Rutgers Venture Capital Club / Venture Investor Program (VIP)

Program Type

student-club

Institutional Scope

Rutgers University, all campuses. Student-run organization.

Description

Student-run venture capital club offering the Venture Investor Program (VIP), a 12-week venture-sourcing program. Each 4-week cycle pairs 12 analyst-trainees with a top-tier VC firm. Culminates in a live pitch session with the partner firm. Partners include Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Kleiner Perkins, Reach Capital, J&J Ventures, Norwest, Base10, First Round, Morgan Creek Digital, NVP Capital, Azolla Ventures, and Red Beard Ventures. Spring 2026 cohort applications due February 6, 2026. Also hosts public pitch competitions.

Key Details

Detail	Value
Program	12-week VIP (3 cycles x 4 weeks)
Cohort size	~12 analyst-trainees per cycle
VC partners	a16z, KP, Reach, J&J, Norwest, Base10, First Round, MCD, NVP, Azolla, Red Beard
Format	Speaker series → sourcing exercise → live pitch to VC
Recent cohort	Spring 2026 (apps due Feb 6, 2026)

Resources Provided

Direct access to top VC firms
Venture sourcing training and mentorship
Live pitch opportunity to partner VC
Alumni network of program graduates

Funding Details

No funding. Educational/experiential program.

Curriculum / Structure

12-week program: Weeks 1-4 (speaker workshops + VC partnership firm intro), Weeks 5-8 (startup sourcing + partner firm workshops), Weeks 9-12 (opportunity memo + live pitch to VC partners).

Eligibility

Rutgers students (undergraduate and graduate), all majors.

Rutgers Venture Capital Club / Venture Investor Program (VIP)

Key numbers