Chicago Venture Fellows: Meet the Next Generation of Chicago VCs

 
 

Chicago tech startups raised a record-breaking $7 billion in 2021. This growth is worth celebrating, but our collective excitement must be tempered by the hard reality that women, non-binary and people of color remain underrepresented in tech, both on the founder and on the funder side. 

In fact, Chicago:Blend’s research shows that despite notable gains in the share of women and people of color working at local VC firms, Chicago continues to fall short when compared to national rates. Last year, 78% of VC professionals in Chicago were White and 66% were men.

As our city’s entrepreneurs continue to build game-changing products and companies, we have an opportunity to cultivate a tech and venture capital community that is more inclusive of the residents who call Chicago home. 

That’s why Chicago:Blend launched the Chicago Venture Fellows program, an idea that was originally incubated at GET Cities in 2021. With support from GET Cities, World Business Chicago and TeamWorking by TechNexus, this four-month cohort program helps aspiring venture capital professionals from underrepresented backgrounds break into VC by offering them an opportunity to gain key skills and build a real investment track record. Fellows will be sourcing innovative Chicago startups to pitch to local VCs while receiving mentorship, professional development and formal venture finance education.  

We received more than 70 applications for just 10 spots in our Summer Cohort. We are thrilled to introduce these impressive Fellows who will soon play an integral role in Chicago’s venture ecosystem. 

Summer 2022 Cohort:


If you are a current VC or tech leader and would like to get involved with the Chicago Venture Fellows program, please fill out this volunteer intake form.

If you are an aspiring VC who is BIPOC or identifies as woman, non-binary or other gender, and you would like to participate in our Fall Cohort, sign up to be notified when the application launches.

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Special Acknowledgments: Several Chicago VCs, founders and tech community partners volunteered their time and talent to help make the Chicago Venture Fellows program a reality. 

This program would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: GET Cities (Elle Ramel & Team), World Business Chicago (Michael Fassnacht, Abin Kuriakose, Julie White Schuster, Alax Foreman) | TeamWorking by TechNexus (Terry Howerton, Fred Hoch, Cristin Pacifico, Madelyn Rudder, Taylor Kinsella & Team).

The GET Cities Tech Equity Working Group leaders who initially piloted this concept in 2021: Colleen Egan (Illinois Science & Technology Coalition) | Adam Phillips (Entrenuity) | Mike Raab (The Garage @ Northwestern) | Thelma Tennant (University of Chicago) | Brad Schnitzer (TechStars) | Julie White Schuster (World Business Chicago) | Chris Wu (Impact Engine).

Our external application reviewers, who helped select our Summer Fellows: Carlos Covarrubias (Hyde Park Venture Partners) | Colleen Egan (Illinois Science & Technology Coalition) | Alax Foreman (World Business Chicago) | Aye Diallo (GET Cities) | Sharlene Guiriba (Chicago Booth School of Business) | Niharika Hanglem (Illinois Tech) | Hylton Irons (Listen VC) | Abhinaya Konduru (M25) | Christian McKenzie (Red Cedar Ventures) | Dawn Nguyen (Hyde Park Venture Partners) | Grace Penders (Energize VC) | Adam Phillips (Entrenuity) | Paula Quinn (TechNexus Venture Collaborative) | Mike Raab (The Garage @ Northwestern) | Stephen Ross (Hyde Park Angels) | Julie White Schuster (World Business Chicago) | Thelma Tennant (University of Chicago) | Tony Wilkins (Standing Oaks VC) | Chris Wu (Impact Engine).

Our volunteer mentors who will be supporting our Fellows one-on-one: Ian Adams (Evergreen Climate Innovations) | Lon Chow (Method Capital) | Rick Desai (Listen Ventures) | Colleen Egan (Illinois Science & Technology Coalition) | Rocio Meza (Chingona Ventures) | Saaya Nath (Jump Capital) | Cristin Pacifico (TechNexus Venture Collaborative) | Armando Pauker (Tensility) | Stephen Ross (Hyde Park Angels) | Tony Wilkins (Standing Oaks).

To all of the individuals and organizations listed above – THANK YOU.

 
Chicago:Blend