Note: this application is both for venture fellows and platform fellows (Head of Marketing, Community, and Engineering). It should take about 15-20 minutes to complete (4 general questions and 1 role-specific question).
Rough Draft Ventures is a student-run venture fund, powered and backed by General Catalyst. We bet on student entrepreneurs early and support them as they learn, grow, and build enduring, impactful companies. Over the past eight years, RDV has invested in 200+ student-led startups (Mark43, Ribbon Health, Snackpass, Cobalt Robotics) that have gone on to raise over $1.5B in funding from leading investors and partners, including General Catalyst, Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, NEA, Sequoia, Accel, and others. Our fellow alums have gone on to found their own successful startups (Parade), launch venture funds and accelerators (Envision Accelerator), and start their own careers at venture firms including General Catalyst, BoxGroup, Founders Fund, Redpoint Ventures, and more.
We’re a team of technology enthusiasts who proactively support our peers and the entrepreneurial communities at our schools and beyond. Our Boston, NYC, and Bay Area teams are made up of undergraduates, MBA students, Master’s students, and PhD candidates who have a passion for innovation and challenging the status quo. This year, we will be expanding our footprint to the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South, and the Pacific Northwest.
We're recruiting for several positions:
We’re looking for:
How long is the program?
The program will run from October 2021 through May 2022.
When is the application deadline?
Friday, October 8, 2021 at 11:59 PM PT.
Who should apply?
We welcome students of all backgrounds to apply. We are looking for independent thinkers who lead with selflessness. As long as you’re a full-time student graduating in 2022 or later, you’re invited to apply to join the Rough Draft Ventures team.
What will the application process look like?
We will review applications on a rolling basis, so please apply as soon as you feel ready. After reviewing your responses, we will decide whether to move your application forward. You’ll have one chat with an existing Venture Fellow/alum and then a final round interview with Jeremy Navarro and Zak Kukoff, the co-leads of Rough Draft Ventures and investors at General Catalyst.
How many Venture Fellows will there be?
There will be ~20 VFs total. Although the program will likely be virtual this year, we will be incorporating new ways for venture fellows to get to know each other.
What is the time commitment for this program?
We expect at least 6-8 hours of commitment to the program per week. While part-time, we’ve seen that the more that VFs put in, the more they get out of it. The hours will be split between meeting with founders during the week, conducting market research, learning from partners, and discussing pitches with other VFs.
Will Venture Fellows be compensated?
All Venture Fellows will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred (e.g. coffee for a founder, uber rides to socially-distanced events, etc.).
Any other questions?
If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to jnavarro@roughdraft.vc!