AFVentures Fellowship

The AFVentures Fellowship is a venture capital industry immersion program for Department of Defense personnel, operated by Shift, a San Francisco-based tech organization that helps transitioning service members and veterans find careers in the technology sector. The program places active-duty Air Force officers, enlisted personnel, and DoD civilians into venture capital firms and startups for a six-to-eight-week immersion experience.

The inaugural cohort launched in February 2020, bringing together 21 Airmen for six weeks of embedded experience with technology and venture capital firms in San Francisco. Fellows were trained in investment and risk management to strengthen their ability to develop and deliver essential capabilities aligned with Air Force mission priorities. The program was structured under the AFVentures Strategic Financing (SRATFI) contract, with plans to run more than 50 cohorts totaling approximately one thousand Air Force personnel over a four-year period.

Each cohort focuses on a specific Air Force technology priority area, such as technology investment, cyber technologies, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, or space technologies. Fellows are embedded in the daily operations of venture-capital-funded companies, learning how investments are made and how startups develop technologies.

The AFVentures Fellowship aims to bridge the gap between the Department of Defense and Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystem. By embedding military personnel in venture-backed companies, the program accelerates technology transfer and improves the DoD's understanding of commercial innovation processes.

Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in technology and venture capital, as well as a commitment to the program's objectives. It is beneficial to have a background or interest aligned with the cohort's technology focus area.

Open to active-duty Air Force officers, enlisted personnel, and DoD civilians. Each cohort targets personnel with backgrounds or interests aligned with the cohort's technology focus area. No prior venture capital or startup experience is required.

The program is open to active-duty military personnel, Reserve, Guard, and DoD civilians. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the program's objectives and have relevant backgrounds or interests.

Benefits include hands-on experience inside venture capital firms and startups, mentorship from technology leaders, a professional network bridging military and Silicon Valley, and a capstone research project that contributes to Air Force innovation strategy.

The program lasts for 6-8 weeks, with multiple cohorts planned each year. The inaugural cohort launched in February 2020, and the program aims to run over 50 cohorts in four years.

The inaugural cohort included 21 Airmen who completed the six-week immersion in San Francisco. Multiple subsequent cohorts have been run, including virtual cohorts during COVID-19. Specific alumni outcomes and career transitions are not publicly disclosed in aggregate, though the program has been highlighted by Air Force leadership as a model for defense-industry knowledge transfer.