Which Program Is Right for You: Venture Institute or VC Lab? - VC Lab
Decile Group offers two programs to make venture capital more accessible, ethical, and impactful, serving different stages of your VC journey. Learn more about each program below.
Venture Institute is a free, 9-week learning program that helps you master VC fundamentals and build marketable skills to launch or advance your VC career. VC Lab is a 14-week accelerator and closing program that helps you design, fundraise, and launch your fund.
Venture Institute: Learn the Fundamentals, Build Your Foundation
Venture Institute is a free, 9-week learning program that helps you build a foundation for a career or future fund in venture capital.
You’ll learn:
- VC Fundamentals
- How venture funds operate and invest
- How to develop a strong investment thesis
- How to source and evaluate deals
- How to cultivate relationships with Limited Partners (LPs)
- How to build a strong personal brand in the VC ecosystem
You’ll also earn Decile Hub Certification, recognizing your ability to use the same platform that hundreds of VC firms rely on.
Ideal for:
- Aspiring analysts and associates
- Operators and founders exploring fund creation
- Professionals preparing for the VC Lab Accelerator or a Start Fund
By graduation, you’ll have a strong grasp on core Venture Capital concepts, a thesis, a proprietary dealflow pipeline, an emerging LP network, and a strong social presence that will get you noticed in your local ecosystem — the tangible assets you need to start a career or prepare to launch your own fund.
Duration: 9 weeks
Cost: Free
Format: Online, Global
Venture Institute information:
Early Deadline
June 08, 2026
Start
July 2, 2026
Completion
September 10, 2026
VC Lab: Launch and Close Your Venture Capital Fund
VC Lab is the leading global accelerator for emerging managers ready to launch and close a venture capital fund. It is a structured, intensive 14-week program that guides participants through the entire fundraising and fund-launch process.
You’ll work through:
- Fund design, legal structure, fund accounting, and compliance
- LP engagement and fundraising
- Due diligence preparation
- Firm formation, operations, capital calls, and closing best practices
Ideal for:
- Emerging managers ready to launch a VC fund I, II, or beyond
- Experienced professionals with an investment thesis and a differentiated ‘secret sauce’
- Venture Institute alumni or early-stage investors advancing to fund management
VC Lab is results-driven — participants leave the program having built, structured, and often closed their first fund.
Duration: 14 weeks
Cost: Free
Format: Online accelerator, Global
Looking to start a VC fund?
Join the VC Lab Program
Final Deadline
April 27, 2026
Start
May 28, 2026
Est. Finish
Sep 24, 2026
How to Decide
| If you are… | Start with… |
| New to venture capital and want to learn the fundamentals | Venture Institute |
| Building your network and thesis while learning VC structure and language | Venture Institute |
| An aspiring investor preparing to launch a fund in the next months | VC Lab |
| Ready to form a fund, pitch your LP base, and close capital | VC Lab |
| Interested in exploring both — learn, then launch | Venture Institute → VC Lab |
A Shared Mission
Both programs are guided by the Mensarius Oath, Decile Group’s commitment to ethical and transparent investing. Together, they form a unified path from learning to launching — helping you go from understanding venture capital to operating a world-class institutional-grade firm.