Kauffman Fellows

What Kauffman Fellows does

Kauffman Fellows, operating legally as Center for Venture Education, is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1995 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, that runs a selective two-year education program for rising venture capital professionals. The organization recruits cohorts of VC investors globally and delivers a structured curriculum combining self-reflection, peer learning, and thematic modules on thesis development, deal flow, and public-market navigation, supplemented by in-person regional modules in cities including LA, London, NYC, Dubai, and African and LATAM hubs. Its core product is therefore an education-and-network membership asset rather than a technology platform; supporting products include the Kauffman Fellows Journal, the annual VC Sentiment Survey (260+ fund managers), a searchable Fellow Directory, the Kauffman Fellows Podcast (with Mighty Capital), a re-launched Venture Deals Course (with Techstars), and the Kauffman Fellows Fund I investment vehicle.

The business model is nonprofit in structure: revenue is generated primarily through fellowship tuition and program fees, with financial sustainability supported by Fund I returns and strategic partnerships. The member base has scaled to 1,006 Fellows across 680 VC firms and 62 countries, with 80% at Partner level or above, 60% firm founders, 33% female, and a collective $1T+ AUM. Fellow-backed companies represent approximately 15% of all unicorns as of March 2024 and $329B in exited value, providing the organization's principal brand asset and distribution engine. GTM is community-led: candidates apply through a formal admissions process, are referred by existing Fellows, and remain engaged for life through global events, sector groups, regional chapters, and digital communities. Leadership transitioned in 2024 from Jeff Harbach (7.5-year CEO tenure) to Fernando Fabre (KF 14), a Fellow alumnus.

Name

Kauffman Fellows

Legal name

Center for Venture Education

Website

https://kauffmanfellows.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Kauffman Fellows is a nonprofit (Center for Venture Education) that runs a selective two-year fellowship for venture capital professionals, building a lifelong global network of 1,006 Fellows across 680 VC firms and 62 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Education and Fellowship Programs

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research, Innovation & Fellowship Prep (Labs, Competitions, Publications) (EDAMAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA), Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Venture capital fellowship
• Investor education program
• VC talent development
• Nonprofit executive education
• Venture training network

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Program: The organization operates primarily as a non-profit educational institution providing a two-year fellowship program for venture capital professionals. Revenue is generated through fellowship tuition and related program fees. The organization has also launched Kauffman Fellows Fund I for financial sustainability.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kauffman Fellows runs a two-year, cohort-based fellowship program that recruits, trains, and places emerging venture capital professionals into leading VC firms worldwide. Through a mix of online coursework, in-person immersive sessions, and one-on-one mentorship, the program develops the investment, leadership, and portfolio-construction skills required to succeed as a venture investor. Graduates join a global alumni network of more than 1,000 Fellows placed at 680+ VC firms.

Product overview

Kauffman Fellows is a lifelong learning community for venture capital professionals, offering a two-year education program, a global peer-to-peer network, and research publications including the annual VC Sentiment Survey. The core offering consists of the education program and network access, supplemented by the Journal content platform and Fellow Directory. The organization also operates Kauffman Fellows Fund as an investment vehicle supporting the non-profit's financial sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kauffman Fellows Network: The global network of venture capital professionals who have completed the fellowship program
• Kauffman Fellows Journal
• VC Sentiment Survey

Products and services

• Kauffman Fellows Program A two-year, cohort-based fellowship that recruits, trains, and places emerging venture capital professionals into leading VC firms worldwide through a mix of online coursework, in-person immersives, and one-on-one mentorship. Targeted at early-career investors nominated by sponsoring VC firms and institutional partners.
• Kauffman Fellows Global Alumni Network A lifelong alumni community of more than 1,000 Kauffman Fellows placed across 680+ VC firms worldwide, providing ongoing programming, deal flow, and peer support for venture investors. Available to graduates of the Kauffman Fellows Program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15% of all unicorns as of March 2024 funded by Fellows
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TechstarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Kauffman Fellows and Techstars re-launched the Venture Deals Course, providing educational content on venture capital deal structures and processes.
• Mighty CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to produce the Kauffman Fellows Podcast, exploring what truly makes a great VC investor through expert interviews and industry analysis.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• All Raise: Nonprofit organization focused on increasing diversity and representation in venture capital through mentorship, community, and career-development programs for VC professionals. Most directly comparable to Kauffman Fellows in mission, structure, and target audience.
• VC Lab: Accelerator-style program that helps emerging managers launch their first venture funds, providing training, LP introductions, and community — directly comparable to the firm-building pillar of Kauffman Fellows' curriculum.
• Contrary: Research and education platform producing deep company and industry analysis used heavily by VC professionals; comparable as a knowledge/information layer serving the same audience as Kauffman Fellows.
• On Deck: Community-driven fellowship and education platform that operates tracks for founders, angel investors, and emerging VCs; comparable business model (cohort-based learning + network access) and overlapping audience of VC talent.
• BLCK VC: Nonprofit community focused on increasing representation of Black investors in venture capital through mentorship, networking, and career support — comparable as a mission-driven VC community and education organization.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network and education platform for early-stage founders; co-partner with Kauffman Fellows on the Venture Deals Course. Comparable in combining cohort-based learning with global network effects, though focused on founders rather than investors.
• Y Combinator: Premier startup accelerator with a strong educational curriculum and a global network of founders and investors; comparable as a brand-defining, cohort-based, education-plus-network platform adjacent to the VC ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Antler: Global early-stage VC that runs residency/fellowship programs for founders worldwide; comparable as a fellowship-style talent-development model with international expansion focus and overlap in target VC ecosystem.

Others

• AngelList: Platform for venture fundraising, talent, and deal syndication used heavily by emerging fund managers; adjacent to Kauffman Fellows' mission of supporting new VC talent and fund formation.
• Carta: Cap table management and fund administration platform widely used by VC firms; comparable as ecosystem infrastructure supporting emerging fund managers, complementing Kauffman Fellows' educational offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kauffmanfellows
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kauffman-fellows-program
• Facebookfacebook.com/KauffmanFellows
• Instagraminstagram.com/kauffmanfellows

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kauffman Fellows