For decades, the venture capital industry has been plagued with “inner circle” dynamics that have made it difficult for underrepresented minority (URM) groups to break into the industry. These compounding challenges have resulted in few Black, Latinx, and Indigenous investors in both junior and senior positions in venture capital. At PayPal Ventures, we strive to foster a more equitable venture capital industry, and help open doors and act as a “lighthouse” for underestimated talent with high-potential.
We are excited to announce our Lighthouse Fellowship, a 3-month fellowship program where our team will coach, train, and mentor aspiring URM venture capital investors. For the duration of the Lighthouse Fellowship, we will work closely with each Fellow on crafting an industry thesis on a sub-vertical within fintech or commerce. The industry thesis will include a deep dive on industry trends, development of a thesis on why (or why not) the industry is interesting for venture capital investment, articulation of interesting startups in the space, and a clearly-defined summary of the research findings and recommendation on suggested next steps.
Along with the industry thesis project, we will work with each Fellow to broaden their network by setting up individual conversations with senior leaders at PayPal and across the venture capital industry. Through this Fellowship, we seek to help our Fellows develop their “why VC? Story,” generate tangible industry experience, expand their network of VC professionals, and create a pathway for full-time opportunities in venture capital.
At PayPal, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive company. We seek to create a culture where everyone can belong because we believe that people do their best work when they can show up every day as their authentic selves. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives.
We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates.
***Please note that you have email me directly with your resume and answers to the three questions below. Email me at (kaibarnes@paypal.com)
Application Questions
1. What is an early-stage (Pre-Seed to Series B) startup that you are excited about and why? (300 words or less)
2. What resource(s) do you use to keep up with the startup and/or venture capital industry? (100 words or less)
3. We value the totality of your life and career experiences, please share any additional information that is not included in your resume that you would like us to know. (300 words or less)