BDC Capital offers Scholarships for Kauffman Fellows Program

MONTREAL, January 24, 2019—Today, BDC Capital announced scholarships for Canadian venture capitalists to attend the Kauffman  Fellows Program, with a focus on supporting female fund managers.

Each year, 35-50 talented venture capitalists from across the globe attend this transformative program designed to radically accelerate success through self-reflection, peer learning, mentoring, and a structured curriculum taught by the world’s top investors and innovation leaders. Kauffman Fellows Program runs over two years and participants attend nine, three-day sessions hosted at VC hubs around the globe. To date, only seven Fellows are active in the Canadian venture ecosystem, out of more than five hundred global Fellows over the 20+ year history of the Program.

“We are committed to continuing to improve the venture capital ecosystem in Canada, and we see unparalleled value in the Kauffman Fellows Program,” said Jérôme Nycz, Executive Vice President, BDC Capital. “It is the best venture education program in the world. They have an exceptional understanding of best practices for fund managers as well as provide technical content and access to tools. The program also provides access to a trusted international network which is an essential ingredient for promoting Canadian innovation and attracting foreign investment to Canada. By supporting Canadian investors, we also help Canadian entrepreneurs reach their full potential and become global champions.”

BDC Capital is offering up to two partial scholarships per year for the Kauffman Fellows Program. The scholarship will cover the majority of the tuition, while participants and their firms are required to contribute to complete the tuition and travel costs. One of the two scholarships will be funded by BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund (WIT), and specifically earmarked for a female fund manager.

“The venture industry in Canada is funding the future innovation of our country and it must be reflective of the people in it,” said Michelle Scarborough, Managing Director, Strategic Investments and WIT, BDC Capital. “Currently, more than two-thirds of Canada’s venture dollars are managed by teams without women. Diverse leadership teams are proven to be more creative and deliver better financial performance. Our goal at BDC is to support women in venture roles and foster a more diverse and inclusive industry.”

To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must apply to the Kauffman Fellows Program by February 22, 2019. Once accepted by Kauffman Fellows, these individuals will be considered for the BDC Capital scholarship. Interested parties must be prepared to contribute financially to their tuition and may contact Ela Borenstein, Program Director at BDC Capital for more information.

“Today’s Kauffman Fellows scholarship announcement further demonstrates BDC Capital’s unique and broad support for the venture industry in Canada,” said Jeff Harbach, CEO, Kauffman Fellows. “We have been delighted to partner with BDC Capital to create GP Academy over the past 2 years, and now we look forward to having more Canadian Kauffman Fellows.”

BDC Capital collaborates with Kauffman Fellows to deliver GP Academy, a four-module training course for Canadian GPs, developed in collaboration with Kauffman Fellows Program. Applications are currently being received for the second cohort of 12-15 participants through February 8, 2019.

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