Venture For America Inc

VENTURE FOR AMERICA IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICAN CITIES BY MOBILIZING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CREATE JOBS. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES A 2-YEAR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM THAT RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND INVESTS IN TOP RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES BY PLACING THEM IN STARTUPS IN AMERICAN CITIES WITH EMERGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP ECOSYSTEMS AND HELPING THEM LAUNCH THEIR OWN HIGH-IMPACT BUSINESSES. VFA OPERATES A TWO-WEEK TRAINING CAMP FOR INCOMING FELLOWS, PROVIDES ONGOING PROGRAMMING DURING THE 2 YEAR FELLOWSHIP, AND OPERATES AN ACCELERATOR FOR PROGRAM GRADUATES WHO ARE STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESSES.

FELLOW EXPERIENCERECRUITMENT AND SELECTION VFA CONTINUED TO SELECT A REPRESENTATIVE CLASS OF TALENTED RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM A HIGH-CALIBER, DIVERSE, NATIONAL POOL OF CANDIDATES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FELLOWS THIS YEAR REPRESENT A WIDELY DIVERSE GROUP OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. IN 2022, WE RECEIVED 1,205 APPLICATIONS AND WELCOMED A HIGHLY SELECTIVE CLASS OF 122 FELLOWS ACROSS OUR 13 COMMUNITIES. NEARLY 55% IDENTIFY AS A RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITY. WE CONTINUED TO EXPAND EFFORTS TO RECRUIT FROM AND CONNECT WITH REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES, FACULTY, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS ACROSS OUR MARKETS.COMPANY PARTNERSVFA'S COMPANY PARTNERSHIPS TEAM WORKED WITH VFA CITY DIRECTORS TO PARTNER WITH 163 ENTREPRENEURS AND HIRING MANAGERS ACROSS ALL 13 US CITIES TO PROVIDE EARLY STAGE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES TO INCOMING FELLOWS. 72 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 13 MARKETS ULTIMATELY HIRED FELLOWS THROUGH OUR RECENTLY LAUNCHED CONNECT PLATFORM. VFA SOURCED THESE EMPLOYMENT PARTNERS AND SUPPORTED FELLOWS THROUGH THE JOB SEARCH AND INTERVIEW PROCESS. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS & CITY ENGAGEMENT VFA DIRECTORS IN EACH MARKET HELPED FELLOWS NAVIGATE THEIR CITIES, BOTH PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY AT LARGE, AND SUPPORTING THEM AS THEY ACCESS LOCAL NETWORKS. THE LOCAL SUPPORT, PROGRAMMING, AND ORIENTATION TO EACH NEW CITY FOR FELLOWS LED TO HIGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES IN THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM, AND STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER FELLOW AND ALUMNI PEERS LIVING IN THE CITY. FELLOW EXPERIENCE PROGRAMMINGVFA OFFERED EACH OF OUR FELLOWS CURRICULUM TO SUPPORT BECOMING A STARTUP LEADER OR STARTUP FOUNDER. OUR CITY LEADERS REGULARLY PLANNED INFORMATIONAL AND NETWORKING EVENTS, INFO SESSIONS WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL CIVIC LEADERS IN EVERY VFA MARKET. DIRECTORS ALSO PROVIDED FELLOWS WITH 1:1 COACHING DURING THE YEAR OF FELLOWSHIP AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING.FELLOW EDUCATIONTRAINING CAMPTHE VENTURE FOR AMERICA FELLOWSHIP KICKS OFF WITH TRAINING CAMP, A HALLMARK OF OUR PROGRAM AND A LAUNCHPAD FOR FELLOWS BEGINNING THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL CAREERS. FOR TRAINING CAMP 2022, WE RETURNED TO AN IN-PERSON PROGRAM AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY. MORE THAN 120 FELLOWS ATTENDED AND PARTICIPATED IN A WIDE ARRAY OF SESSIONS. THE CURRICULUM, WORKSHOPS, AND TRAININGS FOCUSED ON HELPING FELLOWS FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE COHORT; TEACHING FOUNDATIONAL STARTUP SKILLS AND TRANSFORMATIVE SOFT-SKILLS; INSTILLING VFA CORE VALUES SO THAT FELLOWS CAN LAUNCH THEIR CAREERS AS HIGH-CHARACTER BUILDERS; AND EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS. MORE THAN A SERIES OF LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, TRAINING CAMP IS WHAT SETS VFA APART AND WHAT MAKES OUR PROGRAM A TRUE FELLOWSHIP A COMMUNITY OF LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS UNITED BY A SHARED GOAL AND BONDED IN FRIENDSHIP AND CAMARADERIE. TRAINING CAMP, ITS CURRICULUM, AND THE EXPERIENCES PROVIDED TO FELLOWS IS SUPPORTED BY TEAM MEMBERS AND THE COMMITMENT FROM VOLUNTEERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.FELLOW EDUCATION PROGRAMMING AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES VFA PROVIDED ONGOING SUPPORT FOR FELLOWS TO EXPAND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS WITH NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS, INCLUDING VALIDATION CHALLENGES, REDUX, VFA'S ANNUAL ACCELERATOR, AND SIDE-PROJECT-A-THON. VFA ALSO PROVIDED PROGRAMMING TO ALUMNI AND FELLOWS COMPLETING THEIR FELLOWSHIP THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE IN-CITY GRADUATIONS AND OUR NATIONAL ALUMNI REUNION. FELLOWS AND ALUMNI WHO HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR OWN COMPANIES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ACCELERATOR AND DEMO DAY, YOUNG INNOVATOR AWARDS, VENTURE CATALYST AWARDS, AND BRAINTRUSTS. VFA'S ACCELERATOR PROVIDED A THREE-MONTH, ZERO-EQUITY PROGRAM THAT OFFERED MONTHLY BUSINESS STIPENDS, MENTORSHIP, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN UP TO $12,500 AT OUR IN-PERSON AND LIVESTREAMED DEMO DAY.COMMITMENT TO DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIESVFA IS COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CREATING SUPPORT FOR FELLOWS AND ALUMNI WHO IDENTIFY WITH GROUPS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INNOVATION COMMUNITIES. THROUGH OUR RISE AFFINITY GROUPS, VFA CONNECTS AND SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS WITH IDENTITIES SUCH AS AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AFRO-CARIBBEAN & AFRICAN; SOUTH ASIAN OR SOUTH ASIAN-AMERICAN ; LATINO/LATINA/LATINX; ASIAN OR ASIAN-AMERICAN; LGBTQ; WOMEN; MIDDLE EASTERN OR NORTH AFRICAN; FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE GRADUATES. WE OFFER RELOCATION ASSISTANCE TO FELLOWS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL NEED.