Training Future Venture Capitalists

4/14/13

I’ve mentioned before that I’m writing a paper on the best practices of entrepreneurial education, analyzing CU’s program, and providing recommendations. I’ve enjoyed every minute of the research, probably because entrepreneurship is more than a hobby for me, it’s an obsession.

Just now I was populating a matrix that will compare the top 14 entrepreneurial programs in the country. These 14 were not chosen because of their rankings, I believe the entrepreneurial rankings are broken and I have been seriously thinking about raising some money to go on a road trip to disrupt them. The schools I’m researching were based on what I know having recently researched them to decide which school to attend, and taking input from Frank Moyes and Sharon Matusik, two nationally respected professors of entrepreneurship.

Looking deeply at these top schools has given me an opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned since I’ve been at CU, time that is over in less than two weeks when I graduate. Many of these schools have an entrepreneurial curriculum that is well rounded with classes on new venture creation and business planning. Some of the better curricula have startup execution, sales, entrepreneurial marketing, and entrepreneurial feasibility. However, what I’ve noticed is that although many schools have a well rounded program from an entrepreneurial perspective, almost none of them have much from an investor perspective.

This realization got me thinking about all the investor side training my peers and I have received in the last two years. Outside of class we’ve had panels at the GEA retreat, a VC Boot Camp, a student run venture fund, a venture capital competition, and internships with several local VC firms. In the class room, in addition to a number of guest lectures from venture capitalists and angel investors, we’ve had Venture Capital and Private Equity taught by Brad Bernthal and Jason Mendelson which more than a live version of Venture Deals, and Entrepreneurship & Private Equity Process taught by Bret Fund and Dan Caruso.

No wonder I feel like one of the things I’ve been prepared to do the most is see things from an investors point of view. Unfortunately, analyst and associate positions at VC firms are hard to come by, especially in an area where one the most prominent early stage VC firm doesn’t hire them.

Luckily, my peers and I have plenty of opportunities to work for a local startup, especially with TechStars Boulder cranking out 10 every year. We’ll likely gain experience either as an early employee or founder, have one or more successful exits, and start thinking about how to give back. One way to do that will be to start a venture firm. It won’t surprise me at all if CU Alumni make up a strong percentage of VC investors in the future.

About The Author

Ben currently works as a senior developer and technical business consultant outside of Boulder, Colorado.

Read more about Ben

About Buink

Buink Web Development is a development shop founded in 2009 by Ben Buie. For years, Ben built and modified web assets for clients in Utah. In 2011, he moved the company to Colorado and in 2015 he started taking on new clients full-time.

Buink’s Core Values:

  • Cost effective technology (with business strategy in mind)
  • Eloquent, maintainable code
  • Responsive and transparent communication

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Dave G.
Dave G.
14:05 13 Aug 23
Buink is a great place to work, as well as a great place to have quality software written. I originally contracted Buink for some web development, and it worked out so well we began working together on many different projects. Definitely an honest transparent company that needs to be considered for... your software needs.read more
Dru M.
Dru M.
15:41 25 Mar 21
Ben’s a super responsive, thoughtful, sharp and all around great guy to work with. Excellent with his trade. I’d recommend him to anyone. Thanks Ben!
Seth L.
Seth L.
21:36 29 Jun 19
Ben and team are incredible to work with. They are reliable and proficient. I'd highly recommend hiring them for web development work. SethVOLTAGE
Craig A.
Craig A.
20:50 18 Jun 19
It was a pleasure to work with Ben and his team. It is rare to find such attention to high standards of coding and devops.
Lexi S.
Lexi S.
15:36 18 Jun 19
Grateful to have Ben and his team as such a capable, reliable partner for completing client work!
Tom S.
Tom S.
13:18 14 Jun 19
I reached out to Buink after finding Ben’s name in a local developer/consultant listing in 2017, and I have to say, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with Buink. Ben consistently understands not just the development task laid in front of him but the business application behind the task. I’ve... never felt more comfortable with a development team than I do with Buink. I truly feel Ben and his team are integral partners in the success of my business.read more
Marilyn F.
Marilyn F.
22:47 13 May 19
I could not recommend Buink Web Development more highly. Ben and his team have recently developed a budgeting app for me (both web and IOS). I have had the opportunity of working with them for over a year and I am extremely happy with the results.I would say that the biggest plus for me is that I... trust Ben completely. From the very first, Ben has helped me make decisions that were in the best interest of my company. I have never felt like he is taking advantage of me. Ben does his best to keep the whole process very open and upfront. I have really appreciated that.I tell people all the time that I love my developers. And I do. I'm very happy that I chose to use Buink to develop my apps. It was the best business decision I could have made.If you are looking for someone to develop a website or app, I strongly suggest choosing Buink Web Development. They are fantastic!Marilyn Ference, President, Defend Your Money, LLCread more
James Landon B.
James Landon B.
01:33 28 Aug 18
Great company to help with all your web design needs!
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