Rob Barbara Is Going Back To School

The Kauffman Fellows is a two-year program that brings together the most innovative minds in venture capital. So, imagine how thrilled I was to find out I was one of two Canadians selected to its Class 24 cohort.

It’s like a school for VCs, a well-respected Silicon Valley program aimed at accelerating success through peer learning and mentoring by other venture capitalists and thought leaders.

It’s also a massive networking opportunity with a powerhouse group of people involved in venture capital. I will be working alongside VCs from 21 countries in Class 24, including my fellow Canadian Janet Bannister of Real Ventures (and the founder of Kijiji). The program has top mentors like Marc Benioff, Chairman and Co-CEO at Salesforce, Andrea Auerbach, Global Head of Private Investments at Cambridge Associates and Alex Crisses, Managing Partner at General Atlantic.

One big priority we have at Build is helping grow the East Coast startup community. By taking part in the Kauffman Fellows program, I will build relationships with other VCs around the world. That means I can connect more East Coast entrepreneurs to a global network of investors, partners and experts. Together, Kaufman Fellows have taken part in nearly 8,000 investment deals since the organization’s launch.

The program will also help me learn more about how startups are scaling up in other ecosystems. I can bring those insights back to Build portfolio companies as well as the whole Atlantic Canadian startup scene.

It’s also a program whose benefits don’t stop after graduation. Once completed, I will be part of a network of over 650 Fellows around the world.