Venture for America: Mobilizing Graduates as Entrepreneurs
Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.
Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.
Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?
Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?
Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?
Founding Story
Team
Amy
Nelson
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, NY, New York
, MI, Detroit, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Providence, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore, Philadelphia
n/a
We have partnerships with 70+ startup companies in our cities that we work with to place Fellows. This number will more than double in the next year. The quality of placement companies that we are able to secure is critical to the success of our Fellows, who are looking for a meaningful role that allows them to contribute to the company's impact. We have a team of three individuals who source company partners and manage those relationships.
We have received financial commitments of $100,000 or more from UBS, Barclays, PwC, Quicken Loans, Bank of America, American Express OPEN, and Blackstone. Our corporate partners also participate in our Selection Days as judges, Training Camps as instructors, and as mentors to our Fellows. We have also received in-kind support for our marketing efforts from UBS and donated space from IAC, Mimeo, and Simpson, Thatcher & Bartlett
Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas.
VFA’s participating Fellows reflect the typical makeup of the graduating classes at our leading universities, but the character of the cities where we put them to work makes us unique. One of the driving forces behind our city selection is the educational makeup of the city. We typically focus on cities in the bottom quartile for educational attainment among top metros, and most of our cities have unemployment rates significantly above the national averages. By focusing on emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems, we are able to help accelerate the growth of new ventures by delivering talent that would otherwise be directed toward oversaturated industries and more affluent communities.