SVB Financial Group Debuts Fellowship Program to Foster Next Generation of Black, Latinx and Women Venture Capital Leaders

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Apr 06, 2022, 08:00 ET

Program connects talented entry-level professionals with leading VC firms as part of effort to build a more diverse, equitable and accessible innovation economy

SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SVB Financial Group (SVB), financial partner of the innovation economy and parent company of Silicon Valley Bank, today announced the SVB Fellows Program, a fellowship program for Black, Latinx and women professionals looking to launch their careers in venture capital. The SVB Fellows Program is powered by the Black Venture Capital Consortium (BVCC), an organization working to increase diversity within the venture capital and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and the largest provider of specialized venture capital programming for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students.

The SVB Fellows Program connects talented emerging professionals with distinguished VC firms, where they will serve in entry-level investment roles. Fellowships are a one- to two- year commitment and participants are salaried and receive benefits or a stipend to offset the cost of benefits.

"SVB and our partners designed the Fellows Program to create pathways for a new generation of investors to succeed in the VC industry and benefit VC firms by helping them find talent with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas," said Courtney Karnes, Managing Director of SVB's Access to Innovation program. "Our aspiration is that this program will accelerate the flywheel effect of innovation investing while increasing representation in the industry."

Leading VC firms General Catalyst, Collab Capital, Material Impact and 3x5 Partners have already signed on to host fellows. In addition to connections with SVB's extensive network of VC partners and career opportunities, SVB Fellows will receive mentorship from SVB leaders, and access to training and networking opportunities designed to propel their success in venture capital for years to come.

"The SVB Fellows Program is connecting us with talented young professionals who not only have strong foundational VC training, but also bring much-needed diversity of thought and experience to a fairly homogenous industry," said Arum Lansel, VP of Learning & Development at General Catalyst.

SVB plans to support twenty fellows throughout 2022, identified in partnership with BVCC on a rolling basis. At launch, candidates will be selected from professionals who have previously participated in BVCC's career development programming. As the program expands, SVB will leverage additional recruitment channels to identify additional Latinx and women fellows.

"We are excited to be a founding partner in the SVB Fellows Program, connecting our network of talented young professionals with some of the top VC firms in the country and setting them on a path toward personal success and a more equitable venture capital ecosystem," said Malcolm Robinson, Executive Director of BVCC.

SVB is committed to building a more diverse, equitable and accessible innovation economy for all. Through its Access to Innovation program, SVB addresses the innovation sector's biggest diversity opportunities by creating and amplifying new and existing educational, employment and funding pathways for Black, Latinx and women VC investors. The SVB Fellows Program is part of this goal.

About SVB Financial Group
SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) and its subsidiaries help innovative companies and their investors move bold ideas forward, fast. SVB Financial Group's businesses, including Silicon Valley Bank, offer commercial, investment and private banking, asset management, private wealth management, brokerage and investment services and funds management services to companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity and venture capital, and premium wine industries. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, SVB Financial Group operates in centers of innovation around the world. Learn more at svb.com.

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