VC University

Get practical training on venture finance for entrepreneurs, investors, attorneys, and anyone else interested in emerging company finance.

Presented by:

What is VC University?

VC University is the definitive online course in venture finance. Participants will learn the nuts and bolts of venture and earn a certificate of completion. Course components include lectures, conversations with leading venture capitalists, interactive activities, and networking.

  • Self-paced, online course with live virtual office hours, webinars, and alumni network
  • 10-week recommended schedule (access to course platform for 5 months)
  • Perfect for professionals new to venture capital and practitioners who want to reinforce their understanding of venture fundamentals!

Who should participate?

Anyone looking to unlock their venture finance skills, including entrepreneurs, angel investors, VCs, fund managers, attorneys and more.

Location

Online, self-paced. Complete the majority of the requirements (approx. 20 hours of content) on your own schedule.

Upcoming Dates

General registration for Cohort 19 (June 2025) opened on April 21, 2025. The scholarship application for Cohort 20 (Sept. 2025) will open in early June. Learn more.

What to Expect

Features

  • Course Platform — Leverages UC Berkeley’s online course platform to provide a self-paced learning experience.
  • Lunch & Learn Webinars — Monthly live webinars with venture capital thought-leaders.
  • Office Hours & Special Live Sessions — Weekly live virtual office hours with instructors, hosted during the first 8-10 weeks of the course, in addition to special sessions hosted by Aumni, PitchBook, Tome, and WilmerHale.
  • Complimentary PitchBook access for 3 months (begins approximately 3 months after the cohort start date)
  • Participant and Alumni Network — Gain access to our VC University Slack workspace (for current and past cohorts)

Course Curriculum

The VC University certificate course features 5 modules. Each module consists of a mix of lectures, investor perspectives, exercises, and/or assessments:

  • Venture Fund Fundamentals — Explores how venture funds are structured and managed.
  • Startup Fundamentals — Covers how venture-backed companies are formed, managed, and funded.
  • Venture Deal Fundamentals — Addresses the terms, processes, and structures that drive venture financings.
  • Modeling Venture Deals — Utilizes case studies and capitalization table exercises to illustrate the economics of venture finance.
  • Advanced Topics in Venture Capital — Examines issues like public policy, corporate venture, investor governance, venture capital careers, valuations, and more.

Program Dates

Cohort 18 (Feb. 2025)

  • Oct. 28: Scholarship application opens
  • Nov. 1: Deadline to apply for the scholarship
  • Dec. 13: Scholarship applicants notified of decisions
  • Dec. 16, 2024: General registration opens
  • Feb. 3, 2025: Cohort 18 of VC University begins
  • Apr. 1: Cohort 18 mentorship program begins
  • April: Scholarship Office Hours begin
  • Jul. 7: Cohort 18 of VC University concludes

Cohort 19 (Jun. 2025)

  • Mar. 3: Scholarship application opens
  • Mar. 7: Deadline to apply for a scholarship
  • Apr. 18: Scholarship applicants notified of decisions
  • Apr. 21: Early-bird registration opens
  • May 3: General registration opens
  • Jun. 2: Cohort 19 of VC University begins
  • August: Cohort 19 mentorship program begins
  • August: Scholarship Office Hours begin
  • Oct. 31: Cohort 19 concludes

Impact

Stats at a Glance

18

Sold-out cohorts since launch of VC University in 2019

4600+

total participants

622

full scholarships awarded

Scholarship

Scholarships are available by application for new or aspiring VC investors from underrepresented backgrounds.

The scholarship application for Cohort 19 (June 2025) is now closed. Learn more.

Scholarship Sponsors

Tuition & Discounts

Course tuition is $1,850 per participant. General registration for Cohort 18 (Feb. 2025) is currently open.

Early-bird registration for Cohort 19 (Jun. 2025) will open on Apr. 21, at a discounted price of $1,500 (available through May 2, 2025).

UC Berkeley alumni, NVCA members, and nonprofit/government employees receive a 20% discount*. Group rates are available. Only one discount may be applied, and codes cannot be retroactively applied. Contact vcuniversity@berkeley.edu for discount codes before registering.

Participant Testimonials

VC University provided the knowledge and connections I needed to break into the VC world. The structured approach and mentorship program were like having a trusted relative in venture, offering guidance every step of the way, ensuring I was on the right path to success. My experience with VC University has gotten me to where I am today in my career.

Aya Spencer

Associate, Kapor Capital

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Instructors and Guest Speakers

VC University incorporates lectures and interviews with faculty from UC Berkeley, executives from NVCA and Venture Forward, and leading venture capitalists.

Vikram Bajaj

Foresite Capital - Managing Director

Robert Bartlett

Stanford Law School - Professor

Robert Blazej

Mission BioCapital - Partner

Jeff Clavier

Uncork Capital - Founder & Managing Partner

Nadia Dugal

Tome - Co-Founder

Jeff Farrah

National Venture Capital Association - General Counsel

Joseph Floyd

Emergence Capital - General Partner

Bobby Franklin

National Venture Capital Association - President & CEO

Lili Gangas

Kapor Center - Chief Technology Community Officer

Jan Garfinkle

Arboretum Ventures - Founder & Managing Partner

Aziz Giliani

Mercury Fund - Managing Director

Josh Greene

Mohr Davidow Ventures - VP, Corporate Development & Administration at Carbon 3D

Maryam Haque

Venture Forward - Executive Director

Samara Hernandez

Chingona Ventures - Founding Partner

Charles Hudson

Precursor Ventures - Founder and Managing Partner

Maha Ibrahim

Canaan - General Partner

Scott James

Goodwater Capital - Partner & COO

James Joaquin

Obvious Ventures - Co-Founder & Managing Director

Deborah Kang

Zscaler - Senior Product Counsel

Dan Kidle

Arboretum Ventures - Principal

Amit Kumar

Accel - Partner

Scott Kupor

Andreessen Horowitz - Managing Partner

Kate Mitchell

Scale Venture Partners - Co-Founder and Partner

Renata Quintini

Renegade Partners - Co-Founder & Managing Director

Miriam Rivera

Ulu Ventures - CEO, Co-Founder & Managing Director

Elliott Robinson

Bessemer Venture Partners - Partner

Regina Salvat

Sofinnova Investments - Principal

John Somorjai

Salesforce - Executive VP of Corporate Development and Salesforce Ventures

Otello Stampacchia

Omega Funds - Managing Director

Adam Sterling

Berkeley Law - Assistant Dean

Santi Subotovsky

Emergence Capital - General Partner

Lolita Taub

NextGen Venture Partners - Venture Partner

Dax Williamson

Silicon Valley Bank - Market Manager, Technology Banking

Cindy Xiong

Foresite Capital - Senior Investment Analyst

Related Programs

From UC Berkeley, NVCA, and Venture Forward

  • VC University LIVE – our three-day certificate program on venture finance, held in partnership with universities in emerging VC ecosystems across the country.
  • Venture Capital Symposium – a two-day conference from NVCA and Stanford focused on governance best practices

From other organizations

  • Black Venture Institute – Access, insight, and community for Black operators looking to become angel and venture investors
  • Venture Deals Online Course – A free course from Kauffman Fellows and Techstars
  • Arlan’s Academy – Over 35+ hours of startup training with new courses added weekly.
  • Carta Venture Capital 101 – A 43-minute series of short videos led by Rita Astoor, Head of Venture Capital Business Development and a Product Advisor at Carta and a frequent guest instructor for VC University office hours.

Other Ways to Get Involved

If you’re interested in supporting VC University as a scholarship sponsor, Lunch & Learn speaker, mentor, or in some other way, please contact vcuniversity@berkeley.edu.

Get Started

Take your venture career to the next level!