create jobs, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and inclusive sustainability.

Many historically underrepresented GPs have their finger on the pulse of opportunities that many institutional investors have overlooked.

Institutional investors see the opportunity to partner with VC Include as a built-in force multiplier to their investment strategy, as they begin to understand the huge opportunity to identify and invest in high growth, high potential diverse founders.

“The VC Include Fellowship to support historically underrepresented impact fund managers is long overdue. We’re honored to lead the charge in growing best-in-class fund managers and measuring positive impact over the coming decades.”

– Bahiyah Yasmeen Robinson

See What Our Fellows Have to Say

One of the best ways to better understand the Fellowship for Impact Fund I Managers is by listening to the experiences of our fellows.

With a balanced mix of educational training, community building, and investment industry network exposure and support, the program provides a well-rounded understanding of the journey of building a fund.

Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

Fellowship FAQs

The core 10 week Fellowship program runs from Tue May 14, 2024 through Tue July 16, 2024. There will be an in-person Graduation in early Fall, likely in Washington, DC. Post graduation, Alumni Fellows are expected to have bi-monthly check-ins with the VCI team so we can track your progress and tailor our support.
The time commitment during the core Fellowship is approximately 4-6 hours per week for the duration of the program (between 35 to 50 hours total over the 10 week program).
The only required travel will be to Washington, DC, for the 2024 Fellowship Graduation (to be held early Fall 2024 preceding the INCLUDE Conference). Fellows will be expected to cover their travel expenses, however, the registration fee for the INCLUDE Conference will be complimentary for Fellows who successfully complete the 2024 Fellowship.
Sessions will be held every Tuesday and Thursday, and the occasional Wednesday for approximately 2-3 hours of interactive time each day, plus assignments. GPs are expected to attend all sessions.
For the 2024 Cohort, we expect to admit approximately 12-15 funds.
No, you do not need VC/PE industry experience to be considered for the Fellowship. However, you do need to have investment experience – such as having been an angel investor. The VCI Fellowship focuses on fund managers who are actively in the process of raising, or in the process of launching, a VC or PE fund.
Your fund must be domiciled in the United States in order for you to be eligible for the fellowship. However, your fund may invest in other countries.
Although there is no tuition charged for the 2024 Fellowship, there is an administrative fee of $2,500 per fund to be paid by the selected participants. If there is an issue with being able to pay this fee, please explain in your application.