A new course for women, especially belonging to Black and Asian cultures was announced during the U.K.’s Black Tech Fest last week. It is for those who are wanting to enter the venture capital industry.
According to TechCrunch, “London Business School and LocalGlobe, one of Europe’s leading seed investors, worked together to create two new programs to provide formal business education for roles across the VC world. The Newton Venture Program courses will cover the full spectrum of investment roles in the venture ecosystem, from VC investors to limited partners, angel investors, accelerators and tech transfer officers. The aim of the programs is to upskill the venture capital sector while broadening the routes through which people can join the industry. The courses will aim for a gender split of 50/50, with at least 50% coming from Black, Asian or other minorities, and will be available to anyone just starting out or mid-career professionals. There will be two cohorts a year, of up to 60 students, with the first online program set to start in April 2021. The first on-campus cohort will start in October 2021. Applicants are welcome to apply from anywhere around the world; the majority are expected to be from the U.K., the EU, Africa and Israel.”
The report also claimed that the program is an online-only and it will cost £2,050 or £16,000 for the in-person, on-campus program at London Business School, which is aimed at mid-career professionals. Scholarships of up to 100% will be available for both programs.
Lisa Shu, Executive Director, Newton Venture Program said in a statement: “To find the next generation of world-leading tech businesses, investors need to be more representative of our society…The Newton Venture Program is a chance to train the next generation of investment professionals and open up venture capital investing to a wider, more representative range of voices and experiences.”Minister for Digital and Culture, Caroline Dinenage MP said: “Investors play a vital part in the tech sector with their financial backing and guidance helping entrepreneurs turn their business dreams into reality. The sector needs to reflect society, not just because it is the right thing to do but because it makes good business sense, so this new course is a welcome step to boost diversity and help create more opportunities for founders from all walks of life to succeed.”
