Village Capital is a pioneering venture capital firm that operates a unique accelerator program, focused on financing and supporting early-stage startups in the sectors of education, health, agriculture, and energy. Since its inception in 2009, the firm has supported more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, making it one of the most active early-stage investors in the world.
Unique to Village Capital is its peer-selection investment model. Instead of having partners or outside investors make investment decisions, the firm allows the entrepreneurs in each cohort to collectively decide on the most promising companies in the group. This approach has resulted in the investment in over 110 startups worldwide and over 90% of the portfolio companies are still in business or were successfully acquired.
A significant success story from Village Capital is Finix, a payment infrastructure platform. It was part of the 2016 FinTech program at Village Capital and subsequently raised over $50 million in funding.
Village Capital also shows a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. It is reported that 42% of its portfolio companies are founded by women, and 26% are founded by people of color, significantly higher than industry averages. The firm is also the host and organizer of an annual FinTech forum that provides additional networking and investment opportunities to underrepresented founders.
In addition, Village Capital has collaborated with numerous partners to conduct various training and education initiatives. These collaborations include Paypal, which led to the creation of the Finance Forward initiative, a global coalition to support entrepreneurs who are building tech-enabled solutions around financial health.
Village Capital innovations don't stop at deal sourcing and selection. In collaboration with UBS, Village Capital created VC Pathways, a program designed to provide investment readiness education and venture capital opportunities to startups led by African American, Latinx and women entrepreneurs in the U.S.
To conclude, Village Capital is a distinctive player in the venture capital and accelerator ecosystem. It is not only advancing the success of early-stage companies, but also making a significant contribution to improving diversity, cultivating entrepreneurial talent, and fostering innovation.
Showing your skills in picking successful startups and advising founders is the surest way to build your reputation and secure a venture capital role.
Explore →Your community, region, or group thrives when its founders are given the chance to succeed before going back and reinvesting in their comunities.
Explore →Earn a share in startups you scout without the funds to invest directly just like a VC partner.
Explore →As a podcaster, community manager, or event organiser you have a front-row seat to interesting startups which you can monetise by helping them fundraise.
Explore →By identifying under-represented founders you're level the playing field for anyone to success based on merit independent from their social or ethnic background.
Explore →Help your friends who are neck-deep in their startups get the funding they need to succeed.
Explore →Connect with Village Capital to be the first to receive dealflow opportunities from the most innovative individuals and startups. Unlock access to groundbreaking innovations and benefit from early-stage investments.
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