Kleiner Perkins Fellows Program

The Kleiner Perkins (KP) Fellows Program is a selective, paid fellowship that places outstanding US university students into hands-on roles at KP portfolio companies while wrapping the placement in a curated curriculum, mentorship, and a large alumni network. It is run by Kleiner Perkins, one of Silicon Valley's oldest and most established venture firms, and functions as a top-of-funnel talent program connecting the next generation of technical and product leaders to the firm's portfolio.

The program has three tracks: Engineering Fellows and Design Fellows (a ~three-month summer placement) and Product Fellows (a year-long program working at a Silicon Valley startup). Compensation is paid and negotiated directly between the student and the host portfolio company, not by KP itself; KP coordinates selection, matching, programming, and the alumni network. Fellows work in person in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.

The Kleiner Perkins Fellows Program combines investor credibility with hands-on startup experience, positioning it as a primary feeder for KP's investment pipeline while providing participants with industry credibility and practical experience before entering the venture ecosystem.

Designed for Students, Builders, Operators. The program is in person. Participation is generally full time.

Open to students (primarily undergraduate and graduate) pursuing engineering, design, or product, placed at US-based KP portfolio companies for the summer.

Applications are typically seasonal. Interested candidates should monitor the Kleiner Perkins website for current cohort cycles and application windows.

Participants gain access to mentorship, a distinctive curriculum featuring founder presentations, entrepreneurial training sessions, and networking activities. The program creates a systematic route for top students into breakout startups, with KP-sponsored seed capital opportunities for founders who later start companies.

The program lasts for 12 weeks for Engineering and Design tracks, and approximately 52 weeks for the Product track, with applications typically opening in September and closing in October.

Many Fellows have gone on to become founders that Kleiner Perkins invests in, including Dylan Field (Figma CEO). Others have become leaders at KP portfolio companies, such as Jorge Mazal (Duolingo Chief Product Officer).