Applications are officially open for Cohort 8 of VC Lab, the leading venture capital accelerator.

You can start your application below:

The accelerator will help more than half of the new manager firms in 2022. VC Lab is on pace to accelerate as many as 250 firms in 2022. Our current statistics are below:

Targets

Our vision is to transform venture capital into a force for good in the world.

To this end, we are inspired to create more diversity in venture capital. We invite female managers to join Cohort 8. We have a target of 40% female managers in Cohort 8. The historical participation rate of women in VC Lab is 26%. To inspire more female participation, we are hosting the 2nd Female VC Forum on August 10th (RSVP – https://FI.co/event/295469) and intend to set up a Center of Excellence for Female Venture Managers.

We encourage more managers to explore a fund Thesis aligned with principles of the Mensarius Oath.

To this end, we encourage more venture capital firms that are focused on target industries with a positive societal impact and a large addressable market including:

• Decarbonization Funds – Economic and technological innovations to decarbonize the planet by the end of this decade, reversing global warming.
• Food Tech Funds – Agriculture innovations, alternative proteins, micronutrients and nutraceuticals to create a new food industry that fuels longer and higher-quality lives.
• Sustainable Architecture Funds – Material sciences, recyclable designs and alternative power to create cities of the future, where humans live and work in balance with nature.
• Alternative Supply Chain Funds – New supply chain models and local production to inspire sustainable consumption and stop the exploitation of resources from poor countries.
• Neuro Tech Funds – Psychological help, treatments, innovations and substances to reduce suicide, bring greater happiness and help people to find alignment.
• Space Exploration Funds – New business models, new space hardware and advances in propulsion to allow humanity to inhabit the Moon and Mars by the end of this decade.

Admissions

As a result of the high demand for Cohort 7, VC Lab is updating the admissions process. We are starting to review admissions faster, intending to review applications as they come in. We are introducing a multivariate candidate scoring system focused on three qualities:

• LinkedIn experience and network
• Quality and viability of the Thesis
• Professionalism of the 2 minute video

You may be contacted to update or improve your application by the admissions team. For the best chances of acceptance into the program, please update and improve your application accordingly. Our goal is to help as many funds as we can, and we are looking for exceptional funds to help.

Program

The program has been upgraded in Cohort 7 and Cohort 8 to integrate Decile Hub, the leading back-office SaaS solution for venture capital firms. Participating firms get access to Decile Hub for free, which consists of an integrated suite of CRM, deal memo, data room and digital signing tools that are purpose-built for venture capital.

Partners

We are grateful for the support of our partners, who share our vision for a more inclusive and innovative venture capital industry. Special thanks to:

---

Cohort 8 Schedule

Date	Session	Description
2022-08-30	Thesis Development	– Meeting the community of emerging managers and leaders in VC industry – Drafting the investment thesis
2022-09-07	Venture Team	– Reflecting on the team and required roles – Quantifying the network
2022-09-14	Deal Warehouse	– Examining Track Record – Identify future portfolio companies
2022-09-21	Thesis Review	– Validate your VC Investment Thesis with experts – Preparing initial pitching materials
2022-09-28	Fund Positioning	– Begin developing your venture capital brand and identity – Define the fund details
2022-10-05	Fund Presentation	– Create a world-class Fund Presentation – Pick the crucial tools and platforms
2022-10-12	Initial Pitch Meetings	– Start pitching Limited Partners for feedback – Begin relationships tracking and management
2022-10-19	Fund Presentation Review	– Validate your Fund Presentation with experts – Secure initial PACT Limited Partner commitments
2022-10-26	Fund Economics	– Refine the economic model for your fund and other entities – Define the terms of the fund
2022-11-02	Fund Overview & Deal Room	– Continue pitching Limited Partners – Optimize your materials for diligence
2022-11-09	Pitch Meetings & Funnel	– Build your Limited Partner funnel and increase fundraising – Prepare for diligence on the upcoming investments
2022-11-16	Pipeline Review	– Validate your fundraising progress with experts
2022-11-30	Fund Partnerships	– Form industry partnerships for deal flow and credibility – Identify legal support
2022-12-07	Fund Closing Strategy	– Formulate a strategy to close the fund – Draft the Term Sheet
2022-12-14	Fund Formation	– Finalize Team Agreements – Begin forming the fund entities
2022-12-19	Fund Close & Graduation	– Start the closing process for your fund