Darden Venture Fellows 2022-23

Batten Institute

Batten Institute - Darden Venture Fellows Program

Darden Venture Fellows Program

WHAT IS THE DARDEN VENTURE FELLOWS PROGRAM? This program offers Darden students a unique, intensive ten-week summer internship experience with a top venture capital firm. Darden MBAs have the opportunity to apply for selection by a sponsoring VC firm through which students may work in an investing role, an operating role within one of the fund’s portfolio companies, or a blend of the two. The purpose of this program is to give current students hands-on experience, mentorship, coaching, and a rich network of connections to support their aspirations to pursue entrepreneurship or venture capital after graduation.

WHO'S IT FOR? Darden students between their First and Second years at Darden.

WHEN IS IT? For 10 weeks during the summer.

WHERE IS IT? Various locations.

HOW DO I APPLY? The application process for summer 2024 fellowships will be announced in Fall 2023.

> Accepted Fellows: submit the funding request form.

Please direct questions to Ellie Toth (Assistant Director of Employer Engagement and Recruiting, Darden Career Center)

  • Benefits & Timetable

    Benefits

    • 10-week summer fellowship with a VC firm and/or one of their portfolio companies
    • Supported and administered by the Venture Capital Initiative
    • Sponsored by principals from leading VC firms
    • $8,000 (max.) matching stipend from the Batten Institute and the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management
    • $8,000 (min.) compensation from sponsor/portfolio company

    Timetable

    • Application window: 1 December - 16 December 2022 at 3:00 PM EST.

    • Selection interviews: 17 - 31 January 2023

    • Darden Venture Fellows offers made: 1 - 17 February 2023

    • Darden Venture Fellows Placements Finalized: 20 February - 3 March 2023

    • Summer Fellowship will typically run for 10-weeks between Memorial Day and the second week of August 

  • Eligibility

    Eligibility

    Any first year Darden MBA student in good standing is eligible to apply. 

    First Year students will have three weeks to consider an offer, unless an alternative time frame is agreed upon by both parties.

    This is a highly competitive program, and there are only a limited number of Darden Venture Fellowships available. To be considered, applicants must submit the required materials to the posting in Darden Career Link. Qualified finalists will be invited for interviews with participating funds.

  • Funding & Commitments

    Funding 

    The Batten Institute and the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management provide a $8,000 matching stipend for each Darden Venture Fellow. It is expected that the sponsor/portfolio company will match (or exceed) that amount for each recipient. 

    Commitments

    Students who accept a Darden Venture Fellowship are making a formal commitment to work for the sponsor and/or their portfolio companies during the internship. Once the fellowship has been accepted, awardees may not later rescind it in favor of another opportunity; this would be unfair to the sponsors, the selection committee, and other applicants.

    Darden Venture Fellows commit to serving as a mentor for future Darden Venture Fellows.

  • Current Sponsors

    Sponsors

    Darden Venture Fellows is administered by the Venture Capital Initiative and co-funded by the Batten Institute and the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management; it is sponsored by principals from leading venture capital firms. The sponsors will be directly involved in the selection process, and they commit to providing placement with the firm or with one or more of their respective firm’s portfolio companies. Investing and operating roles will be matched on an applicant-by-applicant basis.

    2022-23 SPONSORS

    Harmonic Growth Partners (Chevy Chase, MD and San Francisco, CA)

    Invest Detroit Ventures (Detroit, MI)

    KEC Ventures* (various portfolio locations)

    Outsiders Fund (New York, NY)

    Sands Capital (Arlington, VA)

    Transform Capital (Menlo Park, CA)

    Trestle Partners (New York, NY)

    UVA LVG Seed Fund (Charlottesville, VA)


    *portfolio/operating opportunities

  • Listing of Fellows

    2023

    Ellie Jamison - UVA LVG Seed Fund

    Anhad Soin - Transform Capital

    Malcolm Stewart - Sands Capital

    Daniel Vernic - Harmonic Growth Partners

    Will Whitehurst - Trestle Partners

    Charlie Wilmerding - UVA LVG Seed Fund

    2022

    Celia Aidinoff – UVA LVG Seed Fund

    Pilar Bennett – UVA LVG Seed Fund

    Sukari Brown – Sands Capital

    Alex Ledoux – UVA LVG Seed Fund

    Tanner Powers – Transform Capital

    Katie Russell – Sands Capital

    Kevin Smith – Sands Capital

    2021

    Chad Kenny Jr - Gooten, KEC Ventures

    Andrew Shelton, Sands Capital

    Mark Youngentob, City Capital Ventures

    Lauren Wippman, Sands Capital

    2020

    Michael Bojanski - Anagram (formerly Patch), KEC Ventures

    Amanda Gex - Grove Collaborative, Glynn Capital Management

    Aditi Rajagopal - Transform Capital

    Niv Tschaiikov - Transform Capital

    Miranda Witzig - Sands Capital

    2019

    Stephanie Hepp - Sands Capital

    Bill Igou - Sands Capital

    Cara Jankowski -  Bright Health, Greenspring Associates

    Stephen Joy - New Stack Ventures

    Zach Lynch -  Kabbage, BluRun Ventures

    Meghan Lyons -  Kalo, Glynn Capital Management

    2018

    Marcelo Costa de Sousa -  Kabbage, BlueRun Ventures 

    Mary Julia Keller -  Rhumbix, Glynn Capital Management 

    Kristen Podwika -  Gooten, KEC Ventures

    2017

    Kyle Collins - Kabbage, Atlanta, GA

    Whitney Hagan - VSCO, Oakland, CA

    Van Hatchell - ZeeMee, Redwood City, CA

     

    Note: Prior to 2021 fellows were referenced as Technology Venture Fellows and Mayo Center Fellowship Recipients.